1、语言对比与翻译物称与人称Impersonal vs Personal物体与人称Impersonal vs Personal General introduction:一.英语较常使用物称表达法，即不用人称主语来叙述，而是表达客观事物如何作用于人的感知，让事物以客观的口气呈现出来，有些英语写作论著称之为：“the writer and the reader are out of the picture,hiding themselves behind impersonal language.”G.Leech和J.Svartvik(1974)指出：“Formal written language
2、often goes with an impersonal style,i.e.one in which the speaker does not refer directly to himself or his readers,but avoids the pronouns I,you,we.Some of the common features of impersonal language are passives,sentences beginning with introductory it,and abstract nouns.”以图书馆的一则通告为例：It has been not
3、ed with concern that the stock of books in the library has been declining alarmingly.Students are asked to remind themselves of the rules for the borrowing and return of books,and to bear in mind the needs of other students.Penalties for overdue books will in the future be strictly enforced.近来已注意到本馆
4、存书惊人地减少，此事令人关切。现要求学生不要忘记借书还书规则，并考虑其他学生的需要。今后凡借书逾期不还者，必将严格按章处罚。过分使用非人称表达法，会使文章显得“abstract and official”，甚至“cold and inhuman”。上例如多用人称表达，则可显得不那么正式，也较有“人情味”The number of books in the library has been going down.Please make sure you know the rules for borrowing,and dont forget that the library is for eve
5、ryones convenience.So from now on,were going to enforce the rules strictly.You have been warned.试比较：1）Impersonal:It was noted that this office did not reply to the letter of July 22.Please be advised that apologies are hereby tendered.Human:We sincerely apologize for not replying to your July 22 let
6、ter.2)Impersonal:Applicants for these positions must fill forms by August 1.Human:Please apply by August1.3)Impersonal:The enclosed form from the accounting department has been sent for your signature.Human:Please sign the enclosed form.尽管如此，非人称表达法仍是英语常见的一种文风，尤其常见于书面语，如公文、新闻、科技论著以及散文、小说等文学作品。英语非人称表达
7、法的优点：使叙述显得客观、冷静，结构趋于严密、紧凑，语气较为委婉、间接。二、汉语常用人称表达法汉语较注重主体思维，该思维模式以“万物皆备于我”作主导，往往从自我出发来叙述客观事物，或倾向于描述人及其行为或状态。当人称可以不言自喻时，常隐含人称或省略人称。总之，汉语重人称，英语重物称，主要表现在如何使用主语和动词上。英语物称与汉语人称：翻译转换1.英语常用非人称主语，汉语常用人称主语英语可用人称主语，也常用非人称主语表达。用后者表达时，常注重“什么事发生在什么人身上”。汉语则较常用人称主语表达，较注重“什么人怎么样了”。如：1)What has happened to you?你出了什么事啦？2
8、）An idea suddenly struck me.我突然想到了一个主意。3)A strange peace came over her when she was alone.她独处时便感到一种特殊的安宁。4）Not a sound reached our ears.(A.S.Hornby)我们没有听到任何声音。5）A great elation overcame them.他们欣喜若狂。6）Alarm began to take entire possession of him.(W.Thackeray)他开始变得惊恐万状。7）A must for all visitors to Det
9、roit is a visit to an automobile factory.凡是到底特律来的客人，一定会去参观汽车工厂。英语用非人称做主语的句子大体可分为两类：（1）用抽象名词或无生命的事物名称做主语，谓语则是用表示人的动作或行为的动词，如see,find,bring,give,escape,kill,deprive,seize,send,know,tell,permit,invite,take,drive,preventfrom等（称为有灵动词），这种句式常带有隐喻或拟人的修辞色彩，语气含蓄，反映了英美民族的幽默感。(英汉转换时一般人称代物称)例如：1）Excitement depri
