Not結(jié)構(gòu)是英語中一個應(yīng)用廣泛的結(jié)構(gòu)#65377;為了正確理解和運用not,本文試就not結(jié)構(gòu)的普遍用法進行初步探討#65377;
一#65380;Not結(jié)構(gòu)表示否定
1.All…isare not…表示部分否定#65377;
All is not gold that glitters.閃閃發(fā)光的東西不一定都是金子#65377;
上句是英語中的一種特殊結(jié)構(gòu)#65377;從形式上看,人們很容易將這種從句誤認為是句中的gold#65377;實際上,句中的定語從句that glitters是遠離了它所修飾的先行詞all#65377;因此這種句子的實際意思是Not all that glitters is gold.(不是所有發(fā)光的東西都是金子#65377;)這種含有全體意義的代詞和副詞,如all,every,each,both,always,altogether,much,many, often等統(tǒng)稱為總括詞用于否定結(jié)構(gòu)時,通常都表示其中的一部分被否定,表示“不全是”,“不都是”,“不總是”,“并非”,“不多”,“不?!钡?65377;如:
Everything is not good in that country.在那個國家并非一切都好#65377;
All the stars were not visible.并不是所有的星星都看得見#65377;
Not many of us wanted to go.我們中間想出去的人不多#65377;
以上例句中的not可放在上述總括詞前,也可放在上述總括詞之后#65377;如果要說“全都不”“一個也不”的意思,那就需用全部否定詞來表述#65377;
2.Not anynot ano和none表示全體否定#65377;
Do you want any money?你需要錢嗎?”回答:不,我不需要錢#65377;可以這樣說:“No,I do not want any money.No,I want on money .No,I want none.此句的回答是全部否定句#65377;這類句子是用“no,not,none,nobody,nothing,nowhere,never neither…”等詞來表示#65377;如:
No man can do that kind of work.沒有人能做得了那件工件#65377;
Nothing is hard in this world,if you dare to scale the heights.世上無難事,只要肯登攀#65377;
I went nowhere yesterday.昨天我什么地方都沒去#65377;
從上述例句中看出,no為否定形容詞,not為否定副詞#65377;No=not any或not a的意思,no+名詞=none.none指在特定范圍內(nèi)“沒有一人”,其它場合應(yīng)該用no one或nobody.又如:
Not a star was visible.一顆星星都看不見#65377;此句中的“not a”表示 “一個也沒有”這個意思#65377;
二#65380;Not結(jié)構(gòu)表示肯定
英語中許多話都用否定詞,同一個句子用兩個否定詞互相抵消,構(gòu)成一個表示肯定意義的句子#65377;如:
Nobody does nothing=Everybody does something.沒有一個人不干活=人人都干活#65377;
在現(xiàn)代英語中比較常見的not+not=肯定形式的句子有以下五種:
1.Not+含否定意義的詞#65377;He was not unprepared for the examination.他對考試是有準備的#65377;
2.Not(No)+without短語#65377;There is on right to speak without nvestigation.沒有調(diào)查就沒有發(fā)言權(quán)#65377;
3.含否定意義的主句+含否定意義的從句#65377;No flow of water occurs unless there is a difference in pressure.沒有壓差,水就不會流動#65377;
4.(There be)No+主語+but+謂語+其他#65377;There is on man but has his faults.=There is no man who does not have his faults.沒有不犯錯誤的人#65377;
5.Not until,It was not until…that和Not…till#65377;He did not stop reading till the light went out.他讀書一直讀到熄燈為止#65377;
三#65380;Not的位置
1.在復(fù)合句中,當think,believe,suppose,imagine,feel等動詞用作主句的謂語時,如果后面帶有一個表示否定意義的完整從句,按英語的習(xí)慣用法,應(yīng)該把not放在主句謂語動詞的前面#65377;如:I didn′t think he had any friend.我認為他不曾有過任何朋友#65377;
2.當not與because用于同一個句子時,not往往用來否定because#65377;如:I did not read the book because I was interested in it.我并非對那本書感興趣才去看的#65377;
但是,并不是所有的謂語都象上述例句那樣進行“語義轉(zhuǎn)移”#65377;如:She did not attend the lecture because she was ill.她因病而未去聽講座#65377;理解這類句子應(yīng)進行邏輯推理#65377;
3.按意義本應(yīng)放在后面的否定成分,習(xí)慣放到前面的謂語中#65377;如:
He did not happen to be at home.他碰巧不在家#65377;
He doesn′t seem to like the idea.他似乎不贊成這個想法#65377;
She doesn′t pretend to understand what he said for.她假裝不明白他說話的用意#65377;
4.如果主句謂語是fear,be afraid,hope,從句中的not不能機械地按上面的辦法放到主句中去,否則就會產(chǎn)生岐義#65377;試比較:I fear that he will not recover.我恐怕他不會恢復(fù)健康了#65377;I don′t fear that he will recover.我并不害怕他會恢復(fù)健康#65377;
5.對于一些否定句,not的位置不變,可以有兩種不同的理解#65377;如:I didn′t go because I was afraid.我沒有去,因為我怕(沒去);或者譯為我不是因為怕才去的(去了)#65377;I did not write the letter because of what you told me.由于你跟我講了,所以我沒寫那封信(沒寫);或者譯為并不是因為你跟我講了,我才寫那封信的(寫了)#65377;
(責任編輯 付淑霞)