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> 俺は自分が生き残ることしか考えていなかった‌.  
>  the only thing I thought ‌about was surviving.‌  
>  ore ha jibun ga ikinokoru koto shika kangaeteinakatta‌.

I don't really understand why in Japanese it uses 考えて in the negative, since
that in English would mean the opposite of what it is trying to say (the only
thing I wasn't thinking, was about surviving). Why is that?
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question
usage negation polarity-items
Negative in Japanese, but positive in English translation. Why? 俺は自分が生き残ることしか考えていなかった‌
I was hoping someone would find what I haven't been able to find: namely a
duplicate of this question. But the only questions/answers I can find are
related to various particular scenarios.

There are various constructions similar to ...しか...ない in Japanese. Some call
these [_negative polarity
items._](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/1565/4875) The linked answer
gives some other examples in both English and Japanese that may help you wrap
you mind around the concept. And as @aguijonazo mentioned in the comments,
this particular construction can at times be reworded into a corresponding
negative construction in English.

But, here I'd just like to mention the following: There are various ways of
saying _only_ in Japanese. The ...しか...ない construct is one of them.

> I eat _only apples_.
>
> りんごしか食べません。

> I only read Japanese novels.
>
> 日本語の小説しかよまない。

> I could only get there by train.
>
> 電車でしかいけなった。

しか is applied to the noun phrase (after a particle if there is one) that is
being restricted. In English, the translations can be a bit more lose.

Other ways of expressing _only_ in Japanese can be formed using だけ and ばかり.
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answer