9.5.2 Full Negation (全部否定)

A full negation (or absolute negation) is usually formed in three ways:

Full negative+ affirmative predicate:

Nobody succeeds./ He was never kind.

Full affirmative+words with negative prefixes or suffixes, or words implying negation:

He was always unkind./ Everybody fails.

Not…any…(negative predicate+ indefinite pronoun or adverb):

He cannot remember anything./ I do not know any of them.

 

1.       All his words are incredible. 他的话都靠不住。

2.       Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.

人人谈论天气，但个个对天气都无所作为。

3.       All his hopes came to nothing. 他的所有希望都没有实现。

4.       All this is unnecessary.这一切都没有必要。

All this is not necessary. 这并非全都必要。

5.       She was always unhappy. 她总是不高兴。

6.       She was not always happy. 她并不总是高兴的。

7.       Everybody here is dishonest. 这里每一个人都不老实。

Nobody here is honest. 这里没有一个人是老实的。

8.       This plant is nowhere to be found. 这种植物哪都找不到。

This plant is not to be found everywhere. 这种植物并不是到处都可以找得到的。

 

Some formulas: Full negative+ Comparative

Not better than… 不比…好

No better than … = as bad as…一样坏

Not wiser than… 不比   聪明

No wiser than…= as stupid as..  一样笨

Not richer than…  不比   富

No richer than…= as poor as…    一样穷

Not later than…  不比   迟

No later than…=as early as…   一样早

Not more than…  不比  多

No more than…= as few (little) as… = only  一样   少

Not less than…  不比  少

No less than…  一样多

Not fewer than…  不比  少

No fewer than…=as many as…  一样多

No/Not

“No” is much stronger and therefore more emphatic than “not”

It is not a joke. 这不是开玩笑。

It is no joke. 这是正经事。

He is not a fool. 他不是傻瓜。

He is no fool. 他很精明。

There are no more than 50 workers in this large factory.

这家大工厂只有50个工人。

There are no less than 500 workers in this small factory.

这家小工厂的工人竟多达500 人。

I have not taken more than five courses this semester.

这学期我修的课没有超过五门。（至多五门）

I have taken no more than five courses this semester.

本学期我只修五门课。（=only, 含“少”的意味）

 

I have not taken less than five courses this semester.

本学期我至少修了五门课。（也许不止）。

I have taken no less than five courses thise semester.

本学期我竟修了五门课。（=as many as, 含“多”的意味）

 

He is not a scholar.他不是学者。

He is no scholar. 他不大识字。

He is not a genius.他不是天才。

He is no genius. 他是呆子。

I am not an angel.我不是天使。

I am no angel. 我脾气不大好

He is not better than you. 他不比你好

He is no better than you. 他同你一样坏。

John is not wiser than Mary.约翰不比玛丽聪明

John is no wiser than Mary. 约翰同玛丽一样笨

He is not more a writer than a painter. 说他是个作家，不如说他是个画家

He is no more a writer than a painter. 他不是画家，也不是作家

She is not less beautiful than her sister. 她的美貌不亚于她姐姐

She is no less beautiful than her sister. 她与她姐姐一样漂亮

A whale is no more a fish than a horse is. 鲸鱼不是鱼，如同马不是鱼

A whale is no less a mammal than a house is. 鲸鱼和马都是哺乳动物

A panda is no more a bear than a dog is. (如同)狗不是熊（一样），熊猫也不是熊

A panda is no less a valuable animal than a dog is. 狗是珍贵的动物，熊猫也是珍贵的动物

They expect nothing more than a peaceful life. 他们只期待平静的生活而已

They expect nothing less than a peaceful life. 他们期待的正是平静的生活

His work is nothing more than a drop of water in the sea.他的工作不过是沧海一粟罢了

But yet me thinks, my Fathers’ execution was nothing less than bloody Tyranny.

吾想父之死刑乃是血腥暴政之害也

He has no more than 30 dollars in his pocket. 他口袋里只有30 美元 （嫌少）

He has not more than 30 dollars in his pocket. 他口袋里的钱不超过30 美元

He has no less than 30 dollars in his pocket. 他口袋里竟有30美元之多  （嫌多）

He has not less than 30 dollars in his pocket. 他口袋里至少也有30美元