1,sb/sth is more A than B表示“与其说sb/sth是B,不如说是A”
eg:He is more an artist than a philosopher.
与其说他是位哲学家,不如说他是位艺术家。
sb/sth is more A than B表示“与其说sb/sth是B,不如说是A”
eg:He is not more an artist than a philosopher.
与其说他是位艺术家,不如说他是位哲学家
2,例Science moves forward, they say, not so much through the insights of great men of genius as because of more ordinary things like improved techniques and tools.(1994年真题)
分析:本句属于比较结构,含有一个比较结构not so much...as“与其说……不如说”。they为插入语。through the insights of great men of genius和because of more ordinary things为两个状语。like improved techniques and tools为介词短语作定语,修饰things.
译文:他们说,科学的发展与其说源于天才伟人的真知灼见,不如说源于改进了的技术和工具等更为普通的东西。
more ......than......
XXXX(与其说的部分),or rather, XXXX(倒不如说的部分)
例:He was tired of the daily drama played out in the office, or rather, he was sick of it.
It is better doing sth. than doing sth.
would rather say that + XX than say + XX