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语意反述，是一种英语翻译技巧，它是用反意语词表达本原语意的一种方式。反述的方式多种多样，常见的有词意反述、主被动反述、主谓反述、主宾反述、主状反述等。所谓语意反述，是指当一个句子按原词词义翻译不合汉语表达习惯时，可用近于相反的词意加以反述，使语意更顺畅，更合乎汉语习惯，使语气更符合语境。本文仅就语意反述现象的功用，进行简单归类和粗浅分析，以就教于方家。
1.前后
例如：It will be two or three years， before we meet again.翻译：两三年后，我们才能见面。分析：before在这里用作连词，如果译成“在我们再见面之前要过两三年”就显得生硬。再如：Managers will want to have all the necessary facts before they can make the best decision.翻译：经理们必定需要在掌握一切必要的情况之后才能作出最佳的决定。分析：before…译为“只有……之后才”较为恰当。又如：Many centuries had passed before man began to make use of nuclear energy.译成“在过了许多世纪之后，人们才开始利用核能”。
2.然否
The beauty of Hang Zhou is more than I can describe.译：杭州之美非我笔墨所能描绘。析：“more than…can”译为“不足……能”。在这种结构中，than后面的成分是形式上的肯定，意义上的否定。又如：This is more than we could bear.译：这是我们所不能忍受的。They know next to nothing of engineering drawing，let alone designing as such.译：他们对工程制图几乎一无所知，更谈不上设计本身了。析：let alone用在否定的陈述后表示某种情况极不可能发生，这里意为“to say nothing of”，故译为否定词语“更谈不上”。So it is possible that one day in the near future we will depend on solar furnaces and power stations to provide our electrical needs.译：因此，很可能在不久的将来会有一天，我们将会依靠太阳能作动力的锅炉和发电站为我们提供电力需要。析：句中把in the near future这个肯定词语译为否定词语“在不久的将来”便顺当多了。Am I your servant？译：我不是你的佣人。析：用肯定的修饰性疑问句表示强烈的否定陈述，要比“我是你佣人吗”语气更强烈。Smoking is harmful to the health of people.译：抽烟对人体健康没有好处。析：形容词harmful译为否定，更贴切地表达了原文的含义。There is nothing unexpected about it.译：一切都在预料之中。析：expected加上否定的前缀un含有否定意义，与nothing连用时，译成肯定语气“在预料之中”。She was too near for us not to see her。译：当时她距离太近，使我们看见了她。析：否定是为了肯定，否定之否定，双重否定，肯定语气更加强烈。We cannot be too careful in doing experiments.译：做实验越仔细越好。又如：There is no one of us but wishes to go.译：我们人人都想去。Nobody but Xiao Li and Xiao Wang was there。译：只有小李和小王在那里。Not much is not known of the matter。译：关于那件事知道得很多。如果译成“关于那件事不是知道得不多”，似在绕弯弯，读着也拗口。We did not notice this matter until yesterday.译：直到昨天我们才注意到这件事。until用于否定句中，可先按原意“直到……以前”理解，但一到这一时刻，谓语动作就中止。因此，译为“直到……才”较为妥当。比译成“直到昨天以前我们没注意到这件事”效果要好。
3.大小
He has no small chance for success.译：他大有成功的希望。To my no small astonishment， I found the house on fire. 译：我发现房子着火，大为吃惊。Rontgen was not a little surprised when he found the strange glow came from small fluorescent screen.译：伦琴发现那奇怪的亮光来自荧光屏时，大为吃惊。Western manners here differ slightly from good Chinese manners.译：在这方面，西方礼节与中国礼节差异不大。You have less voice in what you do： there is less follow—through.译：你对自己所做事情的发言权减少了，就不大能把它坚持到底。Childcare is less a problem.译：照顾孩子不再是一个大问题。
4.多少
Theory of relativity worked out by Einstein is now above many people’s comprehension.译：爱因斯坦提出的“相对论”，现在还有不少人理解不了。I know a lot of dentists who wanted to be physicians and couldn’t get into medical school，so they went to dental schoo1.译：我认识不少牙科医生，他们原想成为内科医生，但因为进不了医学院而进了牙科学校。Most of the Latin-American countries are working hard to improve their school， they face a number of difficulties.译：多数拉美国家也在努力发展学校，它们面临着不少困难。As l know，she has little experience in this way.译：据我所知，她在这方面经验不多。 5.优劣
Take it for granted that the next person is as good as or better than yourself.译：应该认为你身边的人也不比你差，甚至比你强。Poor conductors，such as water，have very high resistances.译：不良导体（例如水），具有很强的电阻。The light in the classroom is poor. 译：教室里的光线不足。
6.新旧
Although London is a very old town， most of the houses are relatively new.译：伦敦虽是座古城，但其大部分建筑却并不古老。
7.远近
The most fashionable of all race meetings is held in early June at Ascot，a short distance from Windsor Castle.译：最热闹的赛马大会是六月上旬在距温莎城堡不远的阿斯科特赛马场举行的。The plan is far from perfect. 译：这个计划远远不够完善. The islanders found themselves far from ready to fight the war. 译：岛民发现自己远远没有做好作战准备。
8.开关
There’ll still be some shops left open.译：还会有些商店没关门.The window refuses to open. 译：窗户打不开。The reserve，located in Cotabato at the southern end of Mindanao island，was closed to all visitors from 1974，to March 1986.译：坐落在棉兰老岛南端的哥打巴托的塔什迪族保留地在1974年到1986年3月期间完全不对外开放。
9.好恶
I hate to get personal，but you are much older than Byron.译：我不喜欢过问私事，不过你比拜伦大好多。I hate to say good-bye.译：我真不想告辞。若将hate译成“讨厌”“痛恨”等动词，译文的语气就太重了。
10.繁简
The computer memory unit is much less complex than the human brain.
