被動句促成了物稱傾向猎塞,物稱傾向也滋長了被動句。英語常用被動句杠纵,主要有以下幾方面原因荠耽。
▲施事原因
(1)施事未知而難以言明:
The murderer was caught yesterday, and it is said that he will be hanged.
兇手已于昨天被捕,據(jù)說他會被絞死比藻。
(2)施事從上下文中可以不言自明:
She told me that her master had dismissed her. No reason had been assigned; no objection had been made to her conduct. She had been forbidden to appeal to her mistress.
她告訴我铝量,她的男主人已經(jīng)把她解雇了。男主人沒有講明任何理由银亲,對她的行為沒有任何異議慢叨,也不許她向女主人申訴。
(3)施事不如受事重要务蝠,或受事需要強(qiáng)調(diào):
Her only son was run over by a car.
她的獨(dú)子被汽車軋了拍谐。
或隱去含糊的人稱主語:
At the tea party only tea and cake were served. (At the tea party, they served only tea and cake.)
(4)由于特殊原因而不指明施事,比如為了使敘述圓通得體或表達(dá)某種微妙的情緒:
Some things have been said here tonight that ought not to have been spoken.
今晚有人在這里講了不該講的話馏段。
▲句法要求
當(dāng)主動式不便表達(dá)時(shí)轩拨,出于造句的需要或修辭的考慮,往往采用被動式:
(1)為了使句子承上啟下毅弧,前后連貫气嫁,便于銜接:
Some kinds of plastics can be forced through machines which separate them into long, thin strings, called “fibers”, and these fibers can be made into cloth.
有幾種塑料可以壓入機(jī)器并分離成細(xì)長的纖維当窗,這種纖維可以用來織布够坐。
(2)為了使句子保持末端重量(end-weight)和句尾開放(right-branching)的表達(dá)習(xí)慣:
I was astounded that he was prepared to give me a job.
他準(zhǔn)備給我一份工作,這讓我大吃一驚崖面。
▲修辭的考慮
英語修辭學(xué)主張不要過分使用被動句元咙,但適當(dāng)使用被動句可以使表達(dá)方法靈活多變,避免句型單調(diào)巫员,比如使用被動句可以減少以填補(bǔ)詞it庶香、there引導(dǎo)的句式,使句子干脆有力简识。
There are many ways to vary the basic English sentence pattern of subject-verb-object.
The basic English sentence pattern of subject-verb-object can be varied in many ways.
▲文體的需要
科技文體赶掖、新聞文體、公文文體及論述文體注重事理和活動的客觀敘述七扰,力戒作者的主觀臆斷奢赂,因而常常避免提及施事。
英語中的被動句可分為結(jié)構(gòu)被動句(syntactic passive)和意義被動句(notional passive)颈走。絕大多數(shù)的及物動詞和相當(dāng)于及物動詞的短語都有被動式膳灶,而意義被動即用主動的形式表達(dá)被動的意義,例如:
Those products sell like hot cakes.(=are sold)
這些產(chǎn)品十分暢銷。
The room filled rapidly.(=was filled)
房間很快就擠滿了轧钓。
有些被動意義可以用詞匯手段來表達(dá)序厉,如:
examinee(=person examined)
eatable(=fit to be eaten)
in one’s possession(=owned/controlled?by someone)
但總體來說,英語中常用結(jié)構(gòu)被動式毕箍,少用意義被動式弛房。而漢語則與此相反。
漢語被動式的使用受到限制而柑,在漢語中庭再,如果句中無須指出施事,主動意義與被動意義又不致發(fā)生混淆牺堰,一般不用結(jié)構(gòu)被動式(用介詞或介詞結(jié)構(gòu)做狀語)拄轻,而用意義被動式,例如:
It was done. 這件事已經(jīng)做了伟葫。(不說“這件事已經(jīng)被做了”)
除了“被”字之外恨搓,“讓”、“給”筏养、“叫”斧抱、“挨”、“受”渐溶、“遭”辉浦、“蒙”等也可構(gòu)成被動式,大多表達(dá)類似“被字式”的不如意或不企望的事茎辐,如:
莊稼讓大水沖跑了宪郊。
The crops were washed away by the flood.
這家工廠在地震中遭到嚴(yán)重破壞。
This factory was seriously damaged during the earthquake.
相較于漢語拖陆,英語的被動式所表達(dá)的意義不受此類限制弛槐,可以表達(dá)如意、不如意或者中性的意義依啰。另外乎串,英語被動式是由系表結(jié)構(gòu)演變來的,可以表示動作(動句)速警,也可以表示狀態(tài)(靜句)叹誉,而漢語的被動式一般只表示動作不表示狀態(tài),例如:
The glass is broken.(靜句)
玻璃杯破了闷旧。(不用被動式)
The glass was broken by my brother.(動句)
玻璃杯被我弟弟打破了长豁。(被動式)
玻璃杯是我弟弟打破的。(被動句的轉(zhuǎn)換)
漢語的被動式必須把主事者說出鸠匀,這種限制使得許多難以說出施事者的句子不能變成被動式蕉斜。英語大多數(shù)被動句不必說出施事者,被動式的使用比漢語自由的多。
The ceremony was abbreviated by rain.
