英汉互译中被动句的使用范围较狭窄

4.2　被动句的翻译

英语中的被动句型是使用最为广泛的句式之一，凡是在不必说出主动者、不愿说出主动者、无从说出主动者或者是为了便于连贯上下文等场合都可以使用。它能够避免给人以主观臆断的感觉，使文本表现得更为客观、正式、语气更加委婉。

被动语态的广泛使用是英语区别于汉语的特点之一。与英语中被动句的大量使用相比，汉语中虽然也有被动句，但其使用范围要狭窄得多。这是因为汉语属于意合语言，句型注重内在得逻辑关系而不是形式的变化。在语态上表现为“受事格施事化倾向”(刘宓庆，1990)。通俗地说就是在许多情况下，汉语可以用主动句的语义逻辑来表达被动含义。所以，汉语中经常出现像“工作做完了”、“钱花光了”诸如此类的句子，常用主语为受事的主动句型形式来表达被动意义。为了实现在英汉两种语言中的流畅转换，掌握好被动句式的翻译技巧是非常重要的。

连淑能(1993)等人曾指出，像科技、商务、工业、法律、经济、新闻等信息型(informative)文本中，被动语态的使用情况更为常见。因为在此类文体中，被动语态是一种常见的语言手段，具有重要的语用功能。以科技英语文献和商务英语为例:被动结构的使用，首先比主动结构更少主观色彩，科技论著注重客观事实，正需要这种特性。其次，被动语态更能突出主要论据、准确说明对象。在商务合同文件中，条款的设置是为了明确当事人应尽的责任，因而十分注重措辞规范，所以大量使用被动结构。此外，在很多情况下被动结构比主动结构更简短，表达更为精炼，也使得被动语态结构得到青睐。

被动句的主语实际上是谓语动词的承受者。当行为主体(动作的发出者)不明确或无关紧要时，英语中就经常使用被动语态，把所要说明的人或事物放在主语的位置上。这样就突出了行为的对象，减少了主观色彩。尤其是在科技英语中被动语态更是被大量采用。被动语态的广泛使用是英语区别于汉语的一大特色。汉语中虽也有被动句，但使用范围较狭窄。许多被动意义的句子是用无主句的形式来表达的。

4.2.1　英语被动句的翻译

英语中被动句型使用范围很广，凡是英语中的被动句都有着十分规范的显性的形式标志，通常由“助动be+动词的过去分词”构成，也可以由“get+动词的过去分词”构成。这是英语这种语言重形合的重要标志之一。英语被动句的译法比较灵活，翻译时要根据句子的整体结构采用合适的方法来处理。一般说来，被动句的翻译可以有以下几种方法:

4.2.1.1　译成被动句

翻译过程中，采用多种表达被动意义的词语或结构来传递原文语态。如:“被……”或“给……”或“由……”，“得到……+名词”、“受(遭)到……+名词”或“予(加)以……+名词”的结构;以及“为……所+动词”或“是……(所)+动词+的”的结构。

例1:Eleven hours and forty-five minutes later I was wheeled into a recovery room and a very few hours after being returned to my own hospital room I found myself actually on my feet，half walking，half propelled by medical equipment and members of my family.

【译文】11个小时45分钟后，我又被推进了疗养室，在被送回自己的病房后，仅仅几个小时，我就已经能下地行走了——一半是自己在走，一半是被医疗器械和家人推着走。

【分析】在不必或不愿说出或无从说出施动者，以及为了便于连贯上下文或者为了强调动作的承受者等场合，往往都要使用被动语态。此句中多次使用了被动语态，因而在翻译的时候可直接用汉语的被动结构来翻译。此时，原文句子的主语一般仍译作主语，在谓语动词前加“被”、“受”等字来表示被动意义。

例2: Imagine that one or other continent is left out，forgotten，reduced to its poverty and its disorder;what will happen to the others?

【译文】想象一下，假如这块或那块大陆被遗漏或忘记，变得贫困混乱，其他大陆将会发生什么情况呢?

【分析】英语中的被动语态和汉语被动语态相同，都表示句子的谓语动词和其主语之间存在逻辑上的动宾关系，是动词的一种变化形式。原句中连续使用了被动句，翻译的时候可直接翻译。

例3:The late 1960’s was a period of revolt against traditional values.Parents' ideas were scorned by their children，who accused them of being too concerned with money.

【译文】20世纪60年代后期是对传统观念造反的年代。父母的想法为孩子们所不齿;孩子们指责他们过于看重金钱。

【分析】例句中的被动结构“were scorned”译为“为……所……”这一中文常用被动意义表达结构。

例4:The telephone is invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876.

