Then the Dean and committee came back. “Gentlemen,” the Dean said, “the candidate we have chosen is — Mr. Hobdell.” Uncle Theo had won. You could have knocked him down with a feather. The audience were completely taken by surprise, and the Dean continued, “I think I ought to tell you how we arrived at that decision. We were all filled with admiration at the learning and eloquence of Mr. Adams. I was greatly impressed; I didn’t think he had it in him. But, you will remember, Mr. Adams read his lecture to us. When Mr. Hobdell’s turn came, he repeated that speech, word by word from memory, though, of course, he couldn’t have seen a line of it before. Now a fine memory is absolutely necessary for this post; and what a memory Mr. Hobdell must have! That is why we decided that Mr. Hobdell was exactly the man we wanted.” (Essential English, Book 3, PP. 140–141)
[原译]接着主考和委员会成员们回到大厅。“先生们”，主考说，“我们选中的候选人是霍布德尔先生。”西奥舅舅得胜了。他简直给愣住了。而对听众来说也完全是出乎意料的。主考接着说：“我想我应当把如何做出这个决定的情况告诉你们。我们大家对亚当斯先生的学问和雄辩的口才都感到非常钦佩，给我的印象很深。但我认为他并不真有本事。然而大家别忘了亚当斯先生是把他的稿子读给我们听的。而轮到霍布德尔先生时，他是一个字一个字地把那篇稿子背出来的。当然，在这之前，他连其中一行都不可能看过的。这个职位非常需要良好的记忆力。而霍布德尔先生的记忆力是多么强啊！这就是为什么我们认为霍布德尔先生是我们所需要的人员。”（中译本）
上面的译文将 I didn't think he 译为“我认为他并不”是否符合原意？
大家知道在 think、believe、suppose、fancy、expect、imagine、reckon 等动词后面的宾语从句中，当在意义上需要否定宾语从句的某个成分时，常常要将否定转移到含有 think 等思想活动的动词的主句中去。因此，像 I don't think he is an honest man. 这样的句子，虽然形式上是否定主句中动词 think 的，但在意义上却常常是否定宾语从句中的谓语 is 的，因此上面的句子一般应理解为 I think he is not an honest man.（我认为他不是一个老实人）。类例：
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I didn't think that Mary was pretty (= I thought that Mary wasn't pretty). 我认为玛丽并不美丽。
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I don't suppose any one will object to my suggestion (= I suppose no one will object to my suggestion). 我想不会有人反对我的建议。
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Do you think he will succeed? No, I don't believe he will (=I believe he will not). 你认
为他会成功吗？——不，我认为他不会成功的。
但是,关于英语的否定转移,目前在学生和英语教师中存在着两种片面的观点。一是认为,宾语从句谓语的否定必须转移到主句中去,否则便是错误的。实际上,根据表达的需要,宾语从句谓语的否定也可以不转移到主句中去。例如:
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I think he has not come. (Jespersen) 我认为他还没有来。
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I suppose you don't ever write to him. 我想你从来也不给他写信。
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I think he is not an honest man. 我认为他不是一个诚实的人。
另一个片面的观点,是把这类复合句中的主句的否定都理解为从句否定转移的结果。事实上,think 等动词的否定形式并不总是否定的转移,有时候就是对这类动词本身的否定。正像 R.Quirk 等人所指出的那样,I didn't think he was happy. 这个句子可以有两个意思。第一个意思,否定是针对主句的,第二个意思,否定是针对从句的。
读者读到这里一定会问:如何区别主句否定和从句否定转移这两种不同的情形呢?我们认为以下几点可向我们提供一些线索。