can't be too..., can't...enough 等的理解难点

刘老师,我感觉以下句型很难理解:

1. can't 和 too 或 enough 做什么都不够

2. more than+subject+can+predicate. 非···所能(不能)

e.g. That is more than I can tell you.  无法理解 ‘它比我能告诉你多’ 。

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最佳答案 2018-11-04 19:17


网友的前两个问题,可以根据 “否定转移现象” 来解决;第3个问题可以根据more than 表示“超出”之意来解决。


一、下面是两个非常有趣的英语句子,它们一个单词也不多,一个单词也不少,但却表达了几乎相反的两种意思。这两句英语是:

Happily his uncle didn't die. 幸运的是,他叔叔没有死。

His uncle didn't die happily.他叔叔死得很惨。

一个是“幸运没有死”,一个是“死得很惨”。差别为何如此之大?问题在哪里呢?通过分析,我们发现:

第一句:Happily修饰全句,相当于It was fortunate that his uncle didn't die. 译为:幸运的是,他叔叔没有死。

第二句:His uncle didn't die happily. not不是修饰die,而是修饰happily。所以,句子的实际含义是:His uncle died not happily. 译为:他叔叔死得很惨。

以上语言现象叫做否定转移(Negative transformation)。否定转移是指否定形式在谓语动词,而否定的信息焦点却在其他成分(例如,本句则是否定状语happily)。关于网友的两种情况,它们分别是:

(1)在固定句式中:not修饰enough

I can’t thank you enough. 我对你真是感激不尽。

(not否定enough,意味着“感激不够”。)

We couldn’t enjoy your meal enough. 你做的饭我们喜欢不够。

(2)在固定句式中:not修饰too

We can’t praise the novel too highly. 这部小说我们怎么赞扬都不过分。

(not否定too highly,意味着“赞扬的程度不过分”。)

You can’t be too careful in doing the experiments. 做实验你越仔细越好。

【补充】

(3)在固定句式中:not修饰比较级

---What did you think of the film last night? ---It couldn’t be better.

“你认为昨晚的电影怎么样?”--- “好极了。”

(couldn’t是“不可能”,better是“更好”。“不可能更好”意味着“再好不过了”。当can’t 或couldn’t 跟比较级连用时,not并没有否定谓语动词,而是否定了“比较级”,因而更加重了肯定的含义。)

I can’t agree more. 我再同意不过了。


二、关于最后一个问题,可以从字面上理解,然后引申即可:more than 表示:“多于”→“超出”→“否定”(即:more than 前后两部分产生矛盾)。请网友仔细体会下面的句子是如何翻译的。注意:than 引导的句子中往往含有表示能力的can(could)等词语,表示前句超出了than 句所表达的能力范围。

Her rudeness is more than I can endure. 她的粗暴无礼我实在无法忍受。

Your disapproval pains me more than I can say. 你的反对使我苦不堪言。

The doubt is more than I can put up with. 这种疑心使我难以忍受。

This conduct is more than I can digest. 这种行为我忍受不了。

The pain in my leg is more than I can stand. 腿疼得我真吃不消。

My gratitude is more than I can express in words. 我的感激之情非言语能表达。

This is an honor more than I can deserve. 这光荣我受之有愧。

How he manages to live is more than I can tell. 他是怎样生活的,我简直猜不透。

The beauty of Hangzhou is more than I can describe. 杭州景色之美,无法用语言描述。

Your temper is more than I can bear. 我不能忍受你的脾气。

This is more than I can tolerate. 这是我所无法忍受的。

His insolence is more than I can stand. 我受不了他的无礼。

The reparis of the large house are more than she can afford. 维修这幢大房子不是她能负担得起的。

He cared for her more than she realized. 她不知道他是多么在乎她。

She got more than she had bargained for. 她得到的比她要求的多。

She is spending more than she earns. 她入不敷出(花的比挣的多)。

He always undertake more than he can do. 他总是尝试去做超出他能力所能做的事。

He bites off more than he can chew. 他贪多嚼不烂。

My tempter is more than he can bear. 他受不了我的脾气。

 


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其它 2 个回答

陈才   - 英语教师
擅长:中考英语,词法问题

cannot…too…是英语中一个十分有用的表达,意为“不可能太……,无论怎样……也不算过分,越……越……”。

can never/ can’t 与too, too much, enough, over- 搭配表示“无论怎样….都不过分”

You can’t be too careful. 

你越仔细越好。

You can’t praise the too much. 

这本书值得大加赞扬 .

We cannot work too much for the people. 

我们为人民做工作是不可能做过头的。

A woman cannot have too many clothes. 

女人买的衣服再多也不算多。

备注:有时也可用 can never, impossible 等与too连用来表示类似意思。

It is impossible to get there too soon. 

去那儿越早越好。

While you are doing your homework, you can’t be careful enough.

He is such a great man that we can’t praise him too much.

William Hartley was handsome, determined and hardworking, in a word, I couldn’t speak too highly of him.

The development of society has made it necessary for us to have a good knowledge of English, so we can’t overemphasize the importance of learning English.

(2)more than或more.…than十含can的分句,表示“…不能”。

The beauty of Hangzhou is more than words can describe.

杭州景色之美是语言所不能描述的。

That is more than I can tell you, sir.

这一点我是不能告诉你的,先生。


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黎反修   - 英语翻译 (已退休)
擅长:数词用法,存在句,英语考试

  cannot ... too ...再......也不为过,越......越好 / You cannot be too careful when crossing the street.穿越马路时,再怎么小心也不为[过越小心越好]。(外研社 建宏《英汉多功能词典》)

   cannot [can never] do enough无论怎么都不够 /I cannot thank you enough . 我对你感激不尽。(外研社 建宏《英汉多功能词典》)

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  • grapevine 提出于 2018-11-04 11:37

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