被动语态翻译技巧doc
被动结构翻译
摘要: 科技人员在用英语说明情况或讨论问题时, 习惯于多用能够体现客观性的无人称被动句。因此在科技文献中频繁出现被动语态。本文先用将被动语态与主动语态进行对比的方法介绍有关被动语态的基础知识。然后参考和引用一些论述科技问题的例句来具体说明被动语态在科技英语中的应用情况。
关键词: 被动语态; 无人称句; 科技英语
Abstract: Scientists prefer to use impersonal passive sentences when they talk or write about their work. After a brief introduction of the fundamentals of passive voice, its application in
scientific English will be discussed in this thesis.
key words: passive voice; impersonal sentence; scientific English
英语句型的特点是词序比较灵活，被动结构多，短语和从句多省略表达法多。而在这几点上，汉语常不同，因此在英译汉时，就需根据两种语言造句的习惯不同，在句型和句量方面，不受原文的限制，适当转换句型并适当增减句量。
尽人皆知，在科技文章中, 多数句子是无人称被动句, 因为科技著作者想要客观地对待事物, 而不强调行为的主体, 所以通常不用“I ”、“you ” 或“the operator”等作为句子开头。
一、被动语态
语态表示句中主语和谓语动词之间的关系。若主语是动作的执行者, 动词用主动语态, 当主语是动作的承受者, 动词要用被动语态。只有及物动词才有被动语态。[2](p178)例如: His father planted this tree.( 主动语态)
This tree was planted by his father.( 被动语态)
A pump supplies compressed air. ( 主动语态)
Compressed air is supplied by a pump. (被动语态)
被动语态由动词be 和及物动词的过去分词构成。被动语态与主动语态的对应关系、被动语态一般时、进行时和完成时的常用句型, 可用以下各组例句概略说明:
They will find it out.
It will be found out.
We keep the butter here.
The butter is kept here.
Did she open that letter?
Was that letter opened by her?
A mechanic is repairing your car.
Y our can is being repaired by a mechanic.
They were painting that house.
That house was being painted by them.
They have already found him.
he has already been found.
They had opened this road to traffic.
This road had been opened to traffic.
构成被动语态的动词be, 在口语中有时可用get 代替, 例如:
Y ou' ll get sacked if you often leave early.
Look out, you may get hurt.
The eggs got broken when i slipped.
Mr. li got married last week.
二、使用被动语态的主要场合
(1) 表述人认为不必提及动作的执行者, 例如:
Y our leg will be x- rayed.
Are the streets swept everyday?
Considerable progress has already been made.
( 2) 表述人不知道或不能肯定动作的执行者, 例如:
Is your bike stolen?
Y ou will be met at the airport.
They' ve been told that he is no longer here.
He is supposed to be living in shanghai.
This sort of ad is seen everywhere.
( 3) 为了缓和语气, 回避责任, 故意不说明动作的执行者, 例如:
Someone has opened this letter.
We are going to reduce overtime rates.
可以修改成为:
This letter has been opened.
Overtime rates will be reduced.
显然, 与前两句相比, 后两句的语气比较缓和。
( 4) 表述人对事件本身比对事件的动因更为重视, 例如:
Three men were killed in the accident.
A modern hospital is being built near here.
The spy has already been caught.
( 5) 为了使表述更为通顺流畅
试比较下面的两个句子:
When he arrived home he was arrested by a policeman.
前一句中间变换了主语, 后一句则无此缺点。又如:
When she was ill neighbors looked after her child.
When she was ill her child was looked after by neighbors.
在这里, 由于类似原因, 也是后一句更为通顺。
Y et only a small part of this energy is used by man.
然而人类仅只利用了这种能量的一小部分。 ．．．．．．．
It is easier said than done.
说起来容易，做起来难。 ．．．．
三、科技英语中的被动语态
下面给出的是关于造船技术、核反应堆、桥梁工程和石油化工的四组无人称被动句。句子的参考译文附在每组例句的后面。由这些例句不难看出无人称被动句在科技英语中的应用情况, 了解专业人员用英语论述科技问题时的言谈方式和行文特点, 以及被动语态在科技英语中出现的频繁程度。 Computers can also be used to automate shipbuilding.
