Unit 7 Affirmative vs. Negative
As some linguists have pointed out, every language has its peculiarities in negation. And there is indeed an important, though often neglected, difference between English and Chine in negation. It is a difference in the way of thinking and in the mode of speaking. A clo study of them may shed light on this discrepancy.
I. Negation in English-Chine Translation
Generally speaking, English negative words and expressions fall into the following categories:
1. Full negatives: no, not, none, never, nothing, nobody, nowhere, neither, nor;
2. Semi negatives: hardly, scarcely, ldom, barely, few, little, etc.;
3. Partial negatives: not every, not all, not both, not much, not many, not always, etc.;
4. Words with negative implication: fail, without, beyond, until, unless, lest, ignorant, refr
ain, refu, neglect, abnce, instead of, other than, except, rather than, etc.
1.1 Affirmative in English, but negative in Chine
Such cas are found in a wide range of scope: words of different parts of speech, various phras, or ntence structures. For example:
服饰搭配培训• He denied it to be the ca. (v.) 他说事实不是这样。
• Time is what we want most, but what, alas, many u worst. (adv.)
时间是我们最缺少的，但可叹之至，偏偏许多人最不善于利用。
• I have read your article. I expected to meet an older man. (adj.)
拜读了你的大作，没想到你这样年轻。
• It was beyond his power to sign such a contract. (prep.) 他无权签订这种合同。
• The guerrillas would fight to death before they surrender. (conj.)
游击队员们宁愿战死也绝不couple投降。
• hotspotThey feel great anxiety about his sickness. (n.) 他们对他的病情感到焦虑不安。
• The lecturer spoke above the heads of his audience. (prep.)
讲演者讲得太深奥，听众听不懂。
• I'm at my wit's end to keep this child quiet. (phra) 我实在是没办法让这孩子安静下来。
• The mother said she would let her son off washing the dishes if he could finish his assignment before supper. (phra) 母亲说如果儿子晚饭前能做完作业，就不让他洗碗了。
公输 翻译• If it worked once, it can work twice. (ntence) 一次得手，再次不愁。
1.2 Negative in English, but affirmative in Chine
• It would be unwi, however, to bet against China. (prep.）
然而，由此而打赌断定中国不会持续发展是不明智的。
• He manifested a strong dislike for his father's business. (n.)
他对他父亲的行业表示强烈的msf厌恶情绪。
• Don't lo time in posing this letter. (phra) 平安夜的英文赶快把这封信寄出去。
• Such flight couldn't long escape notice. (ntence) 这类飞行迟早会被人发觉的。
1.3 Same English Word, either affirmative or Negative Equivalents in Chine
• I'm new to the work. 这工作我是生手。 / 这工作我不熟悉。
• He is free with his money. 他花钱大手大脚。 / 他花钱从不吝啬。
• He realized that he was in trouble. 他发现自己遇到麻烦了。 / 他感到自己的处境不妙。
• The station is no distance at all. 车站近在咫尺。 / 车站一点儿也不远。
• It's no less than a fraud. 这简直是一场骗局。 / 这无异于一场骗局。
• The works of art were left intacthostel, the money gone.
艺术品还在，钱却不翼而飞。 / 艺术品原封未动，钱却不翼而飞。
• The criminal is still at large. 罪犯仍旧逍遥法外。/ 罪犯还未捉拿归案。
取代英文1.4 Double Negative for Emphasis
Double negative in English, as in Chine, is ud for emphasis. In this ca we may either drop both the negative words or keep to the original, depending on which version is idiomatic in Chine.
• There is no rule that has no exception. 任何规则都有（无不）例外。
• There is not any advantage without disadvantages. 有一利必有一弊。
• It is impossible but that a man will make some mistakes. 人不会不犯错误。
• It never rains but it pours. 不雨则已，雨必倾盆。臀围
• Today, there‘s scarcely an aspect of our life that isn’t being affected by the Internet.
今天，我们生活中的方方面面无不受到因特网的影响。
• Hardly a month goes by without word of another survey revealing new depths of scientific illiteracy among U.S. citizens.
美国公民科学知识匮乏的现象日益严重，这种调查报告几乎月月都有。
1.5 Roundabout Affirmative
This is an indirect way of expressing a strong affirmative, and when translated into Chine, the emotion of the original should be properly kept.
• He didn't half like the girl. 他非常喜欢那姑娘。
• I couldn't feel better. 我觉得身体好极了。
• I couldn't agree with you more. 我太赞成你的看法了。
• If that isn't what I want! 我所要的就是这个呀！
• He can't e you quick enough. 他很想尽快和你见面。爱屋及乌英语
1.6 Some Traps in Negative Structures
Now and then some negative structures with an elusive（难以捉摸的） idea can hardly be rendered into Chine literally. This is where we are liable to stumble into translation traps. The following are some typical patterns that call for attention.
(1) becau
• Don't scamp your work becau you are presd for time. 不要因为时间紧而敷衍塞责。
• In that city, we had never suffered discrimination becau we were Jews.
在那个城市我们从未因为是犹太人而遭受歧视。
