Did these prejudices prevail only among the meanest and lowest of the people, perhaps they might be excused, as they have few, if any, opportunitiesof correcting them by reading, traveling, or conversing with foreigners.
这句话的翻译是:这些偏见是否仅在最卑贱的底层阶级中盛行呢?也许这群人是可以被原谅的,因为他们很少有机会去阅读书籍,去旅行,或者与外国人人交流,以纠正自己的偏见。
if any是如果有的话的意思,不是和have few很少有,有点矛盾了吗?这里该怎么理解?我翻译时写成了鲜有或者有任何机会。
不矛盾。if any 是省略说法,等于:if there are any. 属于非肯定句。常跟few, little 等否定词连用,可以不用翻译出来。有时,中间不加逗号。又如:
The two sides made little if any progress towards agreement.
双方在达成协议方面的进展甚微。
来自柯林斯例句
There are few, if any, mistakes in the book.
那本书里即使真有错误,也不多。
来自《简明英汉词典》
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