【否定成分的转译】
(一)否定主语转换为否定谓语
No energy can be created, and none destroyed.能量既不能创造,也不能毁灭。
No sound was heard.没有听到声音。
Neither plan is practicable.两个方案都行不通。
(二)否定谓语转换为否定状语
He doesn’t study in the classroom.他不在教室里学习。
I was not playing all the time.我并不是一直都在玩。
The woman did not come here to ask us for help.这位妇女来这儿不是为了求得我们的帮助。
Metals do not change their form as easily as plastic bodies do.金属不像塑料物体那样容易变形。
(三)否定主句的谓语转换为否定宾语从句的谓语
1.常常出现在动词think, believe, except, suppose, imagine, reckon, fancy, anticipate, figure等后面的宾语从句中。
I don’t think that they must have arrived there by now.我认为他们现在一定还没有到达那里。
I don’t suppose they will object to my suggestion.我想他们不会反对我的建议的。
I didn’t imagine that he would go abroad.我料想他不会出国了。
2.当有view, wish, belief, thought, opinion等名词作主句的表语从句时
It is not my opinion that he is the best man for the job.我认为他并不是做这项工作的最佳人选。
It is not my thought that he can finish the work within a week.我认为他不可能在一周内完成这项工作。
It is not my wish that you should break your word.我希望你不要违背诺言。
(四)主句的否定转换为从句的否定
She did not come because she wanted to see me.她并非因为想见我才来。
You should not despise him because he is young.你不应该因为他年轻就轻视他。
【形式否定但意义肯定】
这一类翻译方法与上面一类“形式肯定但意义否”结合起来,就是通常人们所说的“正话反说、反话正说”的翻译技巧。
常见的带有隐含肯定意义的词组或单词主要有:
not…until(直到……才),not…too(越……越好),none but(只有),nothing but(只有,只不过),nothing more than(仅仅),no sooner…than(刚一……就),none other than(不是别的人或物而正是),none the less(依然,仍然),not but that(虽然)“make nothing of ”(对……等闲视之),for nothing(徒然,免费),not only…but also(不仅……而且),not…long before(很快就),no more than(仅仅,只是),no other than(只有,正是)等等。
There is no material but will deform more or less under the action of forces. 各种材料在力的作用下,多少都会有些变形。
It is no more than a beginning. 这仅仅是个开端。
They gave me the wrong book, and I didn’t notice it until I got back to my room. 他们把书给错了。直到我回到我的房间才注意到了。
You can’t be too careful in doing experiments. 你做实验要特别小心。
【形式肯定但意义否定】
(一)more than can…结构
more than can…相当于英语的can not…,翻译为“简直不,无法,难以”;而more than one can help相当于as little as possible,翻译“尽量不,绝对不”。
The beauty of the park is more than words can describe. 这个公园美得无法形容。
The boy has become very insolent and it is more than his parents can bear. 这男孩变得非常无礼,到了他父母都不能忍受的地步。
Don’t tell him more than you can help. 能不跟他讲就尽量不要跟他讲。
She never does more work than she can help. 能不做的事情,她是绝对不做的。
(二)have yet to do…结构
have yet to do…结构表示否定意义,相当于have not yet done…,常常翻译为“还没有”。
I have yet to hear the story. 我还没有听过那个故事。
I have yet to learn the new skill. 我没有学那项新技术。
(三)may (might) as well…结构
may (might) as well…结构表示否定意义,常常翻译为“还不如”。
It is still raining hard outside; we may as well stay here over the night. 外面依然在下大雨,我们还不如呆在这里过夜呢。
You might as well burn the book than give them to her. 你把这些书给他还不如烧毁了好。
(四)anything but…结构
anything but…结构表示否定意义,常常翻译为“绝对不,根本不,一点也不”。
He is anything but a scholar. 他绝对不是一个学者。
The wood bridge is anything but safe. 那座木桥一点也不安全。
(五)借助具有否定意义的动词或动词短语
这样的动词或者动词短语常常有:miss(错过,即没有碰到),deny(拒绝,即没有答应),lack(缺乏,即不足),refuse(拒绝,即否认,没有答应),escape(逃避,即没有被发现),resist(抵抗,即没有放弃),reject(拒绝,即没有答应),decline(拒绝,即没有答应),doubt(怀疑,即不太确信),wonder(想知道,即不明白),fail(失败,即没有完成),exclude(排除,即没有接受,不包括),overlook(没有注意到),cease(终止,即没有坚持),neglect(没有注意到),defy(不服从),forbid(不许),give up(放弃,即没有坚持),refrain from(不允许),lose sight of(不管),keep up with(不落后于),save…from(使…不),shut one’s eyes to(不看),to say nothing of(更不用说),not to mention(更不用说),protect(keep, prevent)…from(不让),keep off(不接近),keep out(不让 进入),turn a deaf ear to(不听,不顾),fall short of(不足),live up to(不辜负),dissuade…from(劝…不要),keep…dark(不把…说出去)等。
The specification lacks detail. 这份说明书不够详尽。
My husband missed the last bus, so he had to go back home on foot. 丈夫没赶上末班公共汽车,所以只好步行回家。
The error in calculation escaped the accountant. 会计没有注意到这个计算上的错误。
Please keep the news dark. 请不要把这个消息说出去。
(六)借助具有否定意义的名词