英语中肯定形式表否定意义的几种表达

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浙江杭州外国语学校 王 丹

英语中表否定的方式有很多,除了使用绝对否定词表达否定以外,还可以通过单词、词组、句型和特定的句子等形式来表示相对的含蓄否定,这样既可以避免否定词的重复使用,也能使否定语气缓和而富有感情。笔者把一些常见的肯定形式表否定意义的表达法总结归纳如下。

一、表示含蓄否定的单词

1. 名词, 如absence,failure,lack,refusal等。

His absence of mind during the driving nearly caused an accident. 他开车时心不在焉,差点酿成交通事故。

He was upset by his failure in the exam. 他因考试不及格而感到沮丧。

2. 动词,如avoid,escape,miss,stop等。

She braked suddenly and avoided an accident. 她紧急刹车,从而避免了一场车祸。

The pin escaped my eyes. 我没有看见那根针。

3. 形容词,如different,ill,poor,wrong等。

Lily and Lucy are quite different even though they are twins. 莉莉和露西尽管是双胞胎,但却很是不一样。

He is in ill health. 他身体不好。

4. 介词,如above,beyond,instead of,out of等。

The novel is above me. 这本小说我看不懂。

The progress of the reform and open in every respect in China is indeed beyond belief. 中国在改革开放方面取得的进展的确令人难以置信。

5. 连词,如before,or,unless等。

He was hit on the head and fainted before he could figure out what had happened. 他还不知道发生了什么,就被人打在头上,昏了。

Lay down your arms,or die. 缴枪不杀。

He’ll accept the job unless the salary is too low. 如果薪水不太低,他就会接受这一工作。

6. 副词,如scarcely,otherwise等。

I scarcely think so.我可不这么想。

You obviously think otherwise. 显然你的想法不同。

二、表示含蓄否定的短语

1. 动词短语,如keep/prevent...from…,differ from,keep off,leave alone等。

The parents keep their kids from going out. 父母不让他们的孩子出去。

My answer to this question differs from his. 我这道题的答案和他的不同。

2. 形容词短语,如blind to,far from,free from,short of等。

He is completely blind to her faults. 他一点儿也觉察不到她的错误。

What we have learnt is far from enough. 我们所学到的东西远远不够。

3. 介词短语,如at a loss,in the air,in vain,out of the question等。

I’m at a loss for words. 我不知道怎样措词。

The date of the spring outing is still in the air. 春游的时间还未确定。

4. 其它短语,如anything but,the last thing/person,let alone,for fear that等

He is anything but stupid. 他根本不笨。

That is the last thing I want to do. 这是我最不愿意做的事。

三、表示含蓄否定的句型

1. too...to...句型,表示“太…..而不能”。

Instances are too numerous to list. 例子多得不胜枚举。

The news is too good to be true. 消息太好,恐不靠谱。

注:①too后面的形容词是anxious,ready,inclined,apt 等时,则无否定意思。

Men are too apt to forget. 人们往往健忘。

②too前面有all,but,only等加强语气的词或否定词如never时,则为肯定意义。

One is never too old to learn. 活到老,学到老。

I am only too glad to do this. 我很乐意去做此事。

2. rather than...,rather...than...,prefer to…,prefer...to...等表“选择”、“取舍”意思的句子,否定的意义包含在than/to之后。

She’d rather die than give up her faith. 她宁愿死也不愿放弃信仰。

I prefer watching basketball to playing it. 我喜欢看篮球,不喜欢打篮球。

3. more…than…(more than)连接两个相同句子成分,但进行不同质的比较时,表示“与其说……不如说”。

He is more brave than wise. 他有勇无谋。

It was more how he said it than what he said that made her angry. 与其说是他说的话,不如说是他说话的方式让她很生气。

注:①此种表达法也可不用more,而在句子前半部分用形容词或副词的比较级,如

She is kinder than she is wise. 她善良有余,智慧不足。

②比较级+than+动词不定时,表示“不至于……”

I’m wiser than to believe that. 我不至于愚蠢到相信这件事。

③more …than...(more than)加上情态动词can,表示否定意思。

The beauty of Hangzhou is more than words can describe.杭州景色之美是语言所不能描述的。

4. It’s…since… (since后用延续性动词),表示“没做……已经多长时间了”。

That was really a splendid evening. It’s years since I enjoyed myself so much. 那天晚上简直是棒极了,我已多年没有玩得如此开心了。

注:若since后面接瞬间性动词,则意思为肯定。

四、表示含蓄否定的句式

1. 英语的疑问句在特定的语境中可以表达更强烈的否定意义。

Shall I ever forget her? 我决不会忘掉她。

——What on earth is he busy doing?他究竟在忙什么?

——Who knows?(=Nobody knows.)谁知道呢?(没人知道。)

Who cares where you slept?(=Nobody cares where you slept.)谁管你睡哪儿?(谁也不管你睡哪儿。)

Can anyone doubt the wisdom of this action? 谁能怀疑这一行动的明智呢?(谁也不能怀疑这一行动的明智。)

2. 虚拟语气可表示委婉的否定。

①表示与现在事实相反或愿望时。

If I were you,I should wait till next week. 如果我是你,我就等到下个星期了。

If only he were alive. 他要是活着就好了。

②虚拟条件句should(might,ought to )have +过去分词,表示责备或委婉的否定。

The train should have arrived at 8:30. 火车本应该8:30到的。

If we had taken the other road,we might have arrived here in time for the meeting. 如果我们走另外一条路,我们本可以准时到会的。

③had meant/intended/planned...等表示过去未能实现的愿望、意图等。

We had meant to be early. 我们本想是早点来的。

I had planned to visit you yesterday,but I had an unexpected visitor. 我本打算昨天去找你的,但我家来了个不速之客。

五、英语中一些谚语表达否定意思

Call a spade a spade. 直言不讳。

Riches have wings. 财富不常在。

Friends must apart. 天下没有不散的宴席。

Far from eyes,far from heart. 眼不见为净。

Spare the rod,spoil the child. 不打不成器。

Pay on the spot,borrow a lot. 有借有还,再借不难。

Haste makes waste. 欲速则不达。

Beauty is only skin deep. 人不可貌相。

从以上的例子可以看出,英语含蓄否定形式多样,表达灵活,形象生动。通过了解它们有助于对英语语言本身以及其背后文化的更深刻地理解。

(责任编辑:郭跃进)