走出any/any other的比较误区

不少初学(自学)者将“他的英语说得比他班上的任何学生都好”译成:1.He speaks English better than any other student in his class.2.He speaks English better than any student in his class.两种译文的差别仅在于 other 一词。一词之差,使得译文1是对的,译文2未忠于原文,这可以从下面两个句型的分析比较中得到解释:句型 A:“…比较级 than any other 单数可数名词 …”是对同一范围中的两者进行比较。句型 B:“…比较级 than any 单数可数名词…”是对不同范围的两者进行比较。比如:3.Tom is taller than any other boy in his class.4.Tom is taller than any boy in Class Four.句3是在同一范围内,即在同一班级学生之间进行比较,因而适用于