這一句英文的文法及翻譯?

Whatever do you mean by that? (X)
What do you mean by that? (O)
你說(做)那個是什麼用意?

Whatever do you mean? (X)
What do you mean? (O)
你是什麼意思?

Whatever就是No matter what, 不可用於直接問句.
直接問句用What即可.

但可用於名詞子句:
Whatever you mean by that will not change my mind.
不論你說(做)那個是什麼用意, 都不會改變我的主意.

也可以用於副詞子句:
Whatever you may say, I'm not gonna change my mind.
= No matter what you may say, I'm not gonna change my mind.
不管你說什麼, 我都不會改變心意.


2011-09-23 23:45:02 補充：
what或whatever用於名詞片語, 必為關係代名詞.
what = the thing which 或 anything/something that
whatever = no matter what = no matter anything that

2011-09-23 23:49:44 補充：
To呆子大與serenade大:
非也, Whatever絕不可用作直接問句的疑問詞.
兩位的說法並不正確.

老登: Whatever did you say that for?

2011-10-04 14:45:12 補充：
(1) Whatever do you mean? (2) What ever do you mean? (3) What do you mean? 這三句英文的語法皆正確. 有關whatever 的用法, 請參閱以下字典:

2011-10-04 14:52:55 補充：
1. Oxford Advanced Learner's English-Chinese Dictionary (7th Edition).
2. Oxford Dictionary of English (2nd Edition).
以及文法書: A Practical English Grammar (Fourth Edition).

Yea ! Infinito is right.

whatever 不能直接做疑問詞.

But I didn't see "that" in serenade's sentences .

Whatever do you mean by that? 應是錯的. 因為疑問代名詞只有指人之who(whose, whom), 指[人,事物][那一個]的which, 及指[人, 事物][什麼]的what, 三種.你是什麼意思。你意思是什麼? 正確說法就是What do you mean?What可使用為疑問代名詞., 也可使用為簡單關係代名詞, 但這裡是疑問代名詞用法, "什麼"意思。by that, 用那個, what do you mean by that? 你這樣做or 這樣說, 是何意?? Whatever是關係代名詞中的複合關係代名詞, 等於 anything that或no matter what, 複合關係代名詞, 是引領名詞子句(I will tell you what I saw in Taiwan)和副詞子句(whatever you need, I will buy for you), 並沒有做疑問代名詞用法。 Whatever do you mean by that? 即等於 Anything that do you mean by that? 但Anything that, that後要接什麼, 這句子並沒有, 可見是應是錯的. 或許有人這樣講, 也聽得懂意思吧！但怪怪

What do you mean by that?的意思就是
What do you mean?

可是誠如呆子君所說
what是專指一件事
whatever是指任何一件事

1.What(the thing that ) do you mean?
專指一件事
2.Whatever(anything that ) do you mean ?
指任何一件事----------

Whatever do you mean by that:什麼您由那意味
by that :由那
Whatever do you mean :什麼您意味

這兩句的意思其實是差不多的
而在美國當地應該是會聽到"What do you mean by that?"居多
嚴格翻起來應該是這樣:
1.What do you mean?
翻:你這是什麼意思?
2.What do you mean by that?
翻:你這樣說是什麼意思?

前者的疑問可能包含了整段句子
後者的疑問可能是針對句子裡的某個單字片語,並有多加點質疑情緒

希望有幫到你^^