張麗萍
【Abstract】Transferred Negation is a form of language in learning English. There are some kinds of forms about it.
【Key words】Transferred Negation; Form of Transferred Negation
在英語教材中會(huì)遇見這樣一個(gè)句子:Certainly I dont teach because teaching is easy for me. 譯:我當(dāng)然不是因?yàn)榻虝鴮?duì)我很容易才教書的。此句由課文內(nèi)容可明顯看出,其否定詞not并不是否定主句謂語動(dòng)詞,而是轉(zhuǎn)移到否定后面的原因狀語從句。因此 不可譯成“我當(dāng)然不教書,因?yàn)榻虝鴮?duì)我很容易。”這種語言現(xiàn)象被稱之為Transferred Negation,即否定轉(zhuǎn)移,是英語句法特有的表達(dá)習(xí)慣,在教學(xué)中會(huì)經(jīng)常遇到,學(xué)生也易出錯(cuò)。否定轉(zhuǎn)移的形式有很多種。下文就一些常見的形式探討一下。
1.其中簡(jiǎn)單句的常見轉(zhuǎn)移的形式有:
(1)賓語的否定轉(zhuǎn)移。英語中在謂語動(dòng)詞之后的賓語多是名詞短語,不定式等,否定賓語是往往把否定詞放在謂語動(dòng)詞上。例如:But you will not see all animals all through the winter.但是,在今冬你看到的不是所有動(dòng)物。
(2)否定謂語轉(zhuǎn)移為否定主語。當(dāng)句子主語為none of, nothing, 或由no修飾的主語時(shí),謂語中的否定已轉(zhuǎn)移在主語。例如:Nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets his mind to it.天下無難事,只怕有心人。
(3)否定狀語轉(zhuǎn)移為否定謂語。英語中在謂語動(dòng)詞后的狀語多介詞短語,不定式,副詞等。而否定狀語時(shí)往往把否定詞放在謂語動(dòng)詞上,句子形式上否定謂語實(shí)際是對(duì)后面狀語進(jìn)行否定。例1: She still did not feel safe enough.她還是覺得不夠安全。(not實(shí)際上否定enough),例2:My father doesnt go to work by bus.他上班不乘公共汽車去。(not否定介詞短語表示的方式狀語by bus)我爸不坐公共汽車上班。例3:We eat to live, but we dont live to eat.我們吃飯是為了活著,可活著不光為了吃飯。(not否定不定式短語not eat)
(4)否定賓語補(bǔ)足語轉(zhuǎn)移為否定謂語。形式上否定謂語動(dòng)詞,實(shí)際上否定復(fù)合賓語。在使用表達(dá)看法的謂語動(dòng)詞時(shí),如 think, consider, find ,believe 等,如果其賓語補(bǔ)足語為否定概念,則要求將否定轉(zhuǎn)移到謂語上。漢語則應(yīng)將賓語補(bǔ)足語部分譯為否定。例如:We didnt find these picture books suitable for children.我們覺得這些圖畫書不適合兒童閱讀。又如: I dont think English difficult.我認(rèn)為英語不難。I dont find the story interesting.我認(rèn)為這個(gè)故事沒有趣。
(5)表語的否定轉(zhuǎn)移。例如:I dont seem to be well today.我今天好像有點(diǎn)不舒服。
2.在復(fù)合句中,否定從句時(shí),往往把否定詞放在主句謂語動(dòng)詞上。常見形式有:
(1)否定賓語從句轉(zhuǎn)移為否定主句是否定轉(zhuǎn)移的一種普遍形式。例如:I dont think (that) you need worry.(=I think you need not worry.)我認(rèn)為你不必?zé)?。這種形式上否定主句謂語,實(shí)際是否定賓語從句謂語,當(dāng)主句謂語動(dòng)詞是表“想,認(rèn)為”等觀點(diǎn)意義或感官動(dòng)詞如think, believe, expect, fancy ,imagine, suppose, guess, feel, look as if, 等引導(dǎo)that型否定分句時(shí),通常要把引導(dǎo)動(dòng)詞變成否定的,即把否定詞移到主句中去,(反意疑問句一般與賓語從句一致,而且用肯定形式)。