  What is the Difference Between 'Cannot' and 'can Not'?為什么“不能”？ The main difference between “cannot” and “can not” is that the first term deals with impossibility and the second handles choice. “cannot”與“can not”主要的區(qū)別在于前者適用于處理不可能概率事件，后者適用于處理關(guān)于一件事情的選擇。 The two-word version also is more common when a person wants to add emphasis on something, or when he wants to stress that someone has more than one skill. 當一個人想要強調(diào)某些事情，或是強調(diào)某人不止有一種本事的時候，“cannot”這種雙詞復(fù)合的形式在使用時就更加普遍了。 Mistakes about how to use them properly means that they are virtually interchangeable in regular speech, however. 然而，在日常使用中，這兩個詞幾乎是互換的。這就是如何正確使用它們的問題所在了。
Impossibility vs. Choice 關(guān)于不可能性和選擇 One of the most common explanations for the difference between “cannot” and “can not” is that, with the former word, there is no chance someone can carry out an activity, no matter how much he might want to do so. “cannot”和“can’t”最大區(qū)別之一是，在運用前者時，其情景表明某人無論多么想做一件事，他是沒有任何一點機會去開始著手做這件事的。
Cannot The following sentences both are based on this concept of impossibility: Jane cannot jump 50 feet in the air.We cannot go to Pluto. 下面的句子是基于cannot的不可能性概念： 1、簡不可能在空中起跳到50英尺。 2、我們?nèi)ゲ涣粟ね跣恰?/p> In these examples, “cannot” essentially means “l(fā)acks the ability to.' 在這些例子中，“cannot”本質(zhì)上的含義是“做某事缺乏某種能力”。 In the first instance, for example, the way the human body is made and functions always will keep Jane from reaching the extreme height, regardless of her fitness level. 第一個例句中，無論簡的身體狀況如何，但是人的身體構(gòu)造和功能都無法使她達到所說的極限高度。 The second sentence is true because currently, scientists do not have all the knowledge or technology that a mission to Pluto would require. 第二個句子所描述的在目前是真實的狀態(tài)，現(xiàn)在的科學家們并沒有足夠的知識和科技能讓去冥王星的愿望達成。 By contrast, when a person uses “cannot,” the ability to do the action still exists. 通過對比我們得知，當一個人使用“cannot”來表達時，這表明他的行為能力是仍然存在的。 We analyse another two sentences again. 我們再來分析兩個句子。 Yuri can not study anymore.Sam can not have a drink. 尤里不會再學習了。 山姆不喝飲料。 For both these cases, “can not” translates to “is not going to” or “is opting not to.” In other words, the subject has a choice. Yuri can study, for example, or he can go do something else. Sam can consume a beverage, or he can leave it be. 以上兩個例子，“cannot”都譯為“不打算去做”或者是“選擇不這么做”。換句話說，在這兩句話中，主語都有可選擇的能力。尤里可以學習但是他也可以選擇做其他事情。山姆也可以選擇喝或不喝。
Can’t Typically, a contraction represents the joining of more than one word, usually as a way to make speech shorter and more efficient. 形式上講，這種縮寫形式通常代表了不止一個詞的銜接，它們可以使話語變得更短和更有效。 Contractions also can eliminate syllables within words, however, sometimes for a poetic purpose, such as sticking to a particular meter. 縮寫形式也可以起到在詞中消除音節(jié)的作用，在詩歌中，有時是為了一個塑造詩型的目的，比如塑造一種特定的結(jié)構(gòu)形式。 A good example is “e’er,” a shortened form of “ever” pronounced like the words “air” or “heir.” Most experts say that the contraction “can’t” functions in this way and, therefore, is a shortened version of “cannot” rather than a joining of “can” and “not.” 一個很好的例子就是“ever”的縮寫“e’er”，它的發(fā)音類似于“air”（空氣）或者“heir”（后嗣）。很多專家都表明“can’t”的功能是“cannot”的縮寫，而不是“can”和“not”的機械銜接。 With the contraction representing “cannot,” technically, someone only should use it when they really mean that the subject of their sentence does not have the ability to do something. 從技術(shù)上講，某些人表達的句子中的主語是真的沒有能力做某些事，才要用“cannot”的縮寫形式。 In common speech, however, people frequently use it incorrectly. A person might say, 'I can't cook tonight,' for example. 然而，在日常使用中，人們對于錯誤的表達總是習以為常。例如一個人會說：“我今晚不做飯?！?/p>
Emphasis 關(guān)于強調(diào)作用 The word “cannot” rarely needs to receive emphasis because the meaning is not ambiguous — it always means that it isn’t possible for the subject to complete the action. “cannot”一詞幾乎不需要強調(diào)，因為其意義并不含糊。因為它經(jīng)常用于表達句子中的主語根本不可能完成這一項行動。 The phrase “can not,” however, deals with options, and people can stress what they want to happen or are going to pick. 然而短語“can not”是用于處理選擇的，人們用“can not”來強調(diào)他們想要發(fā)生什么或者是選擇什么。 A father upset about his daughter’s short skirt, for instance, might say, “You can not wear that out of this house, young lady!” He essentially would be stressing that, even though she’s physically capable of donning the offensive clothing and going somewhere in it, he’s not going to let her, making her choice for her. 爸爸不喜歡女兒穿短裙，他可以說：“嘿年輕的小姐！你不可以穿成那樣走出家門！”這位父親是在強調(diào)，即使女兒的身材適合穿這樣暴露的衣服去那些不三不四的地方，他也不會任憑女兒胡亂來，他會替她的女兒做出正確的選擇。 In the same way, when a person says “You can not be serious,” he really means, “You are choosing not to be serious,” which is a roundabout way of expressing disbelief or disapproval and saying he wants the other person to quit fooling around. 同樣，當一個人說“你不要太認真”的時候，他想表達的是“你不用那么苛刻去對待什么事情”，這是一種表達不信任感或不贊成的迂回方式，并且表明他不想讓其他人再糊涂下去了。
Multiple Abilities 關(guān)于多種能力 Related to the idea of emphasis is the concept of stressing that someone has multiple abilities. 與強調(diào)的概念相關(guān)的是強調(diào)某人有多種能力。 People usually do this using “not only…but” statements, such as “He can not only sing, but he acts, too.” 人們總是用“不但……而且……”句型來陳述這一事實，例如，“他不但會唱，而且也會表演?！?/p> A person generally can rewrite a sentence like this to make the dual abilities a little more clear, such as “He can sing, and he can act, too.” The first construction, however, draws a little more attention to the second ability, essentially saying, “Yes, he has Ability A, but don’t ignore Ability B.” 人們總是改寫例如“他會唱歌，他也會表演。”這樣的句子，使之描寫這個人的兩種能力時會更加清晰簡明。然而，“cannot”是讓聽眾稍注意一下第二種能力，也就是說，“似的，他會做A，但是請別忘了他也會做B?！?/p>
Commonality 共同性原則 Even though these two terms technically do have slightly different meanings, widespread inappropriate application has made them almost interchangeable in everyday language. 在技術(shù)上講，盡管這兩個詞在意義上有輕微的差別，但由于人們不恰當?shù)貜V泛使用，這兩個詞已經(jīng)在今天的語言中可以互換了。 According to some sources, though, “cannot” is the more common version. Location has some influence on usage, with some areas preferring the single word and others preferring the phrase. 根據(jù)一些消息來源，“cannot”是更為普遍的使用形式。但是不排除地理位置對使用有一定的影響，有些地方更喜歡單字（cannot），而有些地方更喜歡這個短語（can not）。
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