【译文】电话是亚历山大·格雷姆·贝尔在1876年发明的。

【分析】译文将被动句译成汉语的判断句。汉语中常用“……是……的”这一句式来说明人和事物的客观情况。这种结构在语义上往往具有被动的含义，可以与英语中的被动结构相通。一般说来，英语中用来说明客观情况的被动句都可以转译成汉语的这一句式。

4.2.1.2　译成主动句

(一)采用原主语

原文动词的汉语对应动词兼有及物和不及物用法时，被动句可译作主动句——语序不变，省略被动词。

例1:All passengers are required to show their tickets.

【译文】旅客都要缴验车票。

【分析】原句中的被动结构在语义上表示义务，该句可直接译成主动句。

例2:In the move most of the furniture was left to the neighbors or distributed among friends.

【译文】搬家时大部分家具要么留给了邻居，要么分给了朋友。

【分析】原文动词的汉语对应动词“留”兼有及物和不及物用法，该句可直接译为主动句。

例3:Longevity would be increased，for fewer people would die of heart attack or stroke caused by tumultuous endeavor.Anxiety would be extinct.Time would stretch on and on，with ambition long departed from the human heart.

【译文】由激烈拼争引起的心脏病和中风所导致的死亡将越来越少，人的寿命将延长。焦虑将会消失。时光流逝，抱负却早已远离人心。

【分析】当英语被动句在语义上不强调动词本身的意义时，可用汉语的主动结构来翻译。此时，原文句子的主语一般仍译作主语，在汉语译文中虽无“被”字，但被动的意义已暗含在内。

例4:Those who would attain the heights reached and kept by great men must keep their faculties polished by constant use，so that they may unlock the doors of knowledge，the gate that guard the entrances to the professions，to science，art，literature，agriculture—every department of human endeavor.

【译文】有些人想取得伟人所获得并保持的成就，他们就必须不断运用自身才能，以便开启知识的大门，即那些通往人类努力探求的各个领域的大门，这些领域包括各种职业:科学、艺术、文学、农业等。

例5:Although the dreams of seeing and hearing things from far，far away was made by human beings several thousand years ago，such dreams came into reality in modern times.

【译文】虽然“千里眼”和“顺风耳”是人类几千年前所梦想的，但直到现代社会才梦想成真。

【分析】有些英语被动句并不突出强调被动动作，而着重对事物的状态、过程和性质等加以描述，其作用与系表结构类似。因此，翻译这种英语被动句，经常采用“是……的”判断句式。

(二)主语变为宾语

原文动作执行者(即宾语或状语)可作译文主语时，则被动句译成主动句:

例6:The consumer spending was dampened in the regional financial crisis in Asia.

【译文】金融危机抑制了亚洲地区的消费。

【分析】原句中的主语是the consumer spending。为了使翻译后的句子更符合汉语的表达习惯，原来的主语变成了译句中的宾语，从而使译后的句子更流畅。

例7:What is little understood by the outside world is that this is a failure legislated for.It is a failure which has been carefully designed.

【译文】外界很少有人知道，这种无法做到的情况是立法造成的，是经过精心策划的。

例8: In 1849 gold was discovered in California in the mountains near San Francisco and so started the famous Gold Rush.

【译文】1849年加州三藩市附近的山里发现了黄金，由此开始了有名的淘金热。

【分析】gold在原来的句子中作主语，如果在译句中还是作主语，会导致翻译后的句子前后衔接不当，不符合汉语的表达习惯。因此我们在译后的句子中把gold变成了宾语。

例9:When the ideas of a scientist are expressed in simple mathematical form，new relationships and new channels of investigation often suggest themselves.

【译文】科学家在用简单的数学形式表达概念时，研究工作常常会表现出新的关系和新的途径。

【分析】例句中的主语为ideas，译为主动句时作译文的宾语。主语由例句中隐含的动作发出者，也就是科学家来承担。

(三)增添主语

如果动作的执行者没有特指，可以添加虚指的主语“我们”、“大家”等。

例10:American prisoners are permitted to receive Red Cross food parcels.

【译文】我们允许美国俘虏领取红十字会的食品包裹。

【分析】例句中并没出现动作的发出者，翻译时需要添加泛指主语“我们”，变原句的被动结构为译句主动结构。

例11:With the rapid development of modern science and technology，information can be sent to every part of the world.

【译文】随着现代科学技术的迅速发展，我们能把各种各样的信息传到世界各地。

【分析】在英语句子中并没出现动作的发出者，如果按照英语的习惯翻译，会导致汉语句子的主语不明确甚至歧义。因此，我们在翻译时，出于汉语的表达习惯，需要加上动作的发出者，以便使句子结构更明确，更易于理解。

例12:It is often very hard to think positive when so many things are negative，but I can assure you that someone，somewhere is worse off than you.We can choose to think differently by beginning with the smallest of steps.

【译文】有如此之多消极因素还要想些积极的东西，通常情况下这很难，但我可以保证，在某个地方有人比你情况还糟。我们可以换种方式，一步一步细细思考那些消极的东西。

【分析】以it为形式主语的句子，在译文中一般处理成主动形式。在此类句子中，it作形式主语，真正的主语是后面的从句或动词不定式。

(四)译成汉语无主语句

英语中有些被动句不需要或无法说出行为的主体，因此翻译时往往译成汉语的无主句。这时，原句中的主语一般译成宾语。

例13:Measures have been taken to prevent the epidemic from spreading quickly.