译：计算机的存储单元要比人的大脑简单得多。析：“更为较少复杂”与“简单得多”意思相近，但“复杂”与“简单”是一对反义词。
11.成语及常用语的反述
有些词语已经反述，恰到好处地再现了汉语成语和常用语，如：There is no rule without an exception.凡规律皆有例外。There is no fire without smoke.有火就有烟（无风不起浪）。Where there is smoke，there is fire.无火不生烟（事出有因）。Enter into every opening.无孔不入。No roses without thorns.凡物必有缺憾。No one but approves.无人不赞成。Look before you leap.三思而后行。One is never too old to learn.活到老，学到老。We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.井枯方知水可贵。Seeing is believing.百闻不如一见（眼见为实）。A good conscience is a soft pillow.日间不做亏心事，夜半敲门心不惊。The least said，the soonest mended.言多必失（少说为妙）。
综上所述，在英译汉过程中，语意反述发挥了重要的作用。由于两种语言表达习惯不同，往往需要把英语中的正说译成汉语中的反说，把英语中的反说译成汉语中的正说，这样才能确切表达原意并符合语言规范。
参考文献：
[1]杨惠中，等主编.大学核心英语（读写教程）[M].北京：高等教育出版社，2011.
[2]叶永昌主编.英语要领和难点[M].天津：天津大学出版社，1988.
[3]李鹏飞编著.大学英语四级考试难点详析与自测[M].北京：北京理工大学出版社，1990.
1.前后
例如：It will be two or three years， before we meet again.翻译：两三年后，我们才能见面。分析：before在这里用作连词，如果译成“在我们再见面之前要过两三年”就显得生硬。再如：Managers will want to have all the necessary facts before they can make the best decision.翻译：经理们必定需要在掌握一切必要的情况之后才能作出最佳的决定。分析：before…译为“只有……之后才”较为恰当。又如：Many centuries had passed before man began to make use of nuclear energy.译成“在过了许多世纪之后，人们才开始利用核能”。
2.然否
The beauty of Hang Zhou is more than I can describe.译：杭州之美非我笔墨所能描绘。析：“more than…can”译为“不足……能”。在这种结构中，than后面的成分是形式上的肯定，意义上的否定。又如：This is more than we could bear.译：这是我们所不能忍受的。They know next to nothing of engineering drawing，let alone designing as such.译：他们对工程制图几乎一无所知，更谈不上设计本身了。析：let alone用在否定的陈述后表示某种情况极不可能发生，这里意为“to say nothing of”，故译为否定词语“更谈不上”。So it is possible that one day in the near future we will depend on solar furnaces and power stations to provide our electrical needs.译：因此，很可能在不久的将来会有一天，我们将会依靠太阳能作动力的锅炉和发电站为我们提供电力需要。析：句中把in the near future这个肯定词语译为否定词语“在不久的将来”便顺当多了。Am I your servant？译：我不是你的佣人。析：用肯定的修饰性疑问句表示强烈的否定陈述，要比“我是你佣人吗”语气更强烈。Smoking is harmful to the health of people.译：抽烟对人体健康没有好处。析：形容词harmful译为否定，更贴切地表达了原文的含义。There is nothing unexpected about it.译：一切都在预料之中。析：expected加上否定的前缀un含有否定意义，与nothing连用时，译成肯定语气“在预料之中”。She was too near for us not to see her。译：当时她距离太近，使我们看见了她。析：否定是为了肯定，否定之否定，双重否定，肯定语气更加强烈。We cannot be too careful in doing experiments.译：做实验越仔细越好。又如：There is no one of us but wishes to go.译：我们人人都想去。Nobody but Xiao Li and Xiao Wang was there。译：只有小李和小王在那里。Not much is not known of the matter。译：关于那件事知道得很多。如果译成“关于那件事不是知道得不多”，似在绕弯弯，读着也拗口。We did not notice this matter until yesterday.译：直到昨天我们才注意到这件事。until用于否定句中，可先按原意“直到……以前”理解，但一到这一时刻，谓语动作就中止。因此，译为“直到……才”较为妥当。比译成“直到昨天以前我们没注意到这件事”效果要好。
3.大小
