what ⁷ (关系形容词)

按照《新英汉辞典》和《远东英汉大词典》的解释,这种用作关系形容词的 what = all... that, any... that, as many(much)... as(《新英汉词典》译为“尽可能多的”)。它们选用的例句是:

1. I will give you what books I possess. 我要把我所有的书都给你。

2. I will give you what help I can. 我应当尽我的能力帮助你。

3. Lend me what reference books you have on the subject. 把你所有的关于这个题目的书都借给我。

但是，R.Quirk等人认为这种用作关系形容词的what还具有微量的含义：

1. What friends she has are out of the country. (CGEL)

= The few friends she has are out of the country.

2. He collected what information he could find.

= He collected the little information he could find. (CGEL)

他们还说,作限定词使用的 what, 其后只能跟表微量的词 few 和 little, 而不能跟表多量的词 many 和 much。

1. I gave him what money I had. = I gave him what little money I had. 我把我仅有的那一点钱都给了他。

2. He has sold what books he had. = He has sold what few books he had. 他把仅有的几本书都卖了。

3. I will lend you what books I can spare. = I will lend you what few books I can spare. 我将把我用不着的为数不多的几本书借给你。

4. He deposited what money he saves in a bank. = He deposited what little money he saves in a bank. 他把他节省下来的一点点钱都存入了银行。

由此可见，《新英汉词典》和《最新高级英汉词典》将关系形容词 what 译为“尽可能多的”[as many(much) as]，是不准确的。它们所提供的译文把微量含义变成多量含义，也有商榷的余地。建议在翻译上列各句时把 what 的微量含义给表达出来：

1. 我要把我仅有的那几本书都给你。

2. 我当尽我微薄的力量来帮助你。

3. 请把你的关于这个题目的那几本参考书都借给我吧。

He claims to be an expert in astronomy, but in actual fact he is quite ignorant on the subject. ____ he knows about it is out of date and inaccurate.

A. What little B. So much C. How much D. So little(全国研考,97-7)