【问】 Hitler’s mistakes gave Roosevelt the victory;just as at Waterloo it was less Wellingtonwho 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：

1. He was less hurt than frightened.

他与其说受了伤，还不如说受了惊。

2. 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

3. 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。①