He has no small chance for success.译：他大有成功的希望。To my no small astonishment， I found the house on fire. 译：我发现房子着火，大为吃惊。Rontgen was not a little surprised when he found the strange glow came from small fluorescent screen.译：伦琴发现那奇怪的亮光来自荧光屏时，大为吃惊。Western manners here differ slightly from good Chinese manners.译：在这方面，西方礼节与中国礼节差异不大。You have less voice in what you do： there is less follow—through.译：你对自己所做事情的发言权减少了，就不大能把它坚持到底。Childcare is less a problem.译：照顾孩子不再是一个大问题。
4.多少
Theory of relativity worked out by Einstein is now above many people’s comprehension.译：爱因斯坦提出的“相对论”，现在还有不少人理解不了。I know a lot of dentists who wanted to be physicians and couldn’t get into medical school，so they went to dental schoo1.译：我认识不少牙科医生，他们原想成为内科医生，但因为进不了医学院而进了牙科学校。Most of the Latin-American countries are working hard to improve their school， they face a number of difficulties.译：多数拉美国家也在努力发展学校，它们面临着不少困难。As l know，she has little experience in this way.译：据我所知，她在这方面经验不多。 5.优劣
Take it for granted that the next person is as good as or better than yourself.译：应该认为你身边的人也不比你差，甚至比你强。Poor conductors，such as water，have very high resistances.译：不良导体（例如水），具有很强的电阻。The light in the classroom is poor. 译：教室里的光线不足。
6.新旧
Although London is a very old town， most of the houses are relatively new.译：伦敦虽是座古城，但其大部分建筑却并不古老。
7.远近
The most fashionable of all race meetings is held in early June at Ascot，a short distance from Windsor Castle.译：最热闹的赛马大会是六月上旬在距温莎城堡不远的阿斯科特赛马场举行的。The plan is far from perfect. 译：这个计划远远不够完善. The islanders found themselves far from ready to fight the war. 译：岛民发现自己远远没有做好作战准备。
8.开关
There’ll still be some shops left open.译：还会有些商店没关门.The window refuses to open. 译：窗户打不开。The reserve，located in Cotabato at the southern end of Mindanao island，was closed to all visitors from 1974，to March 1986.译：坐落在棉兰老岛南端的哥打巴托的塔什迪族保留地在1974年到1986年3月期间完全不对外开放。
9.好恶
I hate to get personal，but you are much older than Byron.译：我不喜欢过问私事，不过你比拜伦大好多。I hate to say good-bye.译：我真不想告辞。若将hate译成“讨厌”“痛恨”等动词，译文的语气就太重了。
10.繁简
The computer memory unit is much less complex than the human brain.
译：计算机的存储单元要比人的大脑简单得多。析：“更为较少复杂”与“简单得多”意思相近，但“复杂”与“简单”是一对反义词。
11.成语及常用语的反述
有些词语已经反述，恰到好处地再现了汉语成语和常用语，如：There is no rule without an exception.凡规律皆有例外。There is no fire without smoke.有火就有烟（无风不起浪）。Where there is smoke，there is fire.无火不生烟（事出有因）。Enter into every opening.无孔不入。No roses without thorns.凡物必有缺憾。No one but approves.无人不赞成。Look before you leap.三思而后行。One is never too old to learn.活到老，学到老。We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.井枯方知水可贵。Seeing is believing.百闻不如一见（眼见为实）。A good conscience is a soft pillow.日间不做亏心事，夜半敲门心不惊。The least said，the soonest mended.言多必失（少说为妙）。
综上所述，在英译汉过程中，语意反述发挥了重要的作用。由于两种语言表达习惯不同，往往需要把英语中的正说译成汉语中的反说，把英语中的反说译成汉语中的正说，这样才能确切表达原意并符合语言规范。
参考文献：
[1]杨惠中，等主编.大学核心英语（读写教程）[M].北京：高等教育出版社，2011.
[2]叶永昌主编.英语要领和难点[M].天津：天津大学出版社，1988.
[3]李鹏飞编著.大学英语四级考试难点详析与自测[M].北京：北京理工大学出版社，1990.