10、ved me of all power of utterance.我兴奋得什么话也说不出来。2）The thick carpet killed the sound of my footsteps.(Joseph:English 3200)我走在厚厚的地毯上，一点脚步声也没有。3)The happiness-the superior advantages of the young women round about her,gave Rebecca inexpressible pangs of envy.(W.Thackeray:Vanity Fair)丽贝卡看见她周围的小姐那么福气，享受种种优
11、越的权利，却有说不出的眼红。4)The forty years,1840-1880,brought almost ten million migrants to America.(P.Bromhead:Life in Modern America)从1840至1880这四十年中，近一千万移民移居美国。5)My good fortune has sent you to me,and we will never part.(H.Andersen:The Little Mermaid)我很幸运，能够得到你，让我们永不分离吧。6）No city on American soil had known s
12、uch destruction.(H.Wouk)在美国国土上，没有一座城市曾经遭受过如此严重的破坏。7)Friday started with a morning visit to the modern campus of the 22 000-student University of Michigan in nearby Ann Arbor,where the Chinese table tennis team joined students in the cafeteria line for lunch and later played an exhibition match.(Chin
13、a US Table Tennis)星期五那天，中国乒乓球队中国乒乓球队一早就到安阿伯附近去参观拥有两万两千名学生的密执安大学现代化校园。他们和该校学生在校内自助餐厅排队取午餐，然后举行了一场表演赛。汉语中也存在“无灵主语”+“有灵动词”的搭配，通常作为修辞手段：隐喻、拟人化。无灵主语，即抽象名词、时间地点或事物名称做主语。例如:1）北京目睹北京目睹过许多伟大的历史事件。Beijing has witnessed many great historical events.2)星光星光很早以前就踏上踏上了旅途。The light from the stars started on its jou
14、rney long long ago.以上为英译汉。汉译英时，用“物称”代替“人称”常是一种有效的手段。例如：1）恕我恕我孤陋寡闻，对此关系一无所知。My total ignorance of the connection must plead my apology2）近来忙于其他事务，未能早些负信，深感抱歉。I am very sorry that the pressure of other occupations has prevented me from sending an earlier reply to your letter.3）凭良心讲，你你待我礼貌有加，我我却受之有愧。My
15、conscience told me that I deserved no extraordinary politeness.4)我我怎么也想不起你的名字。Your name obstinately escapes me.Summery:英语用抽象名词而不用人称作主语的句子，运用得当，可获得很好的修辞和表达效果，读起来更有英语语感和“洋味”。英译汉时，常要转换非人称主语为人称主语或其他主语，这几乎是一条实用而有效的原则。此外，还要采用其他的一些技巧，例如：其他技巧：转换非人称主语，把英语的简单句拆成汉语的复合句。1）A very little encouragement would set t
16、hat worldly woman to talk volubly,and pour out all within her.(Vanity Fair)这老于世故的女人女人，只要人家只要人家稍微助她的兴，她便她便马上滔滔不绝地把一肚子的话一股脑儿倒出来。2)The sight of a tailor-shop gave me a sharp longing to shed my rags,and to clothe myself decently once more.(Mark Twain:The Million Pound Note)我一看到我一看到一家服装店，心里就起了一阵强烈的愿望，很想扔
17、掉这身褴褛的衣服，重新穿的像个样子。3)Lyndon Johnsons final acts as President took the Americans to the very edge of the moon.(David Halberstan:The Best and the Brightest)林登林登约翰逊总统约翰逊总统任期快要结束的时候时候，美国人也快要登月了。4)The knowledge of this nuclear fission process has made it possible to use uranium as fuel to obtain nuclear e
18、nergy.由于知道了这种核裂变过程，（人们人们）就有可能用铀作为燃料来取得核能。5)The combination of this oriental citys geography and the absence of import taxes has long made Hong Kong the ideal storehouse for transit goods to and from Asia.由于由于香港的地理位置，加上免征各种进口税，这个东方城市这个东方城市长期以来成为进出亚洲货物的理想中转储运基地。转换非人称主语，把英语的简单句或复合句拆成汉语的并列句或流水句。1)His wi
