问
They smoke less than 20 cigarettes a day. 据英语语法书上讲, less than 只能与表示度量的名词连用, 因此, 我认为, 上句中的 less than 应改为 fewer than。
答
英语语法书上确实有这样的说法,但是,它已不完全符合现代英语实际使用情况。事实上,人们在非正式语体中大量使用 less than + 数词 + 表人或物的名词的结构:
- Less than 200 people turned up. (CCEU) 突然出现了 200 来人。
- No less than fifty people were killed in the accident. 这次事故中死者多达50人。(CGEL明确指出此类句子已被人们普遍接受。)
- There were no less than 600 people at the meeting. (CEED) 参加会议的多达600人。less...than
问
Hitler's mistakes gave Roosevelt the victory; just as at Waterloo it was less Wellington who won than Napoleon who lost. [原译]希特勒犯下的错误使罗斯福取得了胜利，正如在滑铁卢战场上，威灵顿所赢得的要比拿破仑输掉的少。（刊） 将 less... than 译为“比……少”似乎不符合原意。
答
如同 more... than 并不总作“比……多”一样, less... than 也并不总作“比……少”解。如前所述, “more A than B” 可以译作“与其说 B, 不如说 A”, “less A than B” 具有与它相反的意义, 即 less A than B = more B than A, 可以译作“与其说是 A 不如说是 B”。例如:
- He was less hurt than frightened. 他与其说受了伤，还不如说受了惊。
- It was a curious exchange, less a debate than a quarrel between two aggressive men... 这是一次奇特的交谈，与其说是两个好斗的人之间的一场辩论，不如说是一次争吵……
- A general-purpose computer is regarded less as an electric calculating machine than as a capable assistant to human beings. 通用电子计算机，与其说是电动计算器，不如说是人的得力助手。 [试译]……正如在滑铁卢战场上，与其说是威灵顿战胜了，不如说是拿破仑战败了。