被动语态看汉英翻译技巧

【摘 要】由于中西方民族传统和思维方式的不同,中国的主体思维导致主动句的广泛运用,而西方的客体思维使西方人多用被动句.这种句式上的差别使得我们在汉英翻译中要注重句式的转换,符合中西方思维习惯.

【关 键 词 】被动；汉英对比；翻译

一、汉语的非主谓句转换为英语的被动句

由于有些汉语的非主谓句句中没有主语,因此我们翻译成英语时常需推导出一个主语或把句中的宾语拉出来做主语,使句子取被动式.

（1）.一定不要再搞一言堂了.

The practice of what-I-say-goes must be put to an end.

（2）.要把这件事从记忆中抹掉,谈何容易但必须这样做.

The matter should be blotted from memory. Of course it’s hard ,but It must be tried.

二、汉语话题句转换为英语被动句

一些话题中主位词（话题）并不是施动者,它可能是一个受事主语,与事主语,存现主语,这样就很可能与英语的被动句获得对应.在话题句译成英语被动句时,主要是考虑英语的谓语形式,具体来说就是看原语的动词概念在英语中的对应动词习惯上取什么形式.

（1）.他生来并不是搞学问的,所以只能努力为之.

He was not made for climbing the tree of knowledge , it’s just that he tries hard.

（2）.他一生都废在狗熊摘玉米上了：边摘边掉,边掉边摘.（“他的一生”并不是“废”的施动者,施动者应该是他本人,因此应转换为被动）

His life has been spent in letting down buckets into the empty wells； and he is frittering away his years in trying to draw them again.

三、汉语泛指主语句转换为英语被动句

泛指主语（如大家、人们、人人、众人）引导的句子往往可以用被动式英语谓语动词.常常用以下类似句型翻译：It is well known that... It is generally considered that... It is believed that...

（1）.人人都说中国地大、物博、人多.

It is known that China is a country with territory , rich resources and a large population.

（2）.人们预料,海内外企业协作性配合将出现较大、较灵活的发展.

It is expected that cooperated production between domestic and overseas enterprise will achieve noticeable and more flexible development

四、汉语被字句

1、汉语“被”（叫、让、给、由）属于显性被动句,已如上述.这种句子可能引出施事者来,也可以不说出施事者来：

（1）.读者没读过整部作品,不禁被他弄的迷离恍惚起来.

Readers who he not read the whole work are pletely bewildered.

2、汉语表示被动的词汇手段还有“受”“遭受”“遭到”“蒙受”等,由这类词构成的也是显性被动句.

（2）.边城十八城镇文物悉遭劫难.

Eight cities and townships along the border were all despoiled of their valuable cultural relics.

3、必须注意的是,汉语中出现这种显性被动句的标志时,转换中不一定要用英语动词被动式,还可以用含被动意义的名词、介词短语和形容词.

（3）.计划能否顺利进行还受到客观条件的制约.

The succesul materialization of the plan is also subject to objective realities.

（4）.大家被他那滑稽的表演给逗得哄堂大笑.

The audience burst out laughing at the sight of his funny acting.

五、可译成英语被动式的其他汉语句型

1.汉语施事句（主动语态句）

（1）.以上各款式自行车系用先进技术及设备加工生产,造型新颖,色泽鲜艳,轻便结实.

All these makes of bicycles are produced and processed by advanced technology and equipment to make them stylish , colour , solid and light to handle.

2.汉语“等是等的”句

（2）.艺术是为审美享受不是为票房价值而创造的.

Art is meant to be enjoyed for its beauty , not to be measured by box-office value.

3.汉语“等的是等”句

（3）.直接领导分公司的是北京的总公司；负责本省联营企业实际出口业务的则是这个公司.

While our Branch is guided directly by the Head Office in Beijing , practical affairs with regard to export of the bined enterprises in this province he been handled by the Branch.

4.汉语“等为等所”、“等被等所”

（4）.你这样要求未免失之过高,很可能被那些胆小怕事的人所否决.

Yours is rather a tall order and will most likely be vetoed by the chicken hearted.

5.汉语“加以”句

（5）.这些盘根错觉的现象不应只是简单地、肤浅地、加以分类,必须首先逐个地加以分析,认清他们的实质.

These amorphous phenomena should not be over simplified by superficial classification. They should be look into case by case before we can say that we know their nature.

六、结语

英语使用被动式常常表示一种客观的看法和事情,汉语表达同样的事情,常常不用被动式,而是用一些无主句,主语省略句主语泛称句等其他句型.汉语和英语各有其特定的语态表现手法,英语以动词的形态变化为基本语法形式,汉语以词汇手段表现语态范畴.现代汉语有明显的受事施事化（话题化）倾向,因此,我们在进行汉译英时,要特别注意语态的分析.

【参考文献】

[1]曹文轩.思维论[M].上海：上海文艺出版社,1991.

[2]刘宓庆.汉英对比研究与翻译[M].南昌：江西教育出版社,1991.

[3]段连成.中译英技巧文集[M].北京：中国对外翻译出版公司,2010.