英语否定结构详解

    Each language has its own affirmative and negative forms .The way to express affirmation and negation  is different in different languages.The negative structures of English can be divided into 10 categories according to the different forms and meanings.We mean to give a minute explanation of the main English negative structures through this article.
一、Complete Negation
1、全部否定结构句式由否定词和肯定形式的谓语动词连用构成。
英语中的全否定词包括否定代词和否定副词，主要有：no, none无人，没有任何人；nobody没有人，谁也不；nothing没有东西，什么也没有；nowhere 哪儿也不，没有任何地方；nohow绝不，毫不；neither 两者皆不，两者中谁都不；never 永不，从未。例如：
None of these things are yours.
Neither of us is right.
Nothing can stop them from achieving their goal.
I could find my notebook nowhere.
No country suffered so much as English.
2、表示全部否定意义的结构还有另外一种表示法，即：否定式谓语跟不定代词或不定副词连用。如：
We do not like any of them.
I haven't received any letters today.
Anyhow we will not go there today.
I didn't see anyone there today .
She doesn't like either of the pencile-box.
We can't separate teaching from practice in any way.
3、概括词和带有否定词缀的词连用也可以构成全部否定式。如：
All this is unnecessary.
Every plan made by him is impossible of execution.
The teacher was always disatisfied with his student's progress.
Everyone is unkind to him.
二、Partial Negation
1、表示“全体”和“绝对”意义的代词、形容词或副词。如：all, both,complte(ly),whole, every,everything,everywhere,always,altogether ,entirely,wholly,usually,exactly,very,quite,usually,totally等等，它们和否定副词not连用构成否定结构时，表示部分否定（Partial Nagation）。谓语采用否定形式，即“not 谓语动词”；有时把否定词移至句首。部分否定表示的意义是“不都是”“并非都”。如：
Both of the boys are not good at English.=Not both of the boys are good at English.
All is not gold that glitters.
Everyone on my class is not fond of music.
Not everything is attractive and interesting over there.
She was not very satisfied with my job.
Such beautiful music is not heard quite often.
2、not 用来否定名词、数词等构成部分否定。如：
Not many of us will go there tomorrow.
I have a few books ,but not ten.
3、由 and 连接两个对等的宾语、状语或表语时，如果只否定对等部分的后者，可用 not…and…结构表示部分否定。
He cannot sing and dance at the same time.
The film is not interesting and instructive..
You did not write distingctly and correctly.
My younger brother doesn't know English and French.
注意：部分否定，就意味着部分肯定;因此，部分否定结构表达的语义就相当于部分肯定结构所表示的语义。试比较：
One of the boys is clever,the other isn't.
Not all the students  will be translators.
Some of the students will be translators,but some of them won't(be  translators).
Such a thing is found in some place,but is not found in some place.
三、Semi-negation
1、准否定也叫半否定，主要是通过含有否定意义的词语构成的。
表示否定意义的词语主要有：scarcely几乎不,hardly　几乎没有；seldom极少；rarely罕见；little几乎没有；few很少，不多；nearly nothing几乎没有；scarcely any几乎一个也没有；hardly(scarcely) ever几乎不曾；
这些表达否定意义的词语，很接近never，not，no，none，等词。但语气较弱，表达的否定意义不象表示全部否定意义的词那样绝对。所以，它们构成的否定句叫半否定结构或准否定结构句。如：
When we were in London ,we rarely went to the park.
She seldom goes out to do shopings on Sunday.
We seldom hear such fine singing from school choirs.
The sick man has tasted scatcely anything since last Monday.
There were few people on the street.
２、英语中，半否定词＋or(或if）＋否定代词也是一种表示半否定意义的结构。如：
We know little or nothing of the matter.
There is little or no water in the glass.
He seldom, if ever ,goes out.
There are few,if any ,such men.
四、Transferred Negation
否定词not因为语言习惯或因部分否定和全部否定的需要，由原来的位置转移到其他位置。这种语法现象叫做转移否定（Transferred Negation）。主要有以下几种：
1、从句中的否定转移到主句谓语动词。例如：
在think，belive，suppose，imagine，except，anticipate，feel，fancy，reckon，等表示“相信”或“臆测”的动词和表示“感知”的动词appear，seem，feel(as if)，look(as if)，等。如：
I don't think I know you.=I think I don't know you.
He didn't feel as if he was hurt.=He feeled as if he wasn't hurt.
It dosen't seem that he's telling the truth.=It seems that he's not telling the trurh.
2、在否定的原因状语从句中，否定词常常转移到主句的谓语动词。如：
I didn't go because I want to see him.=I went not  beause I want to see him .
She didn't marry because she loved him.=She married him because she loved him.
I didn't buy the watch because  it was cheap.=I bought the watch ,not because it was cheap.
3、在  be likely/possible that 结构中。
It isn't likely /possible that oil practise will fall this year.
五、Double Negation
双重否定，从形式上讲，属于“否定”范畴。但是在一个句子当中用两个否定词，实际上表达的是“肯定”的内容，相当于一个肯定句。双重否定的用法，一是为了强调，加强说话的语气；二是为了表示委婉的陈述。表示双重否定的词和词组常见的有：too…no(not)（不…不）,not…without（不…不）,no(never)…but（没有…不）,never…but（每…必）,never(no)…without（每…必）,not(no,never)…unless(没有…除非…),not…untill(不…不)。例如：
He is too near for us not to see him.
The question raised by Tom is too easy for her not to answer.
He is too wise not to see that.
For that matter ,I can't think of my husand without thinking of it.
We can't get much progress in our studies without your help.
The old man can't be too old to walk.
He was not weak never to resume his work again.
He has given you such good advice not without reason.
You can't make something out of nothing.
Don't open the door until the train stops.
六、Continous Negation
继续否定又叫延续否定。在一般否定句或特指否定句中，为使其表达的意思更加明确，在它们后面再追加一句或数句否定句。这种追加的句字叫继续否定句。一般有如下几种：
1）否定句 否定句：
Tom doesn't like go to the  ball,neither did Brown and Peter.
You can't do it ,nor can he.
Tom can't speak English,much less French.
But Oliver did not come that day;nor the next day;nor the next after that ;nor for many,many days after.
2）某些含有否定意义的词语，如little,few,hardly等构成。如其后面再接上另一个否定句，便构成继续否定结构。如：
The world will little note ,nor long rememger what we say here,but it can never forget what they did here.
3）否定词 not 主语(句中原来主语)如：
We will not do such things,not we.
He cannot speak French,not he.
My friend will not break his word,not he.
４）否定句＋继续否定词＋状语结构
Tom's mother cannot sleep,neither at night or in the day time.
I would never touch alcohol,not even as a medicine.
５）否定词＋否定修饰语＋名词从句
We could not assent to,much less participate in such proceedings.
She doesn't not know German ,to say nothing of Englinglish.
The boy has not learnt arithmeticks, not to mention algebra.