The Word “Negative”: Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages
The word “negative” is used in various contexts, from describing emotions and reactions to referring to scientific and mathematical terms. Its versatility makes it an essential word in the English language, and understanding its different meanings can enhance communication across many fields. Whether in everyday speech, formal language, or technical contexts, “negative” plays a significant role in shaping meaning and conveying the opposite or absence of something.
Meaning of “Negative”:
- Indicating a Rejection or Disapproval: When someone expresses a “negative” opinion, they are showing disapproval or disagreement with a particular idea, suggestion, or action.
- Example: “She gave a negative response to the proposal.”
- Referring to the Absence of Something: In some contexts, “negative” can describe the absence or opposite of something, such as in “negative space” or a “negative result.”
- Example: “The test result was negative, indicating no signs of illness.”
- Mathematical or Scientific Context: In mathematics, “negative” refers to a number less than zero, such as negative integers or negative values in equations.
- Example: “The temperature dropped to negative five degrees Celsius.”
- In Film and Photography: “Negative” can refer to a photographic image, typically a film, that shows the reverse of the colors or tones that would appear in the final print.
- Example: “The photographer developed the negatives before printing the photos.”
- In Electrical Engineering: In the field of electronics, “negative” can refer to the lower potential in a circuit, often symbolized by a minus sign (-).
- Example: “The negative terminal of the battery is connected to the circuit’s ground.”
- Characterizing a Pessimistic or Unfavorable Attitude: “Negative” is also used to describe someone’s attitude or approach to situations that is critical, pessimistic, or inclined to focus on the drawbacks rather than the benefits.
- Example: “His negative attitude towards the new project affected the team’s morale.”
Common Uses of “Negative” in Sentences:
- Indicating Rejection or Disapproval:
- “The manager gave a negative review of the candidate’s application.”
- “The customer had a negative experience with the product.”
- Referring to Absence or Opposite:
- “They received a negative response to their request for a refund.”
- “The test returned a negative result for the disease.”
- Mathematical or Scientific Context:
- “The equation involves both positive and negative numbers.”
- “The negative charge was transferred to the other object.”
- In Film and Photography:
- “The photographer developed the negatives before making prints.”
- “They reviewed the negatives to ensure no flaws in the shots.”
- In Electrical Engineering:
- “The negative electrode of the battery was connected to the device.”
- “The circuit uses a negative voltage for efficient operation.”
- Describing a Pessimistic Attitude:
- “Her negative view of the situation prevented progress.”
- “He tends to give negative feedback, even when things are going well.”
Translations of “Negative” in 30 Languages
| Language | Translation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | Negativo | “El resultado fue negativo, lo que significaba que no había problemas.” |
| French | Négatif | “La réponse a été négative, indiquant un refus.” |
| German | Negativ | “Das Ergebnis war negativ, was bedeutet, dass keine Probleme gefunden wurden.” |
| Italian | Negativo | “Il risultato è stato negativo, il che significa che non c’erano problemi.” |