19、nnings,a total of 4,404,put him in 160th place on the money list.(Readers Digest)他总共获得4,404美元，在奖金名单榜上居第160位。2)His weariness and the increasing heat determined him to sit down in the first convenient shade.(Nathaniel Hawthorne:David Swan)他他疲惫不堪，天气也越来越热。他决意一遇到个近便的阴凉处，就坐下休息。3）My hunger and the shadows
20、together tell me that the sun has done much travel since I fell asleep.我我感到很饿，又发现日影移动，这使我明白：自从我睡着以后，太阳已走了很长的路了。4)Her doubts and terrors reached their paroxysm.(Vanity Fair)她她突然又怀疑又惧怕，一时不能自持。把非人称主语句转换成汉语的无主句或主语泛称句。1)The mastery of a language requires painstaking effort.要掌握一门语言，必须下苦功夫。2）Dusk found the
21、 little girl crying in the street.黄昏时分，人们发现这个小女孩在街上哭泣。3）The development of an economical artificial heart is only a few transient failures away.只稍经过几次失败，（我们）就能研制出廉价的人工心脏了。把非人称主语转换成汉语的状语或介词短语1)March 1940 found me working in a small construction firm.(J.Austin)1940年3月，我在一家小型建筑公司工作。2)Investigation led
22、us to the foregoing conclusion.经过调查，我们得出了上述的结论。3）My first day in London started with a morning visit to the British Museum.抵达伦敦的第一天上午，我就去参观大英博物馆。4）The long negotiations produced shifting and sometimes curious alignments between nations.在漫长的谈判过程中，国与国之间形成了变化不定的、有时是奇特的力量组合。5)The Western Desert was no p
23、lace for men without the protection of amour and guns.在西部沙漠，士兵们没有装甲车和大炮的掩护是不行的（是进不去的/寸步难行的/是没有立足之地的）。把非人称主语转换成汉语的外位成分，汉语的主语用“这”来代称这个外位成分。1)His knowledge of applied science will stand him in good stead.他懂得应用科学，这对他很有利。2）The traditional pattern of classroom experience at the college level brings the pr
24、ofessor and a group of 20 to 30 students together for a 45-to-50-minute class session two or three times a week.(Guide for Study in the U.S.)一位教授和二三十名学生每周会聚两三次，每次授课时间45分钟到50分钟，这这是大学程度课堂教学的传统模式。（2）用非人称代词it作主语。使英文句子显出物称倾向。汉语无此用法，常用人称、或省略人称，或采用无主句。翻译时可以如此转换。用作先行词1）It never occurred to me that she was s
25、o dishonest.我从来也没有想到她这么不老实。2）It is not our view that the substance or the tone of his remarks this morning will contribute to creating a lasting peace in the Middle East.我们认为，他今天上午发言的内容和口气都无助于在中东建立持久的和平。用作虚义词，代替主语难以言明的现象或情形，如用来表示自然现象、时间、空间以及惯用语。1）Its only half an hours walk to the ferry.只要走半个钟头就可以到轮
26、渡。2）How is it with the sick man?那病人怎么样了？3）用作强调词，引出所要强调部分。1）It is the hour of trial that a man finds his true profession.(B.Shaw)人总是在面临考验的关头，才发现自己的专长。2）It is a good horse that never stumbles.(proverb)人有失误，马有失蹄。2.英语常用被动式，采用非人称表达法；汉语常用主动式，采用人称、泛称或隐称表达法。被动式的使用，是所述事实或观点以客观、间接或婉转的方式表达出来。常见于公文、科技及新闻文体。非人称倾
27、向使口气更客观公正，避免主观臆断，作者也可借此而免于承担可能有错的责任。例如：A current search of the files indicates that the letter is no longer in this Bureaus possession.It is noted that the letter was received two months ago,and after study,returned to your office.In view of the foregoing,it is regretted that your office has no record of its receipt.If the letter is found,it would be appreciated if this Bureau was notified at once.我们最近查找了卷宗，发现本局并无此信。可以肯定是，我们于两个月前收到此信，经研究后，已寄回贵处。鉴于以上情况，贵处仍无收信的记录，我们感到遗憾。如果你们找到此信，请即通知本局，不胜感激。Thank you！
