1.
(1) ... not so much...... as (but) ... 与其说……还不如说……
(2) ... not so much that.....as (but) that...... 与其说……还不如说……
(3) ... not so much as..... (=not even) 甚至于不……,连……也不……
(4) ... might as well ... as..... 与其说……还不如说……
例1:he is not so much a teacher as a scholar.
译文:与其说他是老师,还不如说是学者。(注意翻译时动作的对象)
例2:it wasn’t so much his appearance i liked as his personality.
译文:与其说我喜欢他的外表,不如说我喜欢他的品格。
例3:it’s not so much that i don’t want to come but i just haven’t got the time.
译文:倒不是因为我不想来,而是我根本没有时间。
例4:he didn’t so much as say thank you after all we’d done for him.
译文:我们为他干了那么多事,他甚至连谢谢都没有说一声。
例5:you might as well throw your money into the sea as lend it to him.
译文:与其将钱借给他,还不如把钱丢进大海。(注意翻译时动作的对象)
[注意]:more ... than ...
1) she is more beautiful than her sister. 她比她姐姐漂亮。
2) george is more intelligent than aggressive. 与其说乔治言行放肆,不如说他聪颖过人。
以上第1)句是more... than结构的一般用法,即在两个不同的事物之间就同一方面作比较;而第2)句是就同一个人的两个不同方面作比较。因此要译成“与其说……还不如说……”。
more...than结构在上述1) 2)两句中的用法也适用于less ... than结构,得出相反的含义:
例如:
1) john is less daring than quick-witted. 与其说约翰胆大,不如说他脑子灵活。
2) george was less intelligent than aggressive. 与其说乔治聪颖过人,不如说他言行放肆。
2.几个不定代词的固定搭配:
have none of: 不参加;不准;不接受
i will have none of your stupid ideas! 我才不接受你那愚蠢的想法!
he was offered a job but he said he’d have none of it. 他有一个工作机会,但他说他不接受。
none but (=nothing but): 只有 (=only)
none but the brave deserves the fair. 只有英雄才配得上美人。
she chose none but the best. 她只选最好的。
she is nothing but a child. 她只不过是个孩子。