【问】 rather than都有哪些意义和用法?
 【答】 rather than主要有三种含义。
 A.单纯地表示否定，rather than=and not。在这种情况下它可以连接任何词性相同的词。例如：
 1. The colour seems green rather than blue.
 颜色好象是绿色，不是蓝色。
 2. It ought to be you rather than me that signs the letter. (PEU)
 是你而不是我应该在这封信上签字。
 3. They were screaming rather than singing. (CGEL)
 他们在尖叫，而不是在唱歌。
 4. He was engaged in writing rather than reading the newspaper.
 他正忙着写东西，而不是在读报纸。
 5. He paid the fine rather than appeal to a higher court. (CGEL)
 他付了罚款，而没有向上一级法院申诉。
 B.表示两种说法的正确程度。rather...than后面的部分是不够精确的说法，是more...than(与其说……不如说……)反向的表达方法：
 1. He is an artist rather than a phylosopher.
 与其说他是个哲学家，不如说他是个艺术家。
 2. When Zimbabwe becomes independent，therefore，this is seen merely as the opening actto the final play on Southern Africa rather than as a separate case.
 因此，当津巴布韦宣告独立时，与其说人们把它看成是一个孤立事件，还不如说人们把它看成是南部非洲最后一出戏的第一幕。
 C.表示主观上选优。主句表示喜欢做的事(主句中常含有would prefer，like等)，rather than从句则表示不喜欢做的事。在这种情况下，rather than可以放在主句之前。
 1. I would die with my head high rather than live with knees bent.
 我宁愿昂着头去死，也不愿意跪着生。
 2. Rather than get money in such a dishonest way，he would beg in the streets.
 他宁愿在街上乞讨，也不愿以这种不正当的手段挣钱。
 3. Rather than go there I'd prefer to stay here on my own. (EGS)
 我宁愿自己呆在这里，也不去那里。
 当主句中有would，should时，可将位于句末的rather than从句中的rather转移到主句中去：
 1. He would rather beg in the streets than get money in such a dishonest way.
 他宁愿在街上乞讨，也不以这种不正当的手段挣钱。
 2. He would rather pay the fine than appeal to a higher court. (CGEL)
 他宁愿付罚款，也不向上级法院上告。
 3. I'd rather take the slowest train than go there by air. (CGEL)
 我宁愿坐最慢的火车，也不乘飞机去那里。