not least because…如何理解

问题描述

Dieting can be bad for you, not least because it is a cause of stress. 节食可能不利于健康，相当重要的原因是它会引起精神压力。

我对这句话中的 not least because… 不是很理解，为什么会翻译成“相当重要的原因是……”呢？这是固定搭配吗？

老师答疑

唐老师：

▲not least 是英语中的固定搭配，用于强调某一例证或原因，意思是“尤其是，特别是，相当重要地”（=notably; in particular）。如：

Everyone is more reluctant to travel these days, not least the Americans. 这段时间大家都减少了出游的欲望，美国人尤其如此。

The community is very mixed, not least because there are plenty of small industrial enterprises. 这个社区的成员非常复杂，尤其是因为这里有许多小型的工业企业。

There are a lot of complaints about the new road, not least because of the noise. 这条新修的路引起了很大不满，尤其是噪音问题。

They refused to admit her, not least because (= there were several reasons but this was an important one) she hadn’t got her membership card with her. 他们不让她进入的一个重要原因是她没有带会员卡。

▲另外，注意习语last but not least（最后不能不提；最后但同样重要的是）。如：

her four sons, Christopher, twins Daniel and Nicholas, and last but not least 2-year-old Jack. 她的4个儿子，克里斯托弗、双胞胎丹尼尔和尼古拉斯，还有不能不提的两岁大的杰克

I would like to thank my publisher, my editor and, last but not least, my husband. 我要感谢出版商、编辑，最后同样要感谢我的丈夫。