通常直接由not,no,never等词构成的否定句有时会显得唐突和生硬，不易为人所接受。因此，就需要采用一些方法，把直截了当的否定变得含蓄一些，把不甚悦耳的句子变得委婉一些；使词句温和而不武断，谦逊而又留有余地，这就是我们要讨论的委婉否定表达法。表示委婉否定的方法很多，常用的大致有下面这些：

　　一、用"I'm not sure＋肯定句"或"I don't think(suppose)＋肯定句"来表示否定意义。例如：

　　1.I'm not sure Xiao Li is competent to do the job.(比较：Xiao Li is not competent to do the job.)

　　2.I don't think this book is well written.(比较：This book is not well written.)

　　3.I don't suppose she will pass the examination.(比较：She won't pass the examination.)

　　这种方法很有实用价值，值得学习。从例句可以看出，它是通过把客观事实变成主观看法来实现语句委婉化的。

　　另外，"I'm afraid"与否定句配合使用，也可表示委婉否定。例如：

　　4.This plan does not suit him,I'm afraid.

　　5.I'm afraid I can't help you.

　　二、使用"please"或反意疑问句。例如：

　　1.No noise,please.

　　2.Don't take it seriously,would you?

　　3.Please don't wander off the path,will you?

　　4.You can't run 100 metres in 15 seconds,can you?

　　三、在否定句中加入某些副词(如：too, much,really,quite,particularly等)。例如：

　　1.Some people are not too diligent.

　　2.-There's a basketball match this evening.Would you like to go with me?

　　-Sorry,I don't care much for basketball.

　　3.I don't really like her articles. I don't think he can give up smoking,really.

　　4.I'm not quite satisfied with the result.

　　5.-What do you say to this briefcase?

　　-It's all right.But somehow the colour doesn't appeal to me.

　　6.-What do you think of the film?

　　-Not bad,but I don't particularly care for its music.

　　从例句可以看出，加入副词后，句子的否定程度有所减弱，语句显得温和且留有余地，因此，句子较为委婉。

　　四、用肯定形式的虚拟语气表示实际的否定意义。例如：

　　1.I wish I could go with you.(＝I can't go with you.)

　　2.I was ill that day.Otherwise I would have taken part in the parade.(＝I didn't take part in the parade，because I was ill that day.)

　　3.You could have done the job better if you had put more time into it.(＝You didn't put enough time into the work,so you didn't do

　　it well enough.)

　　4.He would be handsome but for having only one ear.(＝He is not handsome,because he has one ear.)

　　5.Had he taken more care,his composition would be good.(＝His composition was full of errors,because he didn't take enough care to write it.)

　　由于否定句所表达的往往是一些令人不愉快的事情，比如：责备、批评或某些遗憾的事实，听起来大都不悦耳。因此，为了避免说出不好听的否定事实，可使用与事实相反的肯定形式的虚拟语气来委婉地表达出实际的否定意义。

　　有趣的是，否定的反面表达有时反而比肯定的正面表达客气委婉。例如：

　　He is a foolish man.

　　He is not clever.(较委婉)

　　I don't think he is clever.(更加委婉)

　　五、变换说法。例如：

　　1.Don't disturb him.(命令)

　　Let's not disturb him.(建议)

　　2.Don't speak loudly.

　　Please keep your voices down.

　　3.I can't do that.

　　That is more than I can do.

　　4.Don't move forward.

　　You are supposed to stop.

　　(在例1-4中，第二句均比第一句委婉些。)

　　5.Don't swim in the evening.

　　You don't want to swim in the evening.

　　(You don't want比Don't委婉。)

　　6.It is impossible to learn English well without a good foundation.

　　Is it possible to learn English well with- out a good foundation?(这里，一般疑问句表示含蓄否定，语气较委婉。)

　　7.Smoking is not allowed in the reading-room.(规定)

　　Don't smoke in the reading-room.(要求)

　　You are not supposed to smoke in the reading-room.

　　Do you mind not smoking in the reading-room ?

　　8.Don't take a bath today.

　　You'd better not take a bath today.

　　I suggest you shouldn't take a bath today.

　　It would be better not to take a bath today.

　　(例7和例8，从上往下，一句比一句更加委婉。)

　　以上只是一些常见的委婉否定表达法，还有很多我们在这里就不赘述，希望同学们在以后的英语学习中加以注意和积累。

　　(文/王金安;英语通大学英语四级考试版03~04学年第12期;版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)