如何理解such as there is

问题描述

请分析一下这个句子：

As for the literature, painting, and sculpture of Aframericans--such as there is--it is identical in kind with the literature, painting, and sculpture of white Americans; that is, it shows more or less evidence of European influence.

请问这句话中的such as there is 如何理解？谢谢！

老师答疑

黄老师：

这句话中的such as there is 是英语习语such as it is的变体。such as it is 表示数量不多或质量不好，可译为“虽说不多”或“尽管不好”。如：The food, such as it is, is plentiful. 食物不是很好，但量很多。You may use my bike, such as it is. 尽管我的自行车不好，你可以将就着用吧。You’re welcome to join us for supper, such as it is—we’re only having soup and bread. 欢迎你和我们一起吃晚饭，只是没什么好吃的——只有汤和面包。因此，在本句中，该习语可以理解为指“美国黑人文学、绘画、雕刻”数量不多。全句可译为：至于美国黑人文学、绘画、雕塑，为数不多，在类型上与美国白人文学、绘画、雕塑一模一样，即多多少少受到了欧洲的影响。

陈老师：

手头2种词典、3个在线词典，均没查到词条“such as there is ”，只有等待专家吧！