【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 wasmore 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。