but

有些语言学家早已指出，这个禁止在语法上或逻辑上都是没有充足理由的，并论证说，but位于句首的用法贯穿于语言发展的每一个阶段，下面是一些实例：

1. But I'm not going to argue with you tonight. (Priestley) 但我今天晚上不打算和你吵架。

2. You may think I am exaggerating. But I can assure you that these figures are correct. (DEU) 你也许认为我在夸大,但我可以向你保证这些数字是准确的。

3. There will still be difficulties. But they can be overcome. (Mis) 还将会有困难。但是能够克服。

4. George was quite prepared to join us. But he was not prepared to pay his share. (RWRT) 乔治完全做好加入我们团体的准备。但是他不准备付那份费用。

首先应弄清这种句型的特点:but 或 but that 引出的分句描述的是真实情况,but 前的分句描述的是非真实的情况(假想的情况)。but 句所描述的情况阻碍了前面的句子的情景得以发生或实现。换言之,but 句的反面意义便是一个虚拟条件(倘若不)。

1. Franklin would gladly have spent the rest of his days in quiet study and research. But he was a very important person now, and the country needed him for public service. 富兰克林本来是会在安静的研究中愉快地度过他的后半生的，但是他当时是一个非常重要的人物，国家需要他担任公职。

2. We would have avoided making such a mistake, but we didn't follow his sound advice. 我们本来可以不犯这样的错误，只是我们没有接受他的忠告（倘若我们接受了他的忠告，我们本来是可以避免这样的错误的）。

3. They might have left earlier, but the car wasn't ready. 要是汽车准备好了的话，他们本可能早点儿离开的。

4. I would have written before but I have been ill. (Yeats) 要不是我病了的话,我会在此之前写信的。

由这些实例可以很容易理解,为什么在 but 句中使用陈述语气,而在它前面的句子里使用虚拟语气了。

请做下面的试题：

1. I ____ abroad but I had no money. A. would go B. would have gone C. would be going D. will have gone

2. “What happened to the flower I gave you?” “The flower ____ well, but I did not water it.” A. would grow B. might grow C. would have grown D. should have grown (参见 but that $^{2}$ )

见上条, subjunctive mood $^{9}$ I 项。

译者没有注意到副词 but 在这里的意义和用法,显然也是误译的一个原因。but 在这里的含义是“只不过”“仅仅”(only)。例如：

1. He is but a child. (Eckersley) 他只不过是个孩子。

2. Deeds are fruits, words are but leaves. (Prov) 行动是果实,言语只不过是叶子。

3. My friends, I realize I am but a guest on this journey, and I am honoured as such. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 朋友们，我发现在这旅途上我只是一位客人，我为此深感荣幸。（《达·芬奇密码》）

[试译]他与雄鹰相比，只不过是一只苍蝇而已。

这里的 but 是介词,含义是“除……之外”。常见的搭配有 (the) first but one(第二),

(the) last but one(倒数第二),(the) last but two(倒数第三),(the) next but one(隔一个):

1. His house is the last but one in the street. (LDCE) 他的房子在这条街上是倒数第二栋。

由于 but 究竟是连词还是介词,常常难以断定,所以其后既可以接动词不定式,也可以接动名词。CGEL 书中的例句可以证明这一点:

He does everything in the house $\left\{ \begin{array}{l} \text{except} \\ \text{but} \end{array} \right\} \left\{ \begin{array}{l} \text{put} \\ \text{putting} \end{array} \right\}$ the children to bed. (CGEL, § 9.58)

除了安排孩子们上床睡觉之外，他在家里什么事都干。

[附注]but接动名词的结构用得较少。