A Contrastive Study of Passive Voice between English and Chinese

张敬一

摘要：在英汉两种语言中，被动句是重要而又常见的语言现象。在某些文体中，使用被动句几乎成了一种表达习惯。学习被动句也是对于英汉学习者的难点之一。本文介绍了英汉被动句的特点以及翻译策略。

关键词：被动句；翻译策略

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、给、让、叫” and so on.

For example：

我们随时都会被出入机场的敌机发现。

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：

没有摩擦，许多事情就无法做到。

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：

中美两国已经建立了长期的友好合作关系。

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.

我们刚被俘时，我的感觉是又害怕又怀疑。

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.

该细菌必须在实验室内接种到人工培养基上。

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.

我們整个地区的阿拉伯人民，是以其坚强的斗争和能够克服任何困难而著名的。

Bibliography：

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

[2]薄冰.英语语法札记（第二集）[M].外语教学与研究出版社，1990.