but that例句、解釋、意義、用法、詞性和含義

but that 1:

問：(1) Nothing would satisfy the child but that I place her on my lap.
(2) Nothing is so hard but that it becomes easy by practices.
請問上面兩句中but that 的意義和用法是否相同?

答：上面兩句中的but that 都是從屬連接詞, 但意義和用法是不同的。在句(1) 中but (that) 的含義相當於except that, 引出的是例外分句, 全句的意思是: 除了把這孩子放在我的膝上之外, 什麼事也不能使她滿意(參見but that3 中的It never rains but it pours.) 。而句(2) 中的but that = that…not, 全句的意思是: 沒有什麼事通過練習不會變為易事(什麼難事通過練習都會變為易事) 。這個句型的特點, 是主句總是個否定句。請看下面的例句:

1. No man is too old but he may learn. 不管多老, 都可以學習。
2. I am not such a fool but that I understand you. 我絕不會蠢得連你都不瞭解。
3. No task is so difficult but we can accomplish it. 沒有什麼困難的任務是我們不能完成的。
4. Nowadays diamond is not such a hard material but that it can be drilled through. 金剛石在今天已不是硬得不能鑽透的材料了。

but that 2:

問：I’d have come with you but that I am so busy.
請問but that 的詞性及其含義。

答：but that 如同except that, in that 一樣, 應看成是複合從屬連接詞(complex subordinator), 而不要看成是介係詞+ that 的結構。此種用法的but that 通常可以譯為: “要不是”(= except that) 。

1. The old woman would have been drowned but that a passer-by dragged her out of the water. 要不是一位過路人把這位老太太從水里拉上來, 她就淹死了。
2. He would have helped us but that he was short of money at the time. 要不是他當時沒有錢, 他就幫助我們了。

請注意, but that 子句本身所描述的情景是真實的, 因而應當用陳述語氣, 但是, 由於but that 在語意上表示“假如它所描述的真實情景不存在的話”, 因此主句常常提出與事實相反的情景, 所以主句大都用假設語氣。

but that 3:

問：It never rains but it pours 中的but, 是什麼詞類?

答：這裡的but 是but that 的省略形式。but that = except that (若不是, 除非) 。因此but (that) 是個從屬連接詞, 引出例外子句。

當主句為否定句時, 往往表達“如果不⋯⋯ 就不會”、“ 若⋯⋯, 就一定”的意思, 而且在固定格式裡常常省略that 。在這種情況下, but (that) 相當於without + V-ing。

1. It never rains but it pours. (= It never rains without pouring) 不下雨則已, 一下雨就是傾盆大雨。
2. You cannot look out but you will see it. (= You cannot look out without seeing it.) 你只要往外看, 就能看見它。
3. He never comes but that hey may scold us. 他不來則已, 一來就罵我們。
4. He never reads a book but he digests. 他讀書必融會貫通。
5. I never hear such a story but I laugh. 我一聽到這種故事就發笑。
6. I never think of summer but I think of my childhood. 每當我想起夏天, 我就想起我的童年。
7. I never hear Gigli records but I think of my childhood singing-teacher. 每當我聽吉格裡的唱片時, 就會想起童年時的唱歌教師。

[ 參見never(never…but) ]

but that 4:

問：I am not sure but that spring has arrived. 請問句中的but that 是什麼詞, 具有什麼含義?

答：but that 用在to know, to be sure, to believe, to think, to say, to imagine 等動詞之後, 其含義是: that… not 。所以現在有一種傾向用that… not 來代替but that 。例如:

1. I don’t know but that he may come here tomorrow. 我不知道他明天可能不到這裡來。
2. Who knows but that we may make friends with these foreigners?誰知道我們不會同這些外國人交朋友呢? (我們也許會同這些外國人交上朋友的。)
3. Who knows but that we may make a fortune? 誰知道我們不會發財呢?
4. I could hardly believe but that it was all real. 我很難相信這不是真的。

but that 5 (doubt but that):

問：I don’t doubt but that you are surprised. 我不明白上面句中的but that 的意義和用法。

答：我們已經知道, 在肯定句中, doubt 之後的受詞子句要使用連接詞whether 或if :

1. He doubled whether they would be able to help. 他拿不准他們是否能幫忙。
2. I doubt if he’s honest. 我懷疑他是否誠實。

但是, 在否定句中, doubt 之後的受詞子句必須使用連接詞(but) that:

1. He never doubted that they would succeed. 他從不懷疑他們會成功。
2. I don’t doubt that they’ll accept at once. 我不懷疑他們會馬上接受。
3. He didn’t doubt but that (= that) snow would fall. 他不懷疑要下雪了。

doubt 用作名詞時, 情況亦是如此:

1. There is no doubt that if shed had not lost her rudder she would have won the race easily. (New Concept English, Book 3, L.25) 如果它沒有失去船舵的話, 它可能會輕而易舉地贏得這次比賽的勝利的。
2. There’s no doubt but that he’s the guilty one. 毫無疑問他有罪。
3. I have no doubt but that he’ll come. 我想他會來的。

從上面的例句可以看出, but that 是個複合連接詞, 可引出動詞doubt 的受詞子句或名詞doubt 的同位語子句。注意: but that 中的but 常常省略。