否定の副詞 - Negative Adverbs
"not" や "no" は100％否定になりますが、時には、"90％"、"50％"否定したい時がありますよね。英語では否定の副詞やNOT + 頻度を表す副詞で表現します。
I don't speak to him.
I will never speak to him again.
I rarely go to movie.
= I don't go to movie often.
He seldom comes to class on time.
He hardly comes to class on time.
= I almost always don't come to class on time.
頻度を表す副詞の否定文を作る時は "not" の位置に気を付けましょう。
副詞の前に持ってくると、頻度を否定することになりますし、動詞の前に持ってくると、動詞を否定することになり、意味が変わってきます。
下記の文章はそれぞれ違う意味です。
I don't usually watch TV. （副詞usuallyを否定)
I usually don't watch TV. （動詞watchを否定)
He doesn't come to class often. （"come to class often"を否定)
He often doesn't come to class. （"come to class" を否定)
否定の頻度の副詞
NEVER, RARELY, SELDOM, HARDLY, SCARCELY は、通常、主動詞の前にきます。文頭にくると、主語(s)と動詞(v)の位置が逆転します。
Never will I speak him again.
I will never speak to him again.
Rarely do I go to movies.
I rarely go to movies.
Hardly does he come to class on time.
He hardly comes to class on time.
英語では、否定の副詞で否定文を作る他に、NOを使ったり、FEW, LITTLE を使って名詞を否定する事もできます。
NOT AT ALL
AT ALL は、否定文で使われ、「全く〜しない」と否定を強調します。
I didn't talk to my father at all.
"Do you mind if I open the window?"-"No, not at all."