| Portuguese | Negativo | “O teste foi negativo, indicando a ausência de doenças.” |
| Dutch | Negatief | “De reactie was negatief, wat een afwijzing aangaf.” |
| Russian | Отрицательный (Otritsatel’ny) | “Результат был отрицательным, что означало отсутствие болезни.” |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 否定的 (Fǒudìng de) | “结果是负面的，表明没有问题。” |
| Japanese | 否定的 (Hōteiteki) | “結果は否定的で、問題がないことを意味しました。” |
| Korean | 부정적인 (Bujeongjeogin) | “결과는 부정적이었고, 질병이 없다는 것을 의미했습니다.” |
| Hindi | नकारात्मक (Nakāratmak) | “परिणाम नकारात्मक था, जो बीमारी के लक्षणों की अनुपस्थिति को दर्शाता है।” |
| Bengali | নেতিবাচক (Nētibācak) | “পরীক্ষার ফল নেতিবাচক ছিল, যা অসুস্থতার কোনো লক্ষণ ছিল না তা নির্দেশ করে।” |
| Turkish | Negatif | “Sonuç negatiftir, yani hastalık belirtileri yoktur.” |
| Greek | Αρνητικός (Arnētikós) | “Το αποτέλεσμα ήταν αρνητικό, που σημαίνει ότι δεν υπήρχαν προβλήματα.” |
| Hebrew | שלילי (Shlili) | “התוצאה הייתה שלילית, מה שאומר שאין בעיות.” |
| Swedish | Negativ | “Resultatet var negativt, vilket innebar att det inte fanns några problem.” |
| Norwegian | Negativ | “Resultatet var negativt, noe som betydde at det ikke var noen problemer.” |
| Danish | Negativ | “Resultatet var negativt, hvilket betød, at der ikke var nogen problemer.” |
| Finnish | Negatiivinen | “Tulokset olivat negatiivisia, mikä tarkoitti, ettei ongelmia ollut.” |
| Polish | Negatywny | “Wynik był negatywny, co oznaczało brak problemów.” |
| Czech | Negativní | “Výsledek byl negativní, což znamenalo, že žádné problémy nebyly.” |
| Hungarian | Negatív | “Az eredmény negatív volt, ami azt jelentette, hogy nincs probléma.” |
| Romanian | Negativ | “Rezultatul a fost negativ, indicând absența bolii.” |
| Thai | เชิงลบ (Chīng-lóp) | “ผลลัพธ์เป็นเชิงลบ แสดงว่าไม่มีอาการของโรค” |
| Vietnamese | Tiêu cực | “Kết quả là tiêu cực, có nghĩa là không có dấu hiệu của bệnh.” |
| Indonesian | Negatif | “Hasilnya negatif, yang berarti tidak ada masalah.” |
| Malay | Negatif | “Keputusan itu negatif, yang bermaksud tiada masalah.” |
| Swahili | Mbaya | “Matokeo yalikuwa mabaya, na hakukuwa na dalili za ugonjwa.” |
| Filipino | Negatibo | “Ang resulta ay negatibo, nangangahulugang walang mga sintomas ng sakit.” |
| Arabic | سلبي (Salbī) | “النتيجة كانت سلبية، مما يعني عدم وجود أي علامات للمرض.” |
| Tamil | எதிர்மறை (Etirmaṟai) | “விளைவுகள் எதிர்மறையானவை, எதுவும் இல்லை என்று அர்த்தம்.” |
| Telugu | ప్రతికూల (Pratikūla) | “ఫలితం ప్రతికూలంగా ఉంది, అంటే ఎలాంటి వ్యాధి లక్షణాలు లేవు.” |
| Punjabi | ਨਕਾਰਾਤਮਕ (Nakāratmak) | “ਨਤੀਜਾ ਨਕਾਰਾਤਮਕ ਸੀ, ਜੋ ਬਿਮਾਰੀ ਦੇ ਕੋਈ ਲੱਛਣ ਨਹੀਂ ਸਨ।” |
| Mongolian | Сөрөг (Sörög) | “Үр дүн сөрөг байсан бөгөөд өвчний шинж тэмдэг байхгүй байв.” |
| Turkmen | Olumsuz | “Netije olumsuz bolup, hastalyk belentleri ýokdugyny görkezýär.” |
Additional Examples:
- Spanish:
- “Recibí una respuesta negativa a mi solicitud.”
- “El informe mostró un resultado negativo, sin problemas detectados.”
- French:
- “Elle a donné une réponse négative à la proposition.”
- “Le test a retourné un résultat négatif, ce qui signifie qu’il n’y avait pas de problèmes.”
- Russian:
- “Результат был отрицательным, что означало, что болезнь не была обнаружена.”
- “Отрицательная реакция на запрос привела к отказу.”
The word “negative” holds numerous meanings across various contexts, from expressing rejection or absence to defining mathematical terms and even shaping attitudes. In both formal and informal conversations, “negative” is essential for conveying opposites, evaluations, and perspectives, making it a versatile and fundamental word in English and many other languages.
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