英语翻译技巧:“否定”的翻译(3)
3,but 类
① but for+名词和but that+从句(译为”要不是,如果没有”)
如: But for the rain we should have had a pleasant journey.
要不是下雨,我们会有一次愉快的旅行.(记得要用虚拟语气~)
But for your help,I should have failed.或But that you help me,I should have failed.
要不是你帮助,我就会失败。
②Anything but
Anything 等复合代词或复合副词加but,通常表否定之意。
如:I will be anything but quiet on Saturday night!
星期六的晚上我根本静不下心来!
4,from和 of类
①Far from(远非,非但)
Far from being relaxed, we both felt so uncomfortable we hardly spoke.
我们两人非但没有放松,反而都感觉很不自在,几乎没有说话。
②So far from(非但不…反而)
So far from admitting his own mistake, he falsely accused his critic.
他非但不认错, 还倒打一耙.
③So far be it from me(我决不愿…)
Far be it from me to betray a friendship I hold so sacred.
我决不愿欺骗我认为神圣的友谊.
④Instead of
Instead of complaining about what's wrong, be grateful for what's right.
别抱怨不好的事,要对好的事心存感恩。
⑤Free from(没有…的,不受…影响的)
He is free from prejudice to everybody.
他对所有的人都不带有任何成见.
5 ,介词
一些介词表抽象概念时,也可译为否定。
①Above,表能力品质超出某种范围
②Below /beneath(与…不相称,不值得)
③Beyond(表示不可能;为…所不及;)
④Under(未达到,未满足)
⑤Within(不超过,不出)
如: He's above suspicion (= He is completely trusted) .
他无可置疑。
He considers such jobs beneath him.
他觉得这种工作有失他的身份。(即”和他的身份不相称”)
The situation is beyond our control.
我们已无法控制这一局面。
Nobody under 18 is allowed to buy alcohol.
未满18岁者不得买酒。
a house within a mile of the station
离车站不到一英里的一所房子
6,the last(最不…的)
He would be the last person who would do such a thing.
他最不可能干这种事情。
以上我们总结了一些形式上肯定但意思上否定的表达,但英语中还有一类词,虽然形式上是否定的,在意义上却是肯定的,比如以下句子:
1,We cannot too strongly urge upon you the importance of this matter.
对此事,我们无论怎样向你强调其重要性都不会过分.
(cannot …too/can never…too/can hardly…too通常译为”再…也不为过”) :这一结构的实质是:过分否定,导致肯定。因而此结构中的can’t可改用impossible,not可采用其变体never,hardly等,因此上句也可改写为
We are impossible too strongly urge upon you the importance of this matter.
2, I can never thank you enough for your generosity.
对您的慷慨大度我永远感谢不尽.
(can never do enugh也有”在…也不为过”的意思)
3, can’t help doing表示”禁不住做某事”时,也可看作是”形否意肯”
I can't help feeling sorry for the poor man.
我不禁为这个可怜的男人感到难过。
l此外,还有can’t help but… 意为”必须,只好”
When our country calls us for help, we can't help but go.
当祖国需要我们时, 我们必须尽力.
4, “ no, none, nothing + but/like”意为“只有”、“只”、“不过”等。“ nothing short of有“简直可以说”的意思。
例如:
The results are nothing short of magnificent.
结果非常不错。
All that money brought nothing but sadness and misery and tragedy.
那笔钱带来的只有伤心、痛苦和悲剧。
There is nothing like jogging as a means of exercise.
锻炼身体的最好办法是慢跑。
None but God will ever know what I suffered.
只有上帝知道我受过什么苦。
5, no+aaj./adv.的比较级+than表示”两个都不”(详见”形容词”部分)
6, 否定词或暗含否定的词+until/till表”直到…才”
Britain did not introduce compulsory primary education until 1880.
直到1880年,英国才开始实行初等义务教育。
7. no sooner than,hardly/scarcely⋯when/before表”一…就”
No sooner had I heard the knock than I opened the door.
当我听到敲门声,我马上就开门了。
. Hardly had we started when it began to rain.
我们刚出发,就开始下雨了。
We had hardly started before [ when ] it began to rain.
我们刚出发,就开始下雨。
以上我们谈了部分否定和全部否定,双重否定和否定转移,以及一些特殊的”形肯意否”和”形否意肯”的表达,这些大概就是否定句翻译时的难点所在了 ,我们在翻译实践过程中,不仅要注重积累,更要注意用英语思维方式去理解英语,既要兼顾英语句子的语法功能,准确理解句子在特定语境中的内涵,也要考虑到汉语句子的结构与语序,依照汉语的表达习惯来组织行文,通过对英汉两种语言的比较与认知,来逐步提高自己的翻译水平。