为了更好地理解这个问题,我写三个句子,做一对比:
1. He likes the girl as he likes his sister.
2. He likes the girl much as he likes his sister.
3. He likes the girl as much as he likes his sister.
【分析】这三句英语都正确。不知网友发现各句有何特点和不同?
句1), as 引导“方式状语从句”。
句2), as 仍然引导“方式状语从句”,只是在前面加了一个程度副词 much,强调了一下而已。貌似强调,其实削弱了程度,不如句1)的程度大,因为 much 不是百分百,而是almost。
句3), 在句2 的基础上,又加了一个as 。变成了 as much as,—— 成为典型的比较结构。
由此看得出:方式从句跟比较从句,有着千丝万缕的联系。
下面,我们再看另外一个语境,这个语境中也是含有:
much as...
as much as ...
1. Much as he likes the girl, he never wants to marry her.
2. As much as he likes the girl, he never wants to marry her.
句1):我们知道,as 有时可以引导 “让步从句”。这时,必须具备两个条件:1. 从句跟主句必须存在这层关系;2. 某些成分(如表语、程度状语等)需要置于as 之前。网友的句子,结构跟句1相似,但主、从句语义不存在让步关系,所以排除。其实,跟上面的 He likes the girl much as he likes his sister. 为同一个结构。
句1)就具备了这两个条件。 Much as he
likes the girl 是让步从句,= Though he likes the girl very much,
我们再来看句2),它与句1)没有什么很大差别,就是多了一个as。其实,这是美国英语,美国人喜欢用两个 as,显得对称。而意思不变。much as... =as much as = though...much,。
以上两句翻译如下:
【翻译】尽管他很喜欢这个女孩,但他从不想娶她。
由此看出:两个同样的 much as, 两个同样的 as much as,用在不同的语境,意思相差甚远。