在學(xué)英語(yǔ)的過(guò)程中，學(xué)生常將這樣的句子 "我認(rèn)為這不是個(gè)好主意." 譯為"I think it isn’t a good idea." 而將這句英語(yǔ)譯成漢語(yǔ)時(shí)，學(xué)生又會(huì)譯為 "我不認(rèn)為這是個(gè)好主意." 老師又會(huì)說(shuō)譯錯(cuò)了，這不符合 "I don’t think..." 句型，應(yīng)譯為 "l don’t think it’s a good idea."

那么，這錯(cuò)誤的根源究竟在哪里?這就是“英語(yǔ)的否定轉(zhuǎn)移”在作怪。否定轉(zhuǎn)移在非正式語(yǔ)體中特別常見(jiàn)，它是將語(yǔ)義上屬于從屬分句(一般為that clause)的否定詞轉(zhuǎn)移到母句中去。允許否定轉(zhuǎn)移的母句動(dòng)詞在語(yǔ)義上可分為以下兩組：

1.看法(OPINION)：anticipate，be supposed to，believe，calculate， expect，figure (infml，AmE),imagine, reckon (infml，esp, in AmE)，suppose，think:

Eg. I don’t believe I’ve met you before.

("I believe I haven’t met you before.")

Eg. She didn’t imagine that we would say anything.

("She imagined we wouldn’t say anything.")

Eg. He didn’t expect to win.

("He expected not to win.")

2.感覺(jué)(PERCEPTION) appear，seem，feel as if，look as if，sound as if (后三個(gè)動(dòng)詞也作infml，esp， in AmE，其中用like來(lái)代替as if)：

Eg. It doesn’t seem that we canget our money back.

"It seems that we can’t get our money back."

Eg. The baby doesn’t appear to be awake.

("The baby appears not to be awake.")

Eg. It doesn’t look like it’s going to rain.

("It looks like it isn’t going to rain.")

否定的轉(zhuǎn)移是一種含糊的現(xiàn)象。對(duì)于否定詞位置不同的兩個(gè)句子，意思是否相同，或者在多大程度上相同的問(wèn)題，各人的直覺(jué)可能是不同的。但在以下特殊情況下，原來(lái)允許否定轉(zhuǎn)移的動(dòng)詞不能將否定轉(zhuǎn)移：

1.I think是插入句，可看作與其他部分無(wú)關(guān)：

I wish you were here，then I think I should not feel like this.

2.母句中添加情態(tài)動(dòng)詞can’t mustn’t wouldn’t時(shí)：

I can’t believe that they are married.

You mustn’t think he’s stupid.

I wouldn’t have imagined that Sandra would be here.

3.由于cannot help doing，ought not，need not，not at all等短語(yǔ)的關(guān)系而把I think隔離。

I should have thought sometimes you couldn’t help thinking of the past.

I think you ought not to walk at night alone，Mrs. Moore.

I think you need not be impolite to her，as well as to her son.

"I think the angel are not at all in heaven." Mr.Esmond said."

4. 由于not just... but， just not... enough，not much, not quite等以not為核心的副詞短語(yǔ)的影響，也不便把否定拿到動(dòng)詞的前面去：

I think I’m just not smart enough to make any sense out of for you.

"You think she’s not much like you? Brerald asked.

But I think that Elizabeth was not quite so certain of it as I.

句中含有no, never, nothing, nobody等的不定詞時(shí)：

I should think you never have seen many.

I thought it explained nothing.