1. 表特指
所謂表特指,就是説此時的what 在用法上大致相當於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'錢就都給你。
what possessions i have are yours.=the possessions i have are yours. 我的所有的財產都是你的。
2. 表“微量”
有時不僅表特指,而且還表“微量”,即含有“量不多”之意。如果將“特指”和“微量”結合起來,該結構的意思就是“雖不多,但全部”,有時可譯為“僅有”。如:
what ideas he has are his wife’s. 他僅有的一點想法都是他妻子的。
what friends she has are out of the country. 她有的那些朋友全在國外。
這類“what+名詞”結構並不是總具有“微量性”,即有時有,有時沒有。如果要想明確或強化這種微量性特點,我們可以該結構的名詞前加上表示微量的修飾語few(用於複數名詞前)或little(用於不可數名詞前)。如:
what few friends she has are out of the country.=the few friends she has are out of the country. 她僅有的幾個朋友都在國外。
what little free time he had was spent with the family.= the little free time he had was spent with the family. 他僅有的一點空餘時間都是與家人在一起度過的。