I have come across this 还-based sentence structure and don't know what it implies. Here is an example:
中文：有人请你玩儿你还不去？ 这样的好事我盼还盼不来呢
英语：Somebody invited you over and you're not going?! Such a good offer, I... wouldn't imagine hoping for?
Not sure what V 还 V 不来呢 means. Also, I'm not sure if 来 belongs to the sentence structure, or if it is a separation of 盼来。 All 还 sentence structures I can find involve 还 V or 还 Adj, not a verb on both sides. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
V 还 V 不来呢 can mean out of someone's mind or out of someone's ability.
"有人" = someone
"請" can translate to invite , which means someone think you are capable to do or you are a great candidate.
Under the respondent assessment(feeling), he does not think this way, or respondent think chance just wont happen on himself.
Not sure what V 还 V 不来呢 means
盼 = wish for
还 = still
盼(不来) = wish for (and not successfully get)
盼还盼不来 = wished for, but still not successfully get
To understand the role of 来, please read result complement
得 and 不 are the only two potential particles that indicate 'able' or unable'
Example:
做 = to do
做到 (verb with result complement) = to do successfully
做得到 (verb with result complement + positive potential particle) = able to do successfully
做不到 (verb with result complement + negative potential particle) = unable to do successfully
Similarly:
盼 = wish for
盼来 = wish for (and get)
盼得来 = wish for (and able to successfully get)
盼不来 = wish for (and unable to successfully get)
有人 = someone
请你 = invite (and treat) you to
玩儿 = play (to engage in activities that require spending of money)
你 = you
还 = still
不去? = don't go?
V+还+V 不来 means that you are unable to get/do what you really want.
还 can be replaced by 都 in this sense. 我盼还盼不来呢=我盼都盼不来呢.
E. g. 我(想)要还要不来呢.
In 盼还盼不来, the important grammatical part is V 不来 wherein 不来 indicates a negative potential complement, and specifically the verb V is unfulfilled. This is one example of many possibilities e.g. 吃不完 or 想不出来 or 站不起来 or 写不下. E.g.:
为什么我盼不来宝宝?[src]
Why, when I yearn, does no baby come? [approximate translation]
Similarly, in the given example, 盼不来 means what is being hoped for (as determined by the context) is unfulfilled. E.g.:
我盼还盼不来。
I yearn [for something determined by context], still my yearning is unfulfilled.
Note that 还 ("still") could be replaced by 也 (as in e.g. 盼也盼不来) or 都 (as in e.g. 盼都盼不来; as dan mentions) without changing the meaning (and similar things happen in other grammar structures). The 呢 in the original sentence basically expresses surprise, and it's not so important (arguably more related to a person's speaking style, and dependent on context).
I don't think V 还 V 不来 can be considered a specific grammar structure. Negative potential complements can arise in a lot of ways:
跳舞还跳不赢这位大爷.[src]
[I] dance, [but] still don't beat this show-off.为什么有些人天天吃饺子还吃不够?[src]
Why do some people eat dumplings everyday, [but] still have not eaten enough?为什么戴眼镜还看不清?[src]
Why, [despite] wearing glasses, [I] still cannot see clearly?以前我也很烦妈妈的碎碎念，现在想听也听不到了.[src]
Before I was annoyed at [my] mother's nagging, [but] now I want to hear, [but] still cannot hear.怎么喝都喝不醉呢?
How to drink and still not get drunk?
