英语中对于否定判断的基本表达方式是借助于否定词not,no,never,hardly以及一些带有否定前缀或后缀的词,如 dis-,not-,un-,in-,none-,-less等来完成。然而,在英语的学习和实际理解、运用过程中,尤其是在进行英汉互译的过程中,我们又常遇到一些语言现象,这些语言实例虽然形式上是肯定的,但他们实际上却又表达着一种否定的含义,我们权且称之为暗含否定。这些语言现象既不可归入部分否定(Partial Negative)或全部否定(Total Negative)之类,也不能列入单词否定(Special Negative)或文句否定(Textual Negative)。
I.在虚拟语气中,有时省略掉主语,只用 if引导假设条件句,实际上这在英语中是一种否定表示,翻译时应忠实于原意。例如:
I am sure!If this is English manners.我敢肯定,这的确不是英国人的礼仪做法。
If ever I heard the like.我从来没有听到过这种说法。
He pretends to know her better than he would,if he were a close friend of hers. 他装出一副对她深有了解的样子,就像她是他的密友。(实际上他不是她的密友)
If you had told me about it!你若早告诉我就好了。(你没有早告诉我)
If he were in Beijing.他要是在北京多好啊!(实际上他不在)
上述例子从形式上看是肯定语气,但又包含着对现实的否定。另外,if与only连用表示愿望,但如果用于对已发生、完成的事表示遗憾也具有否定意义:
例:If only you had passed the last exam!你若通过了那次考试该多好啊!(事实上他没有考及格)
II.疑问句在特定的环境和语调下,问句具有与其形式相反的含义,即肯定中暗含否定含义。所以翻译时一定要考虑语境和语调,表达出英语的否定意义。
如:What is the use of it?这有什么用?(这没有一点用)
Who knows?谁知道呢?(没人知道)
Is the man of fool?难道这人是傻瓜吗?(他根本不傻)
Am I your slave? 我是你的奴才吗?(我不是奴才,别使唤我)
III.比较级-er+than和more +原级+than将不同性质的形容词或副词加以比较时,有不如毋宁的否定意义。
He is braver than wise.他有勇无谋。
He is more dead than alive.与其说他活着,不如说他死了。
She certainly knows better than to tackle such a problem by herself. 她很明白不能独自去解决这个问题。
He is wiser than to risk his money in that undertaking. 他不会蠢到投资那项事业的地步。
He is more of a politician than a scholar. 与其说他是个学者,不如说他是个政客。
Youd better go home than stay here.你呆在这里还不如回家去呢。
IV.?more+thancan 这样的句型在翻译时不可依照字面直译,more than后面虽是肯定形式,实际意义却是达不到可能的程度、简直不可能等否定意义。
如:He has more books than he can read. 他的藏书之多使他不可能读完。
The beauty of Hang Zhou is more than I can describe.杭州的美丽非语言所能描绘。
有时,单独使用more也表达一种否定意义。
如:More imaginative might have done more with what they had. (只要拥有他们所有,)任何人都会干得比他们出色(他们干得不出色)。
I gave you credit for being more sensible.我没想到你竟这样蠢!
That is more than I can tell.我不能多讲了。
That is more than you can do.这是你所不及的。
像类似这样的句子,如果仅仅按照字面直译,就可能违背原意,达不到表达效果,因此汉语句子中要包含否定含义。
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