由于思維方式的不同，英語中有些從正面表達的東西在漢語中習慣從反面來表達;而有些從反面來表達的東西在漢語中則習慣從正面來表達。因此，英譯漢時常常有必要進行轉換。這就是通常所說的"正說反譯、反說正譯"法。英語正面表達這里指的是不帶否定詞no, not , never否定前綴non-, in-, im-, ir-, dis-和否定后綴-less等的句子，漢語正面表達則是指不帶"不"、"沒"、"非"、"未"、 "否"、 "無"、 "莫"、"勿"、"別"等否定詞語的句子;反之則是反面表達。
英語正面表達轉換為漢語反面表達
frost-free refrigerator無霜冰箱
Freeze! 別動!
Wet paint! 油漆未干!
mortally ill 不治之癥
(1) The proposal was carried by a very narrow margin. 這項建議差點通不過。
(2)We believe that the younger generation will prove worthy of our trust. 我們相信，年輕一代將不會辜負我們的信任。
(3) He went to an outdoor phone booth and dialed Chicago, then New York, then San Francisco. Silence. Silence. Silence. 他到一個戶外公用電話亭，先給芝加哥、又給紐約、舊金山打了電話。
(4) As a place to live, it left much to be desired. As a secret training base for a revolutionary new plane, it was an excellent site, its remoteness effectively masking its activity. 作為居住的地方，這里有許多不足之處，但作為改革性的新飛機秘密訓練基地，卻是非常理想的。因為它地處邊陲，人們不易發(fā)覺其中的活動。
(5) The pictures that linger in his mind, called up in a moment by such sensations as the smell of roses or of new-mown hay, are of a simpler nature. 然而，縈繞心頭的畫面，那些一經嗅到玫瑰花香或新鮮干草的氣息便會倏地闖入記憶的情景，其實并不復雜。
(6) As he sipped his coffee, he opened a still damp morning paper; and began reading. 他一面喝咖啡，一面翻開油墨未干的晨報，看了起來。
(7) Father's attitude toward anybody who wasn't his kind used to puzzle me. 以前我總不懂父親為什么對那些脾氣跟他不一樣的人采取那么個態(tài)度。
(8) Sadly, Edward died before he could see the new church, but his beautiful tomb is still there, with the tombs of the Kings and Queens of England who came after him. 遺憾的是，愛德華未能看見新教堂就去世了，但是他那幽雅的墳墓和嗣后的英國國王和王后的墳墓還都留在那里。
英語正面表達轉換為漢語反面表達
frost-free refrigerator無霜冰箱
Freeze! 別動!
Wet paint! 油漆未干!
mortally ill 不治之癥
(1) The proposal was carried by a very narrow margin. 這項建議差點通不過。
(2)We believe that the younger generation will prove worthy of our trust. 我們相信，年輕一代將不會辜負我們的信任。
(3) He went to an outdoor phone booth and dialed Chicago, then New York, then San Francisco. Silence. Silence. Silence. 他到一個戶外公用電話亭，先給芝加哥、又給紐約、舊金山打了電話。
(4) As a place to live, it left much to be desired. As a secret training base for a revolutionary new plane, it was an excellent site, its remoteness effectively masking its activity. 作為居住的地方，這里有許多不足之處，但作為改革性的新飛機秘密訓練基地，卻是非常理想的。因為它地處邊陲，人們不易發(fā)覺其中的活動。
(5) The pictures that linger in his mind, called up in a moment by such sensations as the smell of roses or of new-mown hay, are of a simpler nature. 然而，縈繞心頭的畫面，那些一經嗅到玫瑰花香或新鮮干草的氣息便會倏地闖入記憶的情景，其實并不復雜。
(6) As he sipped his coffee, he opened a still damp morning paper; and began reading. 他一面喝咖啡，一面翻開油墨未干的晨報，看了起來。
(7) Father's attitude toward anybody who wasn't his kind used to puzzle me. 以前我總不懂父親為什么對那些脾氣跟他不一樣的人采取那么個態(tài)度。
(8) Sadly, Edward died before he could see the new church, but his beautiful tomb is still there, with the tombs of the Kings and Queens of England who came after him. 遺憾的是，愛德華未能看見新教堂就去世了，但是他那幽雅的墳墓和嗣后的英國國王和王后的墳墓還都留在那里。
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