| 词组 | not only ... but also |
| 释义 | not only ... but also The also in this set of correlative conjunctions is optional and is frequently omitted. Freeman 1983 says that when also is omitted, the words following but receive greater stress. This may be so, at least sometimes, but it is hard to demonstrate. • ... it is necessary not only that his designs be formed in a masterly manner, but that they should be attended with success —Samuel Johnson, in James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson, 1791 Also is often omitted in shorter constructions, where the omission is often desirable as it makes for tighter and smoother expression: • Human society is not only multifaceted but often contradictory —Finegan 1980 • ... an oafish brute who not only beat her but insisted on being addressed as father —Alexander Woollcott, letter, 24 Apr. 1942 • I not only feel, but know as a fact, that... —James Thurber, letter, 20 Jan. 1938 It would not matter whether Johnson had used also, but the other three examples would have been more awkward with the also. The chief concern of the many commentators who discuss the not only ... but (also) construction is parallelism: they insist that for clarity identical constructions be placed after both the not only and the but (also). The concern for the parallel construction goes back to the 19th century; it is mentioned in Ayres 1881 (in connection with not ... but only), and Hall 1917 says that it was common in school rhetorics. Despite the opinions of the commentators, the non-parallel construction is common enough to pass almost unnoticed. The fact that it often does pass unnoticed is evidence that it creates no confusion or misunderstanding. Hall 1917 collected about 125 nonparallel constructions from more than 50 authors, almost all literary. It is clear that constructions which are not precisely parallel are as much a part of standard English as those which are precisely parallel. Here we have a few examples in which parallelism is not observed: • I was not only endowed with the faculty of speech, but likewise with some rudiments of reason —Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels, 1726 (OED) • They not only tell lies but bad lies —Benjamin Jow-ett, translation of The Dialogues of Plato, 1871 (OED) • Most of the luxuries, and many of the so called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind — Henry David Thoreau, Waiden, 1854 • North Haverhill is not only the seat of the country estate of Frances Parkinson Keyes but provides the locale for a number of her novels —American Guide Series: New Hampshire, 1938 • I was really impressed by your analysis of the show not only because of its complimentary tone, but because it so accurately described so many of the evils of radio —Groucho Marx, letter, 28 Dec. 1949 • A journal, both of them insisted, would give the Institute not only professional standing, but could provide a wide appeal for membership —Julia Child, Jour, of Gastronomy, Summer 1984 And here are a few examples in which it is observed: • ... for not only are their own Eleven all at home, but the three little Bridges are also with them —Jane Austen, letter, 30 June 1808 • ... I am sure he would not only get over that trouble, but be as well and strong as he ever was —Walt Whitman, letter, 15 Apr. 1863 • ... it was not only a Greek but a contemporary tragedy —Gilbert Highet, The Classical Tradition, 1949 • Miss Didion is wonderful not only at hearing her characters but at naming them —Mary McCarthy, Occasional Prose, 1985 We doubt that you had any trouble understanding any of the examples, though you may have preferred some over others. The worst of the nonparallel constructions above is that from the American Guide Series, where the two parts are different enough to be plainly noticeable; but it is the yoking of is with provides in addition to the placing of not only that makes it conspicuous. In the example from Julia Child, the matching of would give with could provide makes the placement of not only a secondary consideration. And in the example from Groucho Marx, repetition of the word because tends to disguise the fact that because of, a preposition, is matched with because, a conjunction. So as long as you take care that the groups of words joined by the conjunctions are not so dissimilar as to call attention to themselves, you need not worry all the time about achieving precise parallelism. It is more important for your sentence to sound natural and to make sense. For the related issue of the placement of only in a sentence, see only 1. |
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