英语翻译技巧之反译法(negation)

1、7. 一种元素中，并非所有的原子都具有完全相同的质量。8. 外语学院的毕业生并非人人都被委派去做翻译工作。9. 奉承你的人并非都是忠实朋友。10. 并不是它的全部决议都得到执行。11. 并不是所有物质都看得见。空气是看不见的，但空气也是物质。12. 不是一切形式的物质都具有相同的特性。13. 罪犯并非都是杀人犯。14. 不是人人都懂音乐。/不是人人都会演奏乐曲。15. 并非全失。16. 并非一切都好，也并非一切都不好。17. 这里的决议并非每项都是切实可行的。18. 两个晶体管不都是n-p-n型的。19. 他们俩之间并非一切都融洽。20. 发展中国家并非一切都十全十美。21. 可以证明，并非一

2、切都完了，太阳依然会升起来，人们仍然有希望。22. 并非人人都适合搞艺术。23. 那并非完全不好。cf. 那一点也不坏。24. 他自称有高度的原则性，可并不总是按原则办事。25. 的确，我们的支持并不总是表现为响亮悦耳的声明和显赫一时的姿态。28. 狗冲着吠叫的不见得都是贼。/遭犬吠者并非都是贼。29. 对我们说话彬彬有礼的人，未必都是朋友。30. 吹号角的未必都是猎人。31. 上教堂的未必都是圣人。32. 危险中的东西未必都会失去。33. 不是每天都是星期天。/好景不常。/盛宴难再。34. 发光的并不都是太阳。Transfer of the Negative (否定转移否定转移)(1). 把

3、主句的否定转移到把主句的否定转移到that从句从句 think, believe, suppose, expect, imagine, fancy, reckon 引导的从引导的从句，在英翻中时应使用否定转移句，在英翻中时应使用否定转移E.g. We dont believe that our mother tongue is inferior to any other language in the world. 我们相信相信，祖国的语言并不亚于世界任何其他语言。 有些动词，如有些动词，如assume, surmise 和和presume，引导的从句中，在英，引导的从句中，在英翻中时主句的否

4、定不能转移到从句当中翻中时主句的否定不能转移到从句当中E.g. I cant assume that he came. 我不能假定他来了。我不能假定他来了。 I assume that he couldnt come. 我猜想他不能来。我猜想他不能来。(2). 把谓语动词的否定转移到状语把谓语动词的否定转移到状语E.g. Rome was not built in a day. 罗马非朝夕建成。 Just because she doesnt complain you should not suppose that she is satisfied. 你不可只因为她不抱怨，就以为她心满意足了。

5、(3). 把句子的其他成分转移到动词把句子的其他成分转移到动词E.g. He gave me not even a moment to collect my thoughts. 他甚至不给我片刻时间去集中思考。2. Conversion of the Affirmative in to the Negative（肯定形式译成否定形式（肯定形式译成否定形式 ）什么是肯定形式的英语句子？什么是肯定形式的英语句子？-英语句子中既没有否定词，如英语句子中既没有否定词，如no, not, never, none, neither, nobody, nothing, nowhere , nowise, 也

6、没有带有否也没有带有否定前缀或后缀的词，如定前缀或后缀的词，如dis-, im-, in-, ir-, non-, un-, -less.中文的肯定句又是怎样的呢？中文的肯定句又是怎样的呢？-中文的肯定句，句子中不含有中文的肯定句，句子中不含有“不不”，“非非”，“否否”，“没（有）没（有）”，“未未”，“别别”，“勿勿”，“莫莫”，“休休”，“甭甭”。E.g. Take it or leave it. 买不买随你。 That time when we caught Molly I doubled up with laughter.我们抓住莫莉那一回，我笑得直不起腰来。 3. Conversi

7、on of the Negative into the Affirmative(否定形式译成肯定形式)(1). Conversion of English Words with Negative Prefixes or Suffixes into Affirmative Forms E.G. Yesterday the President gave an unprepared speech before a big audience. 昨天总统在大庭广众面前即席致辞。 Arent they fine, these three men are going off into nowhere lik

8、e that? 这三人真行，前途茫茫，就这样去了。(2). Conversion of Negative Sentences into Affirmatives My overcoat would not wear out. 我的大衣十分耐穿。 If that isnt what I want! 我所要的就是这个呀！ Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. 谦卑的外表是最易使人上当的。4. Translation of English Questions and Answers (英语问答句译法)（ 1）. Tran

9、slation of Answers to Negative Questions 注意：在回答否定问句时，英汉间的差异。 Are you not prepared to do this work? 你不打算做这项工作吗？ Yes, I am. 不，我打算做。 No, Im not. 是的，我不打算做。(2). Translation of Negative Questions Look, some buses are coming this way, dont you see them? 瞧，有几辆公共汽车往这边开来了，你看见了吗？（cf. 你没看见吗？） I like Xiamen very

