1. 表特指
所谓表特指,就是说此时的what 在使用方法上大致等于the。如:
What money I have will be yours when I die. = The money I have will be yours when I die. 我一死我的钱就都给你。
What possessions I have are yours.=The possessions I have are yours. 我的所有些财产都是你的。
2. 表“微量”
有时不只表特指,而且还表“微量”,即含有“量不多”之意。假如将“特指”和“微量”结合起来,该结构的意思就是“虽不多,但全部”,有时可译为“仅有”。如:
What ideas he has are his wife’s. 他仅有些一点想法都是他老婆的。
What friends she has are out of the country. 她有些那些朋友全在海外。
这种“what+名词”结构并非总具备“微量性”,即有时有,有时没。假如要想明确或强化这种微量性特征,大家可以该结构的名词前加上表示微量的修饰语few(用于复数名词前)或little(用于不可数名词前)。如:
What few friends she has are out of the country.=The few friends she has are out of the country. 她仅有些几个朋友都在海外。
What little free time he had was spent with the family.= The little free time he had was spent with the family. 他仅有些一点空余时间都是与家人在一块度过的。