（1）Woman: Everybody is helping out with dinner. Would you make the salad? Man: Anything but that. Third voice: What does the man mean? A. He doesn't want any dinner. B. He will do anything to help. C. He prefers another job. D. He can't eat salad. (TOEFL)
(2) It is anything but easy to understand the theory of relativity. 要想理解相对论决不是容易之事。
句(1)和句(2)中的 Anything but 是否为两种不同的用法和意义?
句(1)和句(2)中的anything but的基本用法和意义是相同的,都是“强调某人或某事绝非……”。但是,anything but后跟名词或代词时可以有两种译法:1、除了……之外什么都是(行,可以);2、绝不,根本不,一点儿也不。而anything but后跟形容词时,则只有一种译法:绝不,根本不。比如,句(1)中的Anything but that。既可译为“绝不做色拉。”也可译为“除了做色拉之外,干什么都行。”请看下面的实例及其译文:
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He was anything but a hero. (Mis) 他绝不是英雄。
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My doctor won't let me drink anything but champagne. [《大学英语》(文理科本科用教材,第4册,第7单元)] 我的医生只让我喝香槟(除了香槟之外,我的医生不让我喝任何酒)。
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The little bridge is anything but safe. (LDCE) 这座小桥一点儿也不安全。
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He's anything but polite. (MD) 他根本不懂礼貌。