正如漢語說的“沒有~不……”一樣,英語有時(shí)也可使用這樣“否定的否定”,即所謂的雙重否定。正如 (-1) × (-1) = (+1) 一樣,雙重否定的結(jié)果是肯定的。 如: 沒有人不同情那位意外的犧牲者。 There was no one who did not feel sympathy for the victims of the accident. =Everyone felt sympathy for the victims of the accident. 一個(gè)家庭在日常生活中使用一輛以上的車子竝不特別稀奇。 It is not unusual for a family to have more than one car to use in daily life. =It is usual for a family to have more than one car to use in daily life. 沒有人沒東西喫的。 Nobody had nothing to eat. =Everyone had something to eat. never...without...型雙重否定,其意爲(wèi):沒有~決不……;要~一定會(huì)…… The dog never crosses a street without stopping at the curb. 那衹狗每次要過街時(shí),都會(huì)在人行道邊緣停下來。 雙重否定就內(nèi)容而言雖是表肯定的,但和原本就是肯定形者竝不完全相同。比方說,not unusual (竝非不尋常) 與usual (普通) 在感覺上就不完全相同,多了一點(diǎn)兒猶豫的情緒。 雙重否定用於表示肯定的內(nèi)容時(shí),因形式上仍屬否定句,所以附加問句爲(wèi)肯定形。如: No Japanese breakfast is complete without misosoup, is it? 沒有味噌湯的日式早餐就不夠完整,不是嗎?