三、汉语被动语态的翻译

• 汉语用词汇手段表达被动意义• （一）汉语被动语态的三种表达方式• 第一、显性被动 (explicit passive)• 1. （被、叫、给、让 + 及物动词）• ① 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳。• A. Once bitten by a snake, one will be a

fraid of a grass rope for ten years.• B. Once bitten, twice shy.

• ② 他自我感觉总那么好，可这次被冷落了。• He is always full of himself but this time he

has been left out in the cold.

• 2. （受、遭受、蒙、蒙受）• ① 龙游浅水遭虾戏了。• A dragon is stranded in shallow water — a

gigantic creature is reduced to being teased by shrimps.

• ② 翌年楚因战败而蒙辱于秦。• The next year the Kingdom of Chu was hu

miliated by the Kingdom of Qin due to its military defeat.

• ③ 公子受宠于君。• You are now in the Emperor’s favour.

• 第二、半隐性被动 (semi-implicit passive)

• ⑴“ 为……（所）……”式• ① 茅屋为秋风所破。• The thatched house was destroyed by the

autumn storm.

• ② 幽王击鼓，诸候兵不至，幽王之身乃死于骊山之下，为天下笑。

• King You beat the drum to ask the dukes and princes to send their troops to his rescue but they all refused. King You died at the foot of Mount Li, the object of universal ridicule.

• turning himself into a laughing stock

• ⑵“ 是……的”式• ① 历史是人民创造的。• History is made by the people.

• ② 邮件是人工分检的。• The mail is sorted out by hand.

• ⑶“…… 的是……”式• ① 上次来接我的是一位叫百马的先生。• Last time I was received by a gentleman n

amed Bai Ma.

• ⑷ 用“加以”组成动词词组• 研究问题→对这些问题加以研究• to examine the problems →

• The problems must be examined.

• 澄清误解→对这些误解加以澄清• to clear up the misunderstanding →

• The misunderstanding must be cleared up.

• 第三、完全隐性被动 (completely implicit passive)

• ⑴ 着眼于人的感官活动过程• a. 这个铜壶擦不亮。• This copper pot won’t rub up.

• b. 这首曲子听起来像鸟叫。• The melody sounds like birds chirping.

• C. 肥皂泡可看不可摸• Soap bubbles should be seen and not touc

hed.

• ⑵ 着眼于叙述上的对称、直接、简约。• a. 若要信到，贴足邮票。• Letters will not be sent unless adequately

stamped.

• b. 木不凿不透，话不说不明。• Words unspoken are not known; wood not

bored remains as before.

• (A verbal message is always the clearest.)

• C. 马到悬崖驻蹄晚，船到江心补漏迟。• When the horse comes to the edge of a cli

ff, it’s too late to stop its galloping; when the boat reaches midstream, it’s too late to stop its leaking.

• （二）汉英被动语态之间的差异• 1. 汉语中受事施事化倾向明显• ① 这件事要再考虑一下。• This matter must be further considered.

• ② 这篇论文总算写完了。• This paper has been finished at last.

• 注：英语中也常用主动形式来表达汉语的受事主语。

• ③ 土豆很好吃。• Potatoes taste delicious.

• ④ 这种布料耐用。• The cloth lasts well.

• ⑤ 这所公寓租得很便宜。• The apartment rents cheaply.

• ⑥ 故事靠人写。• No story writes itself.

• 2. 英语除谓语动词用形态的变化表示被动外 , 也可利用词汇本身来表达被动含义

• （主要有名词、介词短语和形容词）• his promotion

• 他（被）提升了。 • his discharge

• 他（被）解雇了。• his nomination

• 他（被）提名了。

• 介词短语表示被动• on penalty • 受罚• on the shelve / out in the cold• 受冷落• under the influence of• 受…的影响• under criticism• 受到批判

• 形容词表示被动• be welcome

• 受欢迎• be subject to

• 受…制约的• be deprived of

• 受…剥夺的

• 另外，动名词和不定式的主动式及某些副词在特定的结构中也含有被动含义。

• ① 动名词在某些 vt.(need, want, require)后作宾语 doing=to be done 。

• 这幢房子需要立即修理。• The house needs putting into immediate re

pair. (= to be put into)

• 所有的汽车都需要定期检修。• All cars require servicing regularly.

