but that

上面两句中的 but that 都是从属连词,但意义和用法是不同的。在句(1)中 but (that)的含义相当于 except that,引出的是例外分句,全句的意思是:除了把这孩子放在我的膝上之外,什么事也不能使她满意(参见 but that $^{3}$ 中的 It never rains but it pours.)。而句(2)中的 but that = that...not,全句的意思是:没有什么事是通过练习不会变为易事的(什么难事通过练习都会变为易事)。这个句型的特点,是主句总是个否定句。请看下面的例句:

1. No man is too old but he may learn. (ALD) 不管多老,都可以学习。

2. I am not such a fool but that I understand you. 我绝不会蠢得连你都不了解。

3. No task is so difficult but we can accomplish it. (Mis) 没有什么困难的任务是我们不能完成的。

4. Nowadays diamond is not such a hard material but that it can be drilled through. 金刚石在今天已不是硬得不能钻透的材料了。

but that 如同 except that, in that 一样, 应看成是复合从属连词 (complex subordinator), 而不要看成是介词 + that 的结构。此种用法的 but that 通常可以译为: “要不是” (= except that)。

1. The old woman would have been drowned but that a passer-by dragged her out of the water. 要不是一位过路人把这位老太太从水里拉上来，她就淹死了。

2. He would have helped us but that he was short of money at the time. (ALD) 要不是他当时没有钱,他就帮助我们了。

请注意, but that 从句本身所描述的情景是真实的, 因而应当用陈述语气, 但是, 由于 but that 在语义上表示“假如它所描述的真实情景不存在的话”, 因此主句常常提出与事实相反的情景, 所以主句大都用虚拟语气。

1. He would have left but that he ____ afraid.

A.is B.was C.has been D.had

2. But that he ____ it himself, he could not have believed.

A. saw B. had not seen C. didn't see D. has seen

(参见 but $^{3}$ )

这里的 but 是 but that 的省略形式。but that = except that(若不是,除非)。因此 but (that) 是个从属连词,引出例外从句。

当主句为否定句时,往往表达“如果不……就不会”“若……,就一定”的意思,而且在固定格式里常常省略 that。在这种情况下,but(that)相当于 without + v-ing。

1. It never rains but it pours. (=It never rains without pouring.) 不下雨则已，一下雨就是倾盆大雨。

2. You cannot look out but you will see it. (= You cannot look out without seeing it.) 你只要往外看, 就能看见它。

3. He never reads a book but he digests. 他读书必融会贯通。

4. I never hear such a story but I laugh. 我一听到这种故事就发笑。

5. I never think of summer but I think of my childhood. 每当我想起夏天,我就想起我的童年。

6. I never hear Gigli records but I think of my childhood singing-teacher. (RWRT) 每当我听吉格里的唱片时,我就会想起我童年时的唱歌教师。

[参见 never(never...but)]

but that 用在 to know, to be sure, to believe, to think, to say, to imagine 等动词之后, 其含义是: that... not。所以现在有一种倾向用 that... not 来代替 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这里来。

2. Who knows but that we may make friends with these foreigners? 谁知道我们不会同这些外国人交朋友呢？（我们也许会同这些外国人交上朋友的。）

3. Who knows but that we may make a fortune? (MD) 谁知道我们不会发财呢?

4. I could hardly believe but that it was all real. 我很难相信这不是真的。

我们已经知道,在肯定句中,doubt之后的宾语从句要使用连词whether或if:

1. He doubted whether they would be able to help. (EGS) 他拿不准他们是否能帮忙。

2. I doubt if he's honest. (LDCE) 我怀疑他是否诚实。

但是,在否定句中,doubt之后的宾语从句必须使用连词(but)that:

1. He never doubted that they would succeed. (EGS) 他从不怀疑他们会成功。

2. I don't doubt (but) that they'll accept at once. (CGEL) 我不怀疑他们会马上接受。

3. He didn't doubt but that( = that) snow would fall. (Walpole) 他不怀疑要下雪了。

doubt 用作名词时,情况亦是如此:

1. There is no doubt that if she had not lost her rudder she would have won the race easily. (New Concept English, Book 3, L. 25) 如果它没有失去船舵的话，它可能会轻而易举地赢得这次比赛的胜利的。

2. There's no doubt but that he's the guilty one. (LDCE)

他可能是有罪的。

3. I have no doubt but that he'll come.

我想他会来的。

从上面的例句可以看出, but that 是个复合连词, 可引出动词 doubt 的宾语从句或名词 doubt 的同位语从句。注意: but that 中的 but 常常省略。