有一读者问这样一句话：
(1)We will not discuss private legal systems, except to note that they are actively studied by people interested in the sociology of law.
这里的except是否是介词？ “to note that...” 这个不定式短语是不是except的宾语？
首先应该指出，“except+不定式”是一比较常见的结构。它常与否定结构连用，可带to或不带to，上述句（1）中的except to note即是一例，再如：
(2)It had no effect except to make him angry.
(3)The government has few options except to keep interest rates high.
谓语动词如是do, except后的不定式则常不带to，如：
(4)We can do nothing except wait.
(5)She did nothing except weep.
上述结构除常与否定结构连用外，也可与everything, anything等不定代词连用，如：
(6)He does everything in the house except put the children to bed.
(7)He will do anything except work hard.
关于“except+不定式”中的except的词性，正如“but+不定式”中的but的词性一样，语法家们的意见并不一致。多数人（尤其是传统语法家）似乎都认为它是个介词（但也有人认为是个连词）。有的语法家则认为很难定夺，说它是介词或连词都可以。其实，对英语学习者来说，重要的是如何使用上述结构，而不是except的词性，不是吗？