• 试译 :

• 1. 这个葡萄酒口感不错 ,与价格相称。• 2.白台布容易脏。• 3. 这种食物不好消化。

• 1. 这个葡萄酒口感不错 ,与价格相称。• This wine drinks well for its price.

• 2.白台布容易脏。• This white table cloth stains easily.

• 3. 这种食物不好消化。• The food won’t digest well.

• ②在 easy, hard, safe等形容词后面，动词不定式的主动式体现出被动意义。

• 他很难信服。• He is hard to convince.

• 这台机器操作起来很安全。• The machine is very safe to operate.

• ③副词含有被动意义多与感觉或知觉有关，如：

• A. 让人吃惊的是，他连续七次被当选为总统。

• Surprisingly, he has been serving his seventh term of presidency.

• B. 令人遗憾的是，他把过去的一切都忘了。• Regrettably, he has forgotten all about the

past.

• 3. 汉语常用主动，英语多用被动• 他得了重感冒。• He was hard hit by the flu.

• 我只好诉诸猜测，而且经常如此。• Very often, I was driven to conjecture.

• 我准是又上当了。• I must have been cheated again.

• 中国的规矩是向上级介绍下级。• A Chinese rule is that the inferior is introdu

ced to the superior.

• 子孙不孝，乃父母不贤。• The sins of the fathers are visited upon the

children.

（三）汉语主动句的翻译 汉语多主动，英语多被动。所以，除了译

为主动句外， 汉语的主动句在很多情况下要转译成英语的被动句。那么在什么情况下转译呢？

• 第一、强调受事，突出被动状态。例如：• 1. “财神爷”这个词，不是我的用语，是农

民的发明。（《邓小平文选》第三卷）• That term “God of Wealth” was invented n

ot by me but by the farmers.

• 2.譬如罢，我们之中的一个穷青年，因为祖上的阴功，（姑且让我这么说说吧），得了一所大宅子，且不问他是骗来的，抢来的，或合法继承的，或是做了女婿换来的。（鲁迅《拿来主义》）

• Suppose one of our poor youths, thanks to the virtue of some ancestor (if I may be permitted to suppose such a thing), comes into possession of a large house ---- never mind whether obtained by trickery, force, lawful inheritance or marriage into a wealthy family.

• 第二、因种种原因，不出现或无须说明施事者。

• 1. 如果工程是在人们的眼皮子底下进行，今天加一尺，明天高五寸；人来人往，满地乱砖泥水，最后工程结束时人们也会跟着舒口气，觉得这乱糟糟的局面总算有了了结。（《围墙》）

• 1. 如果工程是在人们的眼皮子底下进行，今天加一尺，明天高五寸；人来人往，满地乱砖泥水，最后工程结束时人们也会跟着舒口气，觉得这乱糟糟的局面总算有了了结。（陆文夫《围墙》）

• If the construction had been carried out under one’s very eyes — adding a foot today and six inches tomorrow, with people coming and going and the ground littered with bricks and plaster, when it was finally finished everyone would have felt a great sense of relief that the chaos was over.

• 2.现在不采取行动，鼓励研究和技术投资，新世纪将面临科学家的锐减。

• The new millennium will see a steep drop in the number of scientists unless moves are made now to encourage greater investment in research and technology.

• 第三、使句子结构匀称，文气连贯。• 1. 他在全盛时期极孚众望，无论富人还是穷人都同样敬重他。

• In his day, he enjoyed tremendous popularity and was adored by the rich and the poor alike.

• 2. 他出现在台上，观众报以热烈的掌声。• He appeared on the stage and was warml

y applauded by the audience.

• 第四、汉语中某些习惯用语或泛指人称为主语的主动句。

• 1. 可以有把握地说，会议会如期召开的。• It may be safely said that the meeting will

be held on schedule.