计算机还可用于使造船业实现自动化。
That has already been done in many ways.
这在许多方面已经实现了。
Not long ago steel plates were still marked out by hand.
不久前钢板还要用手工画出大样。
This method was replaced by optical following.
后来光学跟踪代替了这一方法。
Therefore steel plates are cut automatically by gas burners.
因而钢板能用气割枪自动切割出来。
Nowadays the cutting machine is controlled by information stored on computer tape.
现在则是用计算机磁带中储存的信息控制切割机。
This is called numerical control.
这就叫作数字控制方法。
The chain reaction must be carefully controlled.[4](P49) 对链式反应必须谨慎控制。
This is done by absorbing excess neutrons in boron control rods. 这要用硼控制棒吸收多余的中子来完成。
The heat is transferred by circulating carbon dioxide gas. 热量由循环流动的二氧化碳气传送。 The hot gas is used to produce steam. 高温气体则用于产生水蒸气。
The whole assembly is called a nuclear reactor. 整个组合体称为核反应堆。
Suspension bridges are used for very long spans. 悬桥用于很长的跨度。
The deck is made of steel or reinforced concrete.
桥面结构用钢材或钢筋混凝土建造。
It is joined to the cables by steel suspenders.
它由钢制吊杆与钢缆连接。
The cables are usually made of many thousands of fine steel wires.
钢缆通常由数千根细钢丝构成。
The crude oil is heated and passed into a distillation column
原油被加热后送进分馏塔。
The lighter hydrocarbons are vaporized and separated near the top of the column. 较轻的碳氢化合物汽化并在塔顶附近分离出来。
The heavier hydrocarbons remain liquid and are drained off at the base of the column.
较重的碳氢化合物则保持液态并由塔的底部排出。
In another catalytic cracking unit some heavy fractions are converted into lighter fractions.
在另一催化裂化塔中, 一些重的分馏物又被转化成为较轻的分馏物。
四、被动不定式
被动不定式(passive infinitive) 由to be 和及物动词的过去分词构成, 在日常和科技英语中都很常见。熟悉包含被动不定式的句型, 对于阅读和理解科技英语很有帮助。从中亦可了解专业人员论述科技问题时, 习惯使用的表达方式。
下面是包含被动不定式的几组例句, 参考译文附在每组例句的后面。
( 1) 表示必要性或某种需要, 例如:
There are several factors to be considered.
有几个因素需要考虑。
That factory has to be built by a river.
那座工厂必须建在河边。
All the instruments need to be sterilized.
所有的器械都必须经过消毒。
It is essential for the pressure and temperature in the manned space-cabin to be automatically regulated. 载人太空舱内的气压和温度必须能够自动调节。
( 2) 表示意图或计划, 例如:
His book about gene is to be published soon.
他写的关于基因的书即将出版。
The work is not intended to be finished today.
并没计划要在今天完成这项工作。
Are these components waiting to be tested?
这些零件是在等着被检测吗?
This engine is designed to be maintained at low cost.这一发动机的设计旨在降低保养维修费用。 ( 3) 表示倾向或可能性, 例如:
Sandy river banks tend to be scoured by unsteady water flow.
沙质河岸易受到不稳定水流的冲刷。
Old houses in the valley are liable to b e damaged by floods.
河谷中的老房子容易被洪水冲毁。
More electric power is likely to be needed in the summer.
在夏季可能需要更多的电能。
( 4) 表示原因或功能, 例如:
The heat causes the reaction to be accelerated.
热使反应加速。
Microscopes enable small objects to be observed.
显微镜使细小物体能被观察到。
That project will allow the surplus water to be utilized.
那个工程将使多余的水量得到利用。
It is the automatic safety valve that permits the high pressure gas in the vessel to be released in time 正是自动安全阀门让容器中的高压气体能够及时排放。
参考文献:
[1] A. J. 赫伯特. 科技英语的结构[M]. 北京: 冶金工业出版社, 1980.
[2] 薄冰. 薄冰实用英语语法详解[M]. 太原: 山西教育出版社, 2004.
[3] A. J.Themson, A.V .Martinet.A Practical English Grammar [M].London: Oxford University Press, 1986.
[4] Bob Kesten. Scientifically Speaking [M]. London: English by Radio and Television BBC, 1971.