形式否定意义肯定的表达方式
2023-12-17管林华
管林华
一、Why dont you...? / Why not...?问句,意为“为什么不……?”用来表示“建议、邀请”等,具有肯定的意义。如:
Tom, why dontt you / why not give some flowers to your teacher?(= Tom, you should give some flowers to your teacher.)汤姆,为什么不给你老师送一些花呢?
Why dont you / Why not come a little earlier?(= You should come a little earlier.)
你为什么不早点儿来呢?
二、 not(+ 短暂性动词,如go, begin, get, come, stop, leave...)...until / (till)...表示“直到……才……、不(到)……不(没有)……”。如:
She didnt go to bed until / till she finished her homework.
她直到完成作业才去睡觉。
【温馨提示】
not...until / till...句型可以与after或before句型相互转换, 这句也可改写为:
→She didnt go to bed before she finished her homework.
→She finished her homework before she went to bed.
→She went to bed after she finished her homework.
三、否定的一般疑问句,表示说话者惊奇、喜悦、气愤、赞叹等情绪时(多用降调),这时相当于一个感叹句,不是表示疑问,具有肯定意义。如:
Look at the bird! Isnt it beautiful? 看这只鸟儿,多美啊!
—Isnt he an English teacher? ——他不是英语老师?
—No, he isnt. ——对的 / 是的,他不是(英语老师)。
这种情况有时也可用来表示提出建议、看法等,也具有肯定意义。如:
Dont you think her radio is too loud?难道你不认为她的收音机声音太大了吗?(相当于I think her radio is too loud.)
四、never too...to...是too...to...结构的否定式,构成双重否定,从而具有肯定意义。如:
You are never too old to learn.活到老,学到老。
五、含有双重否定的句子。
1. cant do...without...表示“要不是……就不……、没有……就不能……、必然”的意思。如:
Fish cant live without water.鱼儿离不开水。
We cant speak English without making mistakes.我们要说英语就必然会出错。
2. not(never) + 含否定意义的词。如:
We didnt miss the train at least.最后我们没有误车。
This is not an uncommon question.这是个普通问题。
六、含有cant 的句子。
1. cant help(v.?ing)...,表示“情不自禁……”的意思。如:
When we heard the news, we cant help laughing.
听到这个消息,我们忍不住笑了起来。
2. cant ...too...,表示“无论怎样……也不过分、非常、越……越……”。如:
We cant be too strict with the students.我們对学生越严格越好。
I cant thank you too much.我非常感谢你(我怎样感谢你都不为过)。
七、回答由mind(表示介意,反对含义)组成的疑问句,答句中的否定可以译为肯定。如:
—Would you minding opening the window?——请你打开窗户好吗?
—Certainly not. ——当然好!
八、not a little / not a few 意为“许多”,相当于much / many,表示肯定意义。如:
Im sorry to have given you not a little trouble.对不起,我给你带来了许多麻烦。
He has made not a few friends since he came to China.
自从他到中国以来已经交了许多朋友。
九、由if引导的否定句,可以表示肯定意义。如:
Well, if it isnt beautiful.多漂亮啊!(相当于How beautiful it is !)
十、not only...but also...意为“不但……而且……”,表示肯定意义。如:
He is not only our teacher but also our friend.
他不仅是我们的老师,而且还是我们的朋友。
He has not only knowledge but also experience.他不但有学识,而且有经验。
十一、含有nothing / no / nobody等否定词与but连用的句子具有肯定意义。如:
There is nothing but a chair in the room.房间里只有一把椅子。
Nobody but Tom can do the work.只有汤姆才能做这项工作。
十二、cant choose but / have no choice but表示“只好、只得”。如:
It was raining hard. He couldnt choose but stay at home.
天下着大雨,他只得在家里待着。
Im afraid we have no choice but to take a taxi.恐怕我们只有乘出租车了。