【译文】已经采取了措施来防止这种流行病迅速蔓延。

例14:Water can be shown as containing impurities.(www.chuimin.cn)

【译文】可以证明，水含有杂质。

【分析】以上两例句在表述的过程中，动作的发出者均无必要提及，因此往往译成汉语无主句。

此外，英语还有不少被动句子，以it为形式主语、即“it+be+that”结构，汉译时通常使用主动语态，有时不加主语。如:

It is found that…据发现……

It is said that…据说……

It is hoped that…希望……

It is reported that…据报道……

It may be safely said that…可以有把握地说……

It has been illustrated that…据(图示)说明……

It has been viewed that…讨论了……

It was first intended that…最初就有这样的想法……

It is enumerated that…列举了……

It is weighted that…权衡了……

It may be without fear of exaggeration that…可以毫不夸张地说……

It must be pointed out that…必须承认……

It must be pointed out that…必须指出……

4.2.2　汉语被动句的翻译

4.2.2.1　有形式标记的汉语被动句通常翻译成英语的被动句

有形式标记的被动句是指句中有以下词汇标示的句子:“被、受、遭、给、挨、叫、让、加以、予以、为……所、是……的、在……中”等。这类句子一般表示较强的被动意义，着重于被动的动作。如:

例1:海外华侨现在不再被人轻视了。

【译文】Overseas Chinese are no longer looked down upon.

例2:他被选为学生会主席。

【译文】He was elected Chairman of the Students' Union.

例3:他遭到了邻居们的嘲笑。

【译文】He was laughed at by his neighbors.

例4:这组织已给不良分子破坏了。

【译文】The organization has been destroyed by undesirable elements.

例5:那部科幻小说是我的一个朋友译成中文的。

【译文】The science fiction has been translated into Chinese by a friend of mine.

例6:这个问题必须在适当的时候以适当的方式予以处理。

【译文】The problem must be dealt with by appropriate means at an appropriate time.

4.2.2.2　无形式标记的被动句翻译成被动句

无形式标记的被动句是指汉语中那些以“受事主语+谓语”的句子，其形式是主动的，但意义是被动的。这类句子英译时通常也要用被动语态来处理。如:

例1:工作已经完成了。

【译文】The job has already been finished.

例2:这座桥将在今年年底建成。

【译文】The construction of the bridge will be completed by the end of this year.

例3:这个问题正在研究。

【译文】The problem is now being studied.

例4:有些问题还需要澄清。

【译文】Certain questions have yet to be clarified.

【练习】

1.The United Kingdom is made up of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

2.The United Nations Secretary General said much would be achieved when the whole world acted together.

3.It has been suggested that the disappearances are caused by unknown magnetic forces.

4.Smokers must be warned that doctors have reached the conclusion that smoking increases the possibility of lung cancer.

5.Every business can be seriously affected by government laws or regulations.

6.And it is imagined by many that the operations of the common mind can by no means be compared with the processes of these men of science，and that they have to be required by a sort of special training.

7.The mice which haunted my house were not the common ones which are said to have been introduced into country，but a wild native kind not found in the village.

8.New sources of energy must be found，and this will take time，but it is not likely to result in any situation that will ever restore that sense of cheap and plentiful energy we have had in the past.

9.During the postwar years in Germany honors were heaped upon Einstein.

10.Many strange new means of transport have been developed in our century，the strangest of them being perhaps the hovercraft.

11.At the beginning of the World Series of 1947，I experienced a completely new emotion，when the National Anthem was played.This time，I thought，it is being played for me，as much as for anyone else.This is organized major league baseball，and I am standing here with all the others; and everything that takes place includes me.

12.You have been given a script and at the end of each sentence is a full stop.Each time you get to the end of the sentence you start a new one and although the next sentence is related to the last it is not affected by it.

13.It was necessary that the new government should be done in one single day on account of the extreme urgency and rigor of events.Other key positions were filled yesterday.I am submitting a further list to the King tonight.I hope to complete the appointment of principal Ministers during tomorrow.

14.The National Security Agency in US is accused of reading other people's e-mails around the world in its search for military and commercial secrets.

15.翻译技巧应予以足够的重视。

16.该计划将由一个特别委员会加以审查。

17.必须使每个学生懂得，只有刻苦学习，才能掌握英语。

18.如果不按时将书归还图书馆或到期前不续借，就得按规定罚款。

19.因此，应该限制孩子们上网的时间和浏览的内容。

20.新建的大楼在这一地区随处可见。

21.历史是人民创造的。

22.手稿是在法国革命前几周寄往伦敦付印的。

23.伤员需要有人照顾。

24.老太太被风吹病了。