中国人最易误解的表达第29期:很可能还是不可能?

Mr. Norman will help you, as likely as not.

（误译）诺曼先生不可能帮助你。
（正译）诺曼先生很可能会帮助你。

1. may well 很可能；充分理由；有充分理由可以……

If you do not, you may well be wrong—there is certainly some wisdom in crowds.
如果你不这样做，你就很可能是错的——群众中肯定是存在一些智慧的。

If the manager closes some funds to new money, he may well decide to start up others.
如果一些经理关闭一些吸钱的基金，那么意味着他们将开设另外的基金。

Millions may well have been excluded, including many migrants in big cities such as Jakarta.
百万人很有可能被排除在外，包括在诸如雅加达等大城市的移民。

2. be likely to 倾向于，很有可能

Remain at a price or be likely to rise.
停在一个价位上或有可能上升。

I will be likely toto study English .
我很可能出国学习英语。

We'll be likely to their several people this month .
这个月我们有可能招聘一些人。

3. in all probability 多半，很可能

In all probability the server is down.
可能服务器就是当机了。

She is, in all probability, from Australia.
她很可能是澳大利亚人。

In all probability the money will not be paid.
这笔钱很可能是不会偿付的。

4. no doubt adv. 无疑地；很可能地

I suppose you have no doubt about that?
我想对你这个说法不会有疑问吧？

No doubt you'll look great in a tuxedo, Martin!
马丁，毫无疑问地，你穿晚礼服看起来一定很帅！

There was no doubt that we were unwelcome visitors.
毫无疑问，我们的来访是不受欢迎的。

5. ten to one 十有八九（表示很有可能）；十比一

The ratio was about ten to one.
二者的比率大约是十比一。

Ten to one he has forgotten it.
明天十有八九会下雨。

Ten to one she has forgotten it.
十有八九她忘记了它。