• 2. 大家忽然听到了防空警报，急忙寻找掩护。

• The air raid sirens were suddenly heard to warn people to take shelter at once.

• 第五、使语气委婉，措辞礼貌。• 1. 今天晚上七点钟开教学会，全体教师务必参加。

• There will be a Teaching Symposium at 7:00 p.m. today. All the faculty is expected to attend.

• 2. 请不要在此处抽烟。• You are not supposed to smoke in here.

• 第六、某些汉语句子可借助于英语的一些固定搭配或词组来表达。

• 1. 他坚持不懈地从事着科研工作。• He was engaged in scientific researches p

erseveringly.

• 2. 有经验者不易上圈套。• An old bird is not to be caught with chaff.

• 3. 他天生适合做水手。• He is cut out for a sailor.

• 第七、汉语中含有被动意义的主动句。• 1. 病人正在手术中。• The patient is being operated on.

• 2. 一点声音也听不到。• Not a sound was heard.

• 3.热可以转换为能，能也可以转换为热。• Heat can be converted to energy, and vice

versa.

• （四）汉语被动句的翻译• 由于英语被动句的使用要比汉语频繁得多，

所以汉语被动句译为英语时，较多采用被动语态。

• 1.社会上形形色色的人物，被区别得一清二楚。

• People of all sorts in our society have been clearly revealed for what they are.

• 2. 由于企业被统的太死，旧的经营机制成为阻碍经济进一步发展的羁绊。

• The old enterprise system became an obstacle hindering further economic development because enterprises were subjected to rigid control.

• 注：但在个别情况下，汉语的被动句要英译成主动句。

• 第一、为了符合英语的表达习惯• 1. 他被这阵声音吓了一跳。• He started at the noise.

• 第二、为了使上下文紧密联系，结构匀称，加强语势。

• 1.“ 像义先生那样的好人，都要被他暗算……。 你就忘了阿六的事？根生跟阿六的事并没有两样。”（《月夜》）

• “Even a good man like Mr. Yi, he wants to murder... Have you forgotten Ahliu? His case and Gensheng’s are exactly the same.”

• 翻译下列句子 :

• 1. 这些地方满是纸屑、烟头、空瓶和生锈的罐头。

• 2.退休后他一直住在一个古老的小镇上，小镇四周是茂密的树林。

• 3.伤员需要有人照顾。• 4.坐在风口处，会被风吹病的。• 5.在竞争中，不是你击败他，就是他击败你。

• 6.地球上早期的火是大自然而不是人类引燃的。

• 7. 这种天气，肉不易存放太久。• 8. 他一生致力于作学问。• 9. 据报导，这架飞机的无线电通讯设备是在事故中失灵的。

• 1. 这些地方满是纸屑、烟头、空瓶和生锈的罐头。• The ground was littered with pieces of paper, cig

arette-ends, empty bottles and rusty tins. (be covered with)

• 2.退休后他一直住在一个古老的小镇上，小镇四周是茂密的树林。

• Since his retirement, he has been living in an ancient town, (which is )surrounded with beautiful thick woods.

• 3.伤员需要有人照顾。• The wounded (soldiers) need looking after.

(attending to)• 4.坐在风口处，会被风吹病的。• You may catch cold if you sit in a draught.• 5.在竞争中，不是你击败他，就是他击败你。• In competition, it’s possible for you to beat him o

r vice versa.• (In competition, either you may defeat him or ma

y be defeated.)

• 6.地球上早期的火是大自然而不是人类引燃的。

• Early fire on the earth was caused by nature not by man.

• 7. 这种天气，肉不易存放太久。• Meat can’t be preserved long in such weat

her.

• (Meat won’t keep long in such weather.)

• 8. 他一生致力于作学问。• His entire life was devoted to learning.• (He devoted all his life to learning.)• 9. 据报导，这架飞机的无线电通讯设备是在事故

中失灵的。• It’s reported that the plane’s radio equipment wa

s out of work during the accident.• (It’s reported that the plane’s radio equipment w

as put out of action during the accident.)