tall, high, lofty
这三个词都可表示“高的”,指高度上超过一般。它们的区别是：
1.high既可修饰具体的东西,也可修饰抽象的事物; tall既可修饰人,也可修饰无生命的物; 而lofty是文语,可引申指态度、样子、神情等“高傲”“傲慢”。例如:
The cost of living is high.生活费用很高。
There are some very tall buildings in Hong Kong.香港有些很高的建筑物。
I didn't like her lofty treatment of her visitors.我不喜欢她那样傲慢地对待来访者。
2.high多指离开地面的高度或距离; tall多指由顶到底的长度,常用于比较狭窄的东西,如人、树等; lofty有时也指思想、感情、情操等是“高尚的”“崇高的”。例如:
It is a very high building.
这是一座很高的楼房。
The ship is too tall to go under the bridge.
这艘船太高,桥下驶不过去。
Those sentiments are lofty but not very practical.
那种思想感情是高尚的,但是不太现实。
3.high可以表示程度或强度“高”,而tall不可。例如:
I can't sing at so high a pitch.我无法把音调唱得这么高。
4.指“山高”只能用high,不能用tall。例如:
Mount Jolmo Lungma is the highest in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界最高峰。
下面两句意思相同:
He is a head taller than his brother.
He is taller than his brother by a head.
他比他弟弟高出一头。