因?yàn)橄掠暾耍瑑x式舉行得很簡短机错。(不能譯為“儀式被雨縮短了”)
漢語常用主動式表達(dá)英語的被動意義。
Better my life should be ended by their hate, than that hated life should be prolonged to live without your love.
我寧可死在他們的仇恨中父腕,也不愿意延長這可恨的生命而得不到你的愛弱匪。
Air that is cooled suddenly shrinks as some of the moisture is squeezed out, and clouds are formed.
突然冷卻的空氣,由于擠出了部分水分璧亮,體積收縮萧诫,就變成了云。
由于漢語的被動式受到意義和形式的限制,大多數(shù)被動意義就必須采用其他形式表達(dá)。
使用受事“主語”(receptor subject)導(dǎo)致大量的“當(dāng)然被動句”驱敲;由于交際需要受事者移至句首只锻,便充當(dāng)了“主語”檩互,而這個(gè)“主語”實(shí)際上是漢語的“主題”(topic)或“話題”(theme),并非英語中的“subject”。因此“受事+動詞”的格式便成了漢語中的一種表達(dá)習(xí)慣,例如:
困難克服了缴饭,工作完成了,問題也解決了骆莹。
The difficulties have been overcome, the work has been finished and the problem solved.
昨晚我蓋了兩條被子颗搂。(不說“昨晚我被兩條被子蓋著”)
Last night, I was covered up with two quilts.
英語的被動式也常常譯成漢語的主動式,如:
The first clock with weights and wheels is said to have been invented about the year 1000A.D., but clocks of that kind could not be carried about from place to place. Another four hundred and fifty years passed before the first watch was made in Germany.
據(jù)說幕垦,第一座有鐘擺和齒輪的鐘大約是在公元1000年左右發(fā)明的丢氢。但是這樣的鐘不便攜帶。又過了450年智嚷,第一塊表才在德國制造出來卖丸。
當(dāng)不需要或不可能說出施事者時(shí)纺且,漢語可采用無主句或主語省略句來保持句子的主動形式盏道。
要制造飛機(jī),就必須考慮空氣阻力問題载碌。
Air resistance must be given careful consideration when the aircraft is to be manufactured.
為什么總把這些麻煩事推給我呢猜嘱?
Why should all the unpleasant?jobs be pushed on to me?
當(dāng)施事者難以指明時(shí),漢語還可以采用通稱(generic person)或泛稱(如“人”嫁艇、“有人”朗伶、“大家”、“別人”等)作主語步咪,以保持句子的主動形式:
Voices were heard calling for help.
有人聽見呼救的聲音论皆。
He has often ,not always justly, been accused of indecisiveness.
人們常指責(zé)他優(yōu)柔寡斷,雖然這種指責(zé)并不總是公正的。
漢語用通稱或泛稱作主語的句子点晴,也常常譯成英語的被動式:
眾所周知感凤,中國人很久以前就發(fā)明了指南針。
It is well known that the compass was invented in China long ago.
人們必須聯(lián)系世界環(huán)境去認(rèn)識和研究人口控制問題粒督。
The problem of population control has to be recognized and approached in a world environmental context.
當(dāng)不便使用被動式時(shí)陪竿,漢語還可采用某些轉(zhuǎn)換式來表達(dá)被動意義
▲處置式(即“把字式”或“將字式”)
表示施事對受事的處置或支配行為。被動句若要轉(zhuǎn)成主動句屠橄,變?yōu)樘幹檬捷^為適宜:
樹被風(fēng)刮倒了族跛。The tree was blown down by the wind.
風(fēng)把樹刮到了。The wind blew down the tree.
英語的被動式譯成漢語時(shí)锐墙,若不便采用“被字式”礁哄,則常采用“處置式”:
These questions should not be confused.
不要把這些問題混在一起。
The mechanical energy can be changed back into electrical energy by a generator.
利用發(fā)電機(jī)溪北,可以將(把)機(jī)械能再變回電能姐仅。
▲“被….所….”式
She is intoxicated with sweet words.
她被花言巧語所陶醉。
▲“是…的”式
表示狀態(tài)的靜句刻盐,通程透啵可以與表示動作的動句互相轉(zhuǎn)換,如:
The speed of wind is expressed in meters by second.
風(fēng)速是用秒米表示的敦锌。(用秒米表示風(fēng)速)
▲“…的是”式
一般可以與“是(由)…的”式互相轉(zhuǎn)換:
I was recommended by a professor.
推薦我的是一位教授馒疹。(我是由一位教授推薦的)
▲“…加以/予以”式,組成倒置的動賓結(jié)構(gòu)乙墙,如:
It must be dealt with at the appropriate?time.
這必須在適當(dāng)?shù)臅r(shí)候予以處理颖变。
此外,漢語還可以通過各種變通的手段听想,譬如轉(zhuǎn)換詞性腥刹、改變句型等來表達(dá)英語被動的意義:
He has been pursued, day by day , and year by year, by a most phenomenal and astonishing luckiness.
一天又一天,一年又一年汉买,他始終吉星高照衔峰,令人驚異不已。
The culture of antiquity was rediscovered.
古代文化重見天日蛙粘。
總之垫卤,英語常用被動式,漢語常用主動式出牧,英漢互譯時(shí)穴肘,句式的轉(zhuǎn)換便成了一種常用技巧。