问
He was less hurt than frightened.
他受的伤不重，但是被吓得厉害。（《牛津现代高级英汉双解词典》，p.647）
我想较深入地了解 less... than 的真正含义,但查了许多辞典和语法书都未查到。因此,请您分析上面的译文是否正确。
答
如同 more... than 一样, less... than 有时候引出的并不是比较状语从句。例如, I was more angry than frightened。R. Quirk 等把这种句型叫做准并列结构。如同 more...than 一样，less...than 常常用来对比两种说法的正确程度。more A...than B 可以译为“与其说 B，不如说 A”：
I was more angry than frightened. = It is more true to say that I was angry. (CGEL) 与其说我是害怕,不如说我是生气。
与此相反, less A... than B 应译为“与其说 A, 不如说 B”:
He was less hurt than frightened. = It is more true to say that he was frightened. 与其说他受伤了,还不如说他吓坏了。
all the less 见 all the sooner
even less 见 still less