【语法结构】
谈谈 not half 的强调作用
佳中
● not half 从词面意思是“不到一半”，因此据语境可以译其本意，如：
1）My work is not half done yet.
我的工作还没做完一半呢。
2）My daughter is not half so clever as your daughter.
我女儿不及你女儿一半聪明。
3）My command of English is not half so good as yours.
我英语掌握得还不及你一半儿好。
4）Believe not all that you see, nor half what you hear.
眼见的不能全信，耳闻的也不能半信。
● not half “不到一半”，从语义上含有强意否定的意思，由“连一半都不到”、
“还差得 远呢” 引申出“远不”、“毫不”、“根本不”等意思，表示强烈否
定。 如：
My daughter is not half so clever as your daughter.
我女儿不及你女儿一半聪明，（含“我女儿根本如你女儿聪明”的意思）
My command of English is not half so good as yours.
我英语掌握得还不及你一半儿好，（含“我英语掌握远不如你好”的意思）
1）His English not half as fluent as his brother's.
他的英语远不如他弟弟说得流畅。
2）She is no half so good-humoured as Susan.
她一点也不像苏珊那样性情好。
3）He might divine some delicacy of feeling here, but did not half
这里包含的微妙情绪，他可能有些察觉, 但根本不能完全理解。
4）Stop piling it on: it's not half as bad as you make it appear.
别夸大其词了，事情根本不象你所说的那么坏。
● 有趣的是，在口语中，not half 置于形容词或副词前，不是强调否定，而是表强调肯
定，意思是“极其”、“非常”，因为从语义上 not half 不仅表示少于一半，也可表示
多于一半。
1）The paper you wrote is not half good
你写的这篇文章棒极了。
2）It is not half windy today.
今天风真大。
3）He didn’t half like it.
他很喜欢它。
4）There were thousands of people. The streets were not half crowded.
街道十分拥挤，人数以万计。
5）She didn't half shout at him.
她对他大喊大叫。
● 常用来修饰 bad，即 not half bad，表示“不错”。
1）The dictionary is not half bad.
这本字典很好。
2）“What do you think of the job he did?” “Not half bad for a
beginner.”
“你觉得他干的工作怎么样？” “对于初学者，算是挺不错的。”
3）This book, which is written by a rather unknown young writer, is not
half bad.
这本书是一个沒有名气的年轻作家所写，写得很是不错。
4）He may seem very brusque on first acquaintance, but he’s not half a
bad fellow when you get to know him.
当你初次与他结识时，他看起来很粗暴，但是当你开始对他有所了解的时候，你
就知道他是挺不错的人。
● 在答复问题时，用 not half 可表示十分肯定的回答。
1）“You enjoyed yourself last night, didn't you?” “Not half !"
“昨晚你玩得很开心，是吧？”“非常开心。”
2）“He's a nice-looking bloke, isn't he?” “Not half!”
“他是一个长得很帅的小伙子，是吗?” “帅极了。”
3）“Do you like ice-cream? ” “Not half!”
“你喜欢吗吃冰淇淋吗?” “太喜欢啦!”
4） "He is a good actor, isn't he?" "Not half! He is really brilliant."
“他是一个好演员，不是嗎？” “当然！他真的很出色。”
