cannot與can not
依然是從English——The Real Deal那里看到的英語小應用：
Can的否定形式是什么?Can't.沒錯.如果不縮寫是什么?Can not.錯了.應該是cannot,一個詞,而不是分開兩個詞.
這個錯誤我以前也犯過不計其數(shù)次.當然,我有借口--國內的課本里沒教過.（至少我讀初中的時候,老師絕對沒有講過這一點.）兩年前我讀newspaper reporting的課程時,每次稿子里的can not都被老師用紅筆圈出來,我才意識到這是個錯誤.
為什么不可以搞混?簡單地說,因為兩者的意思完全不同.Cannot是“不可以”,而can not是“可以不”.舉個例子：
I cannot believe this!（我無法相信!等于I can't believe this!）
I can not believe this!（我可以不相信!也就是說,I can believe this,or I can not believe this.我并不一定要相信,我可以選擇不相信.）
在網(wǎng)上搜索了一下,找到這篇can not vs.cannot.由于我不可能給出更清楚、完整的解釋,特摘抄TheMudge網(wǎng)友的原話如下：
What we should use when we mean "are unable to" or "are not permitted to" is one word:cannot.This is the word that we contract when we write "can't." It is a common error to separate "can" and "not." The American Heritage Dictionary is quite clear on this point:cannot is the negative form of the word can.
Here's one example I use:
If I say "I cannot smoke," I mean that I am unable to or not permitted to smoke.If I say,"I can not smoke," not modifies smoke.My meaning is:"I am able to not smoke," i.e.,I have the ability to avoid smoking,to prevent myself from smoking,or to stop smoking.
Another example:
If I am unable to go or am not permitted to go,I should write,"I cannot go." If I have a choice between going and not going,I may write,"I can go,or I can not go – it is my choice."
To all my fellow nitpickers out there:I am fully aware that the two-word construction "can not" is often used where the opposite of "can" is intended.Despite the ubiquity of this usage,it is still an error.
順便提一句,我一直以為busses（bus的復數(shù)形式）是不怕麻煩的英國人的專利,怕懶的美國人一律拼成buses（就像用rumor,traveling來代替rumour,travelling等等）.幾天前翻字典時無意間發(fā)現(xiàn)busses是美式拼法（比如這篇文章）.其實美國人兩種拼法都用（buses比busses更普遍一些）,但其他的英語國家基本只用buses,所以busses就算是美語了.看來什么事都不能想當然.