英语否定结构之肯定意思句型

     英语中有些形式上否定而内容含义上都是肯定的结构，译成汉语时不能拘泥于原文的表层结构的否定，要忠实于原文的含义。相当一部分学生对“否定词＋比较级”这一结构掌握得不是很好。他们往往把注意力集中在否定词上，结果对含有该结构的句子的理解与正确含义完全相反。

下面我们对常见的形否意肯结构句进行了归纳，供大家参考。

常见的形否意肯结构：

（1）  否定词+比较级（+than…）相当于最高级，通常译为“…最…”或“完全，十分，非常”

I cannot agree with you more.

He could not feel better.

The film cannot be better.

He wants nothing more than time.

Nothing is more precious than health.

Notes: 1. 此结构中的否定词通常包括：not, no, never, nothing, nowhere等；

2. 此结构常用cannot/couldn’t+比较级的形式；

3. 否定词（通常是全体意义的否定词：nothing, nobody, nowhere等）+比较级+than…结构中，肯定than后面的部分，表示“最…”。

（2）  cannot …too，“越…..越…, 再…..也不过分”。在此结构中，cannot可改为can hardly, can scarcely, can never；too也可改为 over + v, enough, sufficient 等

You cannot be too cautious.

You can hardly praise him too much.

A man can never have too many friends.

Newton’s contribution to modern science can scarcely be overrated.

He can’t see you quickly enough. = He desires to see you as soon as possible.

Notes:“ cannot wait to…”结构表示“eager to …”

I cannot wait to read your new book. = I am eager to read your new book.

I cannot wait to see her. = I am eager to see her.

（3）no（nobody）… but  “都…， 没有….不，只有….才”

There is no man but has his faults.

There is no rule but has exception.

Nobody reads the book but will be moved.

There exists no man but has an enemy.

Notes: 这种结构中的but起关系代词的作用，相当于that, which, who does/ will/ have not。

（4）never (not)…. but (that) 每当…总是…, 没有哪次不是……

I never see you but think of my mother.

It never rains but it pours. 

Never a day passed but brought us good news.

He will not be angry but that he is offended.

（5）nothing but, none but “仅仅，只有…才”。nothing but 后接非指人的名词， none but 后接指人的名词，与nothing other than同义意为“仅仅，只有…才”

We can see nothing but water.

We found none but an old man in the room.

None but me knew what happened.

None but a fool would do such a thing.

You can find that sort of bird nowhere but in Australia.

（6）其他表示形否意肯的否定结构

a. nothing else than(仅仅，完全)

His failure was due to nothing else than his own carelessness.

b. no (none)other than正是，仅仅是

This is no other than the book we want to buy.

She is none other than my adviser.

c. more often than not, as often as not常常, 往往

During foggy weather, planes are late more often than not.

As often as not, he gets up late.

d. as likely as not=很有可能

She will forget all about it as likely as not.

e. no otherwise than 只是，仅仅

He is no otherwise afraid than of his father. (nobody but….)

He does no otherwise than fool around all day. (do nothing but)

例如：

W：How did your interview go？

M：I couldn't feel better about it！The questions were very fair，and I seemed to find an answer for all of them．

Q：What is the man's attitude about the interview？

A）Pessimistic．B）Worried． C）Confident．D）Distress．

很多学生都不能选出正确答案 C）。

又如，在读到下面的句子时，部分学生也感到费解：

It has never been easier to insult people inadvertently．Ayoung lady offers her seatin a crowded bus to an elderly，frail gentleman，and he gives her a dirty look because she has insulted his manhood．

其实，只要他们知道比较级用于否定结构可表“最……不过”这一语法现象，就会懂得“I couldn't feel better about it”意为“我对那次面试的感觉再好不过了”；“Ithas never been easier to insult people inadvertently”意为“人们非常容易无意之中冒犯别人。”

要掌握该结构的用法，须注意以下几点：

1．该结构多为“can't ／couldn't ＋比较级”的形式。例如：

1）I can't agree with you more．我再同意你不过了。（或：我完全同意你的意见。）

2）The weather couldn't be worse．天气再糟糕不过了。

3）He couldn't have done better．他做得再好不过了。

2．用于该结构中的否定词除了not之外，还有no， never，nothing等。例如：

1）This could give her no greater pleasure．这使她再高兴不过了。

2）She's never better．她现在最好不过了。（或：她比以往任何时候都好。）

3）There's nothing cheaper．这东西再便宜不过了。

3．当该结构中的比较级为less时，该结构意为“一点也不”。试比较：

1）He couldn't care more．他非常介意。（或：他最关心不过了。）

He couldn't care less．他毫不介意。（或：他最漠不关心了。）

2）He had never felt more like talking to anyone．他从未如此想和人谈话。

He had never felt less like talking to anyone．他从未如此不想和人谈话。

4．当no表示“not at all”之意时，可以作为副词放在比较级词语前面。这时，“no＋比较级”的意思并非“最……不过”。例如：

1）Are you really fifty？You look no older than thirty-five．你真的五十岁了？看起来不超过三十五岁。

2）Some people can eat what they like and get no fatter．有些人想吃什么就吃什么，一点也不发胖

5. 该结构用否定形式表示肯定意义。要掌握该结构的用法，须注意以下几点：
▲该结构多为“can't ／couldn't ＋比较级”的形式，意为“再…不过”
I can't agree with you more.我再同意你的意见不过了。（或：我完全同意你的意见。）
The weather couldn't be worse.天气再糟糕不过了。
He couldn't have done better.他做得再好不过了。
▲用于该结构中的否定词除了not之外，还有no，never，nothing等，意为“再…不过”
This could give her no greater pleasure.这使她再高兴不过了。
There's nothing cheaper.这东西再便宜不过了。
▲当该结构中的比较级为less时，其意义为“一 点也不”
试比较：He couldn't care more.他非常介意。（或：他最关心不过了。）
He couldn't care less.他毫不介意。（或：他最漠不关心了。）