Emphatic Negative Constructions

 

Negative constructions are more expressive than affirmative ones and possess a stronger emotive colouring.This is due to the fact that the category of negation indicates that the link between the negation indicates that the link between the notions expressed by the subject and the predicate is non-existant.

The negative word “no” is a powerful means of stressing the some member of the sentence.

 

Our arrangement was no announcement for few days. (A.Halley)

 

Мы договорились: никаких сообщений в течении ближайших дней.

 

The emphatic use of the colon in the translation attracts attention to what follows. Emphasis is also created by ellipsis.

 

They passed no village bigger than a hamlet and no inn better than an alehouse, but Harry was urgent to stop at one of them and seek better horses. (J.Buchan)

 

На всем пути им не попалось ни одной большой деревни, ни одного порядочного постоялого двора, а только крохотные деревушки и жалкие пивные, но Гарри настоял на том, чтобы остановиться в одной из них и попробовать нанять хороших лошадей.