从外国学生常犯错的否定句式来看英语里的否定
一、形式上否定谓语,语义上否定宾语补足语。
- I neverknew him to carry money because he never had any use of it.
我知道他身上从不带钱,因为他从不需要钱。
- We do not consider melting or boiling to be chemical change. (not to be … )
我们认为熔化和沸腾不是化学反应。
- Seeing a ball flying, we don’t expect the ball to flyforever. (not to fly …)
看到球飞时,我们认为它不会永远飞下去。
- Idon’t think math difficult. 我认为数学不难。
- Idon’t find the story interesting. 我认为这个故事没有趣。
- Idon’t expect so. 我认为不会。
二、在“It is / was likely / probably + 从句”中,形式上否定谓语,语义上否定从句。
- It isn't likely that it will rain tomorrow. 看起来明天不会下雨。
- It isn't probable that he will come here today. 他今天也许不会来这里了。
三、形式上否定谓语,语义上否定状语或状语从句。
- He doesn't go to school bybus but on foot. 他不是步行去上学, 而是坐公共汽车。
- Don't judge a man byhis appearance. 不要以貌取人。
- Don’tread in the sun. 不要在阳光下看书。
- Don’t talk with yourmouth full of food. 不要口里含着食物说话。
- The ant isnot gathering this for itself alone. 蚂蚁不只是为自己采食。
- Let’s not talk about ithere. 我们别在这里谈吧。
- This great victory has not been won easily. 这个伟大的胜利赢来得并不容易。
- I didn't know his name until yesterday. (not ... until) 我直到昨天才知道他的名字。
- He didn't take the boy from the tracks to safety to win his own fame.but to benefit the boy's parents.
他把男孩从铁轨上抱到安全地带,不是为了获得个人的名誉,而是为了孩子的父母。
注:含有not … because (of) 的句子,情况较复杂,需根据逻辑、语境和常识进行判断是否需要作否定转移,如需转移的话,往往是由否定谓语转为否定状语。例如:
- I don’t teach because teaching is easy for me. 我教书并不是因为我觉得教书轻松。
- The engine didn’t stop because the fuel was used up. 发动机并不是因为油用完而停车的。
- He didn’t go to class because he was sick. 他没去上课,因为他生病了。 (这句话不需作否定转移)
- The manager didn’t give a speech because he felt painful inhis throat. 经理没发表讲话,因为他喉咙痛。
- She didn’t call you because she loved you. 这个句子可能出现两种理解:
A. 她给你打电话并非因为她爱你。(发生了否定转移)
B. 她没给你打电话是因为她爱你。(未发生否定转移)
到底哪种理解正确,我们无法从逻辑意义上进行辨别,这时我们只有借助语境即上下文来分析了。
四、表示信念、看法、愿望的名词充当主语从句的表语时,形式上否定谓语,语义上否定主语从句。这类词有:hope, thought, view, opinion , wish, expectation, belief, plan等。
- It is not our expectation that you will suffer a lot from that. (will not suffer … )
我们希望你不要为那事受太多苦。
- It is not my opinion that you spend much time on computergames. (do not spend … )
我的看法是你不要花太多时间玩电脑游戏。
- It is not their plan that their homework is done on Sunday. 他们计划星期天不做家庭作业。
五、含有全体意义的代词和副词作主语或宾语时,形式上否定谓语,语义上否定主语或宾语,表示部分否定。这类词有:all, both, every, everybody, everything, everywhere, always,altogether, entirely,wholly。
- All the people didn't know the truth. (Notall the people knew the truth.)
并非所有的人都知道事情的真相。
- All that glitters is notgold. 发光的不总是金子。
- Both the children are not clever. (Not both the children …) 两个孩子并不都聪明。
- Everybody, it is true, wouldn’t like it. ( Not everybody …) 的确不是人人都喜欢它。
- I don’t know all of them. (notall of them) 对于他们我不是个个都认识的。
- I don’t like both of them. (notboth of them.) 这两本小说,我不是都喜欢。
注:当all 与can not 或 won’t 构成否定句式时,其否定不再发生转移,而表示全部否定。
- All the foreigners can not pass the borders without visas. 所有外国人没有签证均不能过境。
- All the treatment won’t make any help for her disease. 所有的治疗对他的疾病都无用。
六、"否定主句+肯定式方式从句" 中,主句和从句意思正好相反。例:
- Whales are not fish, as many people think. 鲸不是鱼,而许多人却认为鲸是鱼。
七、主语是否定特征时,翻译应根据具体情况确定。否定可以转移,也可以不转移。例:
- Nobody who has ever seen good-quality color television can ever becompletely happy with black and white again. 看过高质量彩色电视的人再也不可能对黑白电视感到满足了。