chris_k Nov 13, 2011:

It's all right ah, don't worry about it :) I'm happy that I could help ! Happy translation ! Cheers, Chris

Steven Smith (asker) Nov 13, 2011:

Points Chris_k, your reply was the most helpful. If you could fashion it into a formal answer I'll give you the points

Steven Smith (asker) Nov 12, 2011:

Thanks for your explanation chris_k. Very helpful. I went with 'unlikely' in the end.

Y. K. Nov 11, 2011:

I agree with you, chris_k san and would use the word "unlikely".

chris_k Nov 11, 2011:

suggestion just thought of this. how about 'not likely'. too soft ?

chris_k Nov 11, 2011:

否定的である This is very difficult to translate.. if you say 'there was no...' then it sounds as if 'definitely no'. I had recent job translation in anaesthesia and the cardiac output is a tricky measurement not easily measured directly in clinical situation. So if the anaesthesiologist saying that all other measures to indicate any changes in cardiac output suggest otherwise, so she/he could safely assume there was no decrease in CO, and if that is why that she/he used the word 「否定的」, then the English to match that be a difficult one to come up with (or at least with my ability). Can we use subjective word like 'it was thought not to be decreased' and others ? probably not.. My thought stops here and wish you the best for your translation ! (Sorry if I confused you more..) I am very much interested in what you would come up with, and if you don't mind, please share it with us :)