A Contrastive Study of Passive Voice between English and Chinese

張敬一

摘要：在英漢兩種語言中，被動句是重要而又常見的語言現象。在某些文體中，使用被動句幾乎成了一種表達習慣。學習被動句也是對于英漢學習者的難點之一。本文介紹了英漢被動句的特點以及翻譯策略。

關鍵詞：被動句；翻譯策略

Translation from Chinese to English

1.1 Translation of Chinese Structural Passive Sentences into English

Chinese structural passive sentences is expressed by some words or phrases such as “被、給、讓、叫” and so on.

For example：

我們隨時都會被出入機場的敵機發現。

Any minute we would surely be spotted by enemy planes flying in and out of the airfield.

1.2 Translation of Chinese Ideational Passive into English

There are some sentences without apparent passive marks in Chinese.

For example：

沒有摩擦，許多事情就無法做到。

Without friction， many things cannot be done.

1.3 Translation of Chinese Active Sentences into English

Many Chinese active sentences can be translated into English as passive sentences.

For example：

中美兩國已經建立了長期的友好合作關系。

Long-term cooperative partnership has been established between China and USA.

Translation from English to Chinese

2.1 Translation into Chinese Passive Sentences

When the agent does not appear in English passive sentences， Chinese translation should be translated as sequence “patient+被+verb”. Sometimes， agent appears in English passive sentences， Chinese translation should be translated as sequence “patient+被+agent +verb”.

For example：

When we were first captured my own reaction was mainly one of fear and suspicion.

我們剛被俘時，我的感覺是又害怕又懷疑。

2.2 Translation into Chinese Active Sentences

Because of the habit of Chinese expressions， English passive sentences can be mostly translated into Chinese as active sentences.

For example：

The organism must be grown on artificial food in the laboratory.

該細菌必須在實驗室內接種到人工培養基上。

2.3 Translation into Chinese Judgment Sentences

If English focuses on time， place and manner rather than action itself affected by the patient， it can be translated into Chinese as judgment sentences such as “是…的”.

For example：

The Arab people of our entire region are noted for their staunch struggle and ability to surmount all difficulties.

我們整個地區的阿拉伯人民，是以其堅強的斗爭和能夠克服任何困難而著名的。

Bibliography：

[1]Quirk，R. et al. A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language [M]. London： Longman， 1985.

[2]薄冰.英語語法札記（第二集）[M].外語教學與研究出版社，1990.