有一读者问：高级中学课本英语第二册上有一句 She had not been married many weeks when that man's younger brother saw her and was struck by her beauty. 译文大意为：“她结婚不到几个星期，那个人的弟弟就见到了她，为她的美貌所打动。”显然not是否定状语many weeks的。是否可把句子改写为she had been married not many weeks when...?
英语中否定结构里的not，即使表示部分否定，习惯上也可置于谓语之中。据一位语言大师说，这是由于人们早想知道你说的话是肯定还是否定的缘故。not放在many之前也不算错，但不甚合乎习惯。
