肯定与否定的译法

英语辅导报大学二年级版：肯定与否定的译法

2004/04/16 21:13 英语辅导报

英汉两种语言的表达习惯不同，因此在表达否定概念时就会有很大差异。下面是笔者总结的一些关于英汉翻译中肯定、否定的译法。希望能够对同学们的学习有所帮助。

1.肯定与否定相互转译

描述或说明同一事物，英汉两种语言有正面说法和反面说法，翻译时必须符合各自的语言习惯和特点。如：

The economic reform in China is a matter of no small consequence. (反面说法)

中国的经济改革是一件有重大影响的事件。(正面说法)

These basic concepts must be kept in mind in our discussion of China?蒺s cultural problems. (正面说法)

我们讨论中国文化问题时，不要忘记这些基本观点。(反面说法)

I wonder if the earthquake would happen as predicted. (正面说法)

我不知道是否会像预测的那样发生地震。(反面说法)

2.强调肯定或否定的译法

为了加强语气，英汉两种语言往往使用同一固定用法来表示肯定或否定。

There is no smoke without fire. (反面说法)

无风不起浪。(反面说法)

The importance of English can't be overemphasized. (反面说法)

英语的重要性再怎么强调也不过分。(反面说法)

3.英语中的某些否定形式

英语中的否定并不一定都用not, no或never等否定词来表达，也可以通过一些固定的词组或结构来表达否定含义：

(1)通过词汇手段，英语中有些词暗含否定意义，翻译成汉语时，往往要用否定的说法。

动词：fail, lack, refuse, deny, miss, overlook等。如：

Her service has been overlooked by her superiors.她的贡献一直没有得到上级的重视。

He denied his signature.他不承认自己的签字。

名词：absence,omission,exclusion，scarcity,neglect,loss,zero等。如：

Did anything happen in my absence?我不在时有什么事情发生吗？

He studied history at the university, to the exclusion of other subjects.他大学里专门攻读历史，未学其他科目。

形容词：free of, ignorant, missing, short of, blind to, deaf to, dead to等。

He is deaf to all our suggestions.他对我们所有的建议充耳不闻。

介词：from, out of, without, beyond, above, in place of等。

I advise him against wearing long hair.我劝他不要留长发。

What we have done is beyond his expectations.我们所做的一切，是他预料不到的。

(2)通过某些固定结构和句型来表达。

more...than

The child was more frightened than hurt.这孩子的伤倒不算什么，只是受惊不小。

know better (than)

You ought to know better than to make friends with him.你应该知道不和他这样的人交朋友。

too...to

Examples are too numerous to list.例子太多，举不胜举。

remain to...

It remains to be seen what the long-term effect will be.长期效果如何，现在还看不出来。

keep off

If the rain keeps off, we shall go out.如果不下雨，我们就出去。

anything but

He will do anything but that.他什么都干，唯独不愿做那件事。

would rather...than

I would rather play football than volleyball.我宁愿踢足球也不愿打排球。

might as well

You might as well expect the river to flow backwards as expect me to change my mind.你不能期望我改变主意正如不能期望河水倒流一样。