10、 much, dont you? 我很喜欢厦门，你呢？ He wont go home, but will she? 他不回家，那她呢？ Some questions in English look like disjunctive questions, but actually they are not. The statement and question have two different subjects covering different persons or things. In translation, the negation is generally not expres

11、sed. (3). Translation of Answers to Disjunctive Questions Its not going to rain, is it? 不会下雨，是不是？ No. 是的,不会。 Yes. its going to rain. 不，会下雨的。Silent Answers “Youre not going to school today?” Mother shouted down the stairs to her little one. The child looked up and shook his head. “今天你就不上学啦？”母亲从楼上喊下来，

12、问她的小宝贝。孩子抬起头来点了一下。(4). Translation of Rhetorical Questions There is hardly a clear-cut line between a rhetorical question and a general question. Context decides whether a question is rhetorical or general, except absurd questions such as “Havent you got eyes?”. A rhetorical question, which the spea

13、ker uses to gain an effect, does not expect any answer. Literary style：岂不 Modern or colloquial style：难道 Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those, who having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things whi

14、ch so nearly concern their temporal salvation? 为争取自由而从事伟大而艰巨的斗争的明智人士，难道应该这样做吗？对于目前自救运动密切相关的事业视而不见、充耳不闻的人，难道我们甘心情愿与之为伍吗？ (5). Translation of Indirect Negative Questions Negation can be found even in indirect questions, which in our mode of expression should be in a tone of uncertainty, such as “是否可以”

15、, “能不能”. A literal translation will confuse the reader. I wonder if he cannot help me out of the difficulty. 我不知道他是否能帮我摆脱这个困境。 I am writing to ask your help in seeing if the provisions of the agreement cannot be implemented in the next few weeks. 兹函请惠予注意协议条款是否可在今后几周内实施。5. Translation of Various Kind

16、s of Negation (英语各种否定译法 )1). Partial Negation 部分否定 E.g. Some students are not here. Some students are here. 有些学生不在。 E.g. Not many people have nowhere to live. Most people have somewhere to live. 不是很多人没有地方住。 Notfor nothing: Partial negative E.g. All these investigations are not done for nothing. 这些调查

17、并不是白做的。 E.g. A man of learning is not always a man of wisdom. 有学问的人不一定是有智慧的人。 E.g. All the money in the world wont make you happy. 即使你拥有了世界上所有的财富，你也不会快乐。Not and VS Not or 。(2). Full negation (全部否定) Full negative + affirmative predicate: E.g. Nobody succeeds. Full negative + words with negative prefi

18、xes or suffixes, or words implying negation. E.g. He was always unkind. Not any E.g. He cannot remember anything. Some ways to deal with Frequently-used negatives “No” is much stronger than “not”. E.g. It is not a joke. 这不是开玩笑的。 It is no joke. 这是正经事。 I have not taken more than five courses this seme

19、ster. 本学期我修的课程最多五门。（至多五门，也许不到。） I have taken no more than five courses this semester. 本学期我只修了五门课。（= only, 含“少”的意味。） “None” is much stronger than “not”. E.g. None will say so. 没有人会这样说。 One will not say so. 人不会这样说。 “None” can be used as an adverb: none the + comparative = in no way, not at all none to

20、o = not very E.g. He explained the sentences to me, but I am none the wiser. 他向我解释了这个句子，但我仍然一点也不懂。 Im none too sure about him. 我对他这个人拿不准。 Attention! Any, anybody, anyone, anything cannot be used as subjects in negative sentences. E.g. 任何人都干不了这件事。 Anybody cannot do it. Nobody can do it. Any or Anybod

21、y, if post-modified, can precede the not in the sentences. E.g. Anybody who does that isnt honest. 干那种事的人都不诚实。(3). Double negation (双重否定) (a) with weakening effectE.g. 不能不表示遗憾 We cannot but regret 难免有错误 There might be some errors 未尝不可 It is not impossible 并不否认 do not deny He is not incapable. 他并非无能。

22、 ( He is to some extent capable.)双重否定常见句型： cannotwithout; no (never)without; nothingwithout; nono; withoutno; withoutcannot; without nothing; nothingnothing E.g. No investigation, no right to speak. 没有调查就没有发言权。 A negative + but (but作为含有否定意义的关系代词,连词或介词) E.g. There is no child but knows him. (关系代词) 没有

23、一个小孩不认识他。 No man is so old but that he may learn. (连词) 没有一个人老得不能学习。 Not a minute passes but things change. 事物每时每刻都在变化。 He is nothing but a fool. (介词) 他不过是个傻子罢了。 He is anything but a fool. (=never) 他绝不是傻瓜。 曲言法：用否定对立的词语强调肯定 E.g. To my no small astonishment, I found the house on fire. 我发现房子着火，大为吃惊。(4). Incomplete negation (不完全否定) 不完全否定常见词： few, little, hardly, scarcely, barely, rarely, seldomE.g. I need hardly say that he did well. 他干得不错，这几乎不用我说。 There are few, if any, such men. 这种人即使有，也很少。 Negative words + hardly/scarcely =