無否定意義的 too…to

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我們知道，too (+ adj./adv.)…to (+ V) 意為「太…不」，如 He is too old to walk fast. (他太老而走不快)，但在表示下列意思的形容詞中，too…to 並無否定意義，此時 too 相當於 very：

易於：ready, apt, inclined, liable, easy, prone, likely
渴望：anxious, eager
樂意：willing, forward

He is too ready to speak ill of others. (他易說別人壞話)
I am too apt to oversleep myself on holidays. (假日時我很容易睡過頭)
Many people are too anxious to get rich. (許多人非常渴望致富)
John was too willing to take my advice. (約翰很樂意接受我的忠告)

此外，若在 too 的前面加上 all, but, only 等字，那麼 too…to 也無否定意義，此時 all too = but too = only too = very。例如：

My first love came to an end all too soon. (我的初戀很快就結束了)
I’m only too pleased to inform you that your application has been accepted.
= I’m very pleased to inform you that your application has been accepted.
(我非常高興地通知您，您的申請已被接受)

延伸閱讀：

  1. When push comes to shove
  2. Verbal, oral, orally, verbally
  3. Push the envelope
  4. 在書信稱呼中，Dear 後面不可有逗點，而 Hello 後面要有逗點
  5. Q：關於字尾為 -y 的雙音節形容詞，其比較級和最高級分別為去掉 -y 加 – ier 和 -iest。那麼複合形容詞如 easy-going 或 user-friendly 的比較級和最高級是寫成 easier-going, easiest-going, user-friendlier, user-friendliest，還是寫成 more easy-going, most easy-going, more user-friendly, most user-friendly呢?
  6. Progress 為不可數名詞
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One Comment

  1. chen yi ling
    2010 年 06 月 04 日 at 12:41:20

    :disdain:
    Thanks for your illucination. But I feel difficult in some sentence given for rewriting with ‘ for’ or ‘of ‘ in too..to sentences. Please illucinate them. Thanks.
    1. The news was so disheartened that few people were pleased on hearing it . ( use pleasing, it was…)
    It was too disheartened for pleasing the most people to hear the news.
    2. The fashion show meant so much that she couldn’t afford mining it. ( use important )
    The fashion show meant too important for her to afford mining it .
    3. The vulgarian was so despicable that no one invited him to chair the ceremony.
    The vulgarin was too despicalbe to be invited to chair the ceremony.
    It was too despicable of the vulgarian to be invited by no one to chair the ceremony.
    chen

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