例如:Smith doesnt believe that she did it.=He believes that she didnt do it.史密斯相信她沒做那件事。I dont believe that ‘s his fault, is it?我認(rèn)為這不是他的錯(cuò),是不是?但是,需注意的是上述這類動(dòng)詞think, believe, suppose 等在下面情況下否定不轉(zhuǎn)移。A)這些動(dòng)詞和其他另一個(gè)動(dòng)詞一起做并列謂語時(shí),否定不轉(zhuǎn)移。如:I believe and hope they wont fail the exam.我相信也希望他們考試不會(huì)失敗。B)用于疑問句時(shí)否定不轉(zhuǎn)移如:Do you think the thing is not true? 你認(rèn)為這件事不是真的嗎?C)用作插入語時(shí)否定不轉(zhuǎn)移。如:Lucy, I suppose, hasnt read the book.我猜想露西沒讀那本書D) 當(dāng)賓語從句中含有no, nothing, nobody, nowhere, hardly, seldom, little, few等否定詞時(shí)或含有否定詞的固定搭配not…at all, not a little, not a few, not enough, cant help..時(shí)否定不轉(zhuǎn)移。如:I believe that nothing can make me give it up.我相信任何事情也不能使我放棄它。I believe you cant help dancing when you listen to the music.我想你聽到那音樂就會(huì)情不自禁跳舞。
(2)否定主語從句轉(zhuǎn)移為否定主句。在含有主語從句的復(fù)合句中,如主句謂語含有表示信念,看法之類名詞,如opinion, thought, belief , view 等,一般要將從句的否定轉(zhuǎn)移在主句,但漢語則將從句譯為否定句。例如:It is not my thought that town life is superior to country life.我的看法是城市生活并不優(yōu)于鄉(xiāng)村生活。例如: It is not my view that computers can control human beings. 我的觀點(diǎn)是計(jì)算機(jī)不可能控制人類。
(3)否定狀語從句轉(zhuǎn)移為否定主句。否定原因、目的、時(shí)間等狀語從句是常把否定詞放在主句謂語動(dòng)詞上。如本文篇首所舉之例,當(dāng)連詞because與否定詞 not 同用時(shí),其否定常轉(zhuǎn)移至主句,這種情況也同樣適用與連詞when.例如:a) I didnt leave home because I was afraid of my father.(=I left home, but it wasnt because I was afraid of my father.)b)She didnt come to see him when he asked.(=She came to see him, but not at the time he asked for to.)她來看他,但不是在他邀請(qǐng)之時(shí)。應(yīng)注意的是,以上兩句也可表示不同的含義,如《英語語法大全中》就指出:a)句也可意為:Because I was afraid of my father, I didnt leave home. b)句也可意為:When he asked , she didnt come to see him.所以,遇到這類句子時(shí),可以從兩個(gè)方面來判斷其否定之焦點(diǎn)是在主句還是在狀語從句:1) 如果是書面用語,可通過特定的情節(jié),環(huán)境及上下文的邏輯關(guān)系來判斷;2)如果是口語,可根據(jù)語調(diào)來判斷。如主句的動(dòng)詞讀降調(diào)則表示否定在主句,如讀升調(diào)則表示否定在狀語從句。
結(jié)束語:否定轉(zhuǎn)移是英語中一種語言現(xiàn)象,在使用中有許多形式,也有一些需注意的情況。在實(shí)際使用中應(yīng)如上狀語從句否定轉(zhuǎn)移中提到的還應(yīng)該結(jié)合句子所處具體情節(jié),環(huán)境,上下文和說話語調(diào)來判斷其否定之焦點(diǎn)在哪部分。
參考文獻(xiàn):
[1]章振邦.新編英語語法教程[M].上海教育出版社,2003.
[2]王宗炎.語言學(xué)和語言的應(yīng)用[M].上海外語教育出版社,1998.