學習英語的被動語態(tài)
英語動詞被動語態(tài)在語法書上都有詳略不同的交代,但大都著重它的構成形式,例證則往往不夠。接下來,小編給大家準備了如何學習英語的被動語態(tài),歡迎大家參考與借鑒。
學習英語的被動語態(tài)
英語動詞被動語態(tài)似乎在英語句子中比在漢語句子中更多出現(xiàn),這點是我國初學者所經(jīng)常忽略的。在某些句子中,英語總是用被動語態(tài)、而漢語則絕不能用,如“Shakespeare was born in 1564./Moliere was born in Paris”。初學英語的人接觸到這樣被動語態(tài)的句子恐不免感到奇怪,因為我們在漢語中慣于說"生于某某年"或"某某年生","生于巴黎"或"在巴黎出生",從來不說一個人"被生出"。
在另一些句子中,英語可用主動及被動兩種語態(tài),漢語則傾向于用主動,如“Everybody likes him./He is liked by everybody”。漢語"人人喜歡他"看來比"他被人人喜歡"更現(xiàn)成和自然。有人以為這有一個強調的問題,用作主語的詞是加以強調的。即令如此,按照英語結構寫成的"他被大家喜歡"這樣的句子,總是別扭。
下面就十個類別,舉出一些句子,說明英語某些動詞用于某一意義或在某一場合中常作被動語態(tài)。類別當然不能只是十個,這兒僅舉常見的。每個類別下也只舉五個句子,句子中的動詞彼此不一樣。為方便起見,句子首先采用大家熟知的 The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English(ALD),其次是 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English(LDCE),必要時從其他英美書刊補充少數(shù)句子,但不注明出處。
1.關于生病
The left lung is affected1. _____ALD
He is confined to the house by illness. ____ ALD
He was seized with sudden chest pains. ____LDCE
He’s been troubled with a bad back since he was a child. ____LDCE
John was Invalided2 out of the army.
上面這些句子中被動語態(tài)在英語中很習慣化,如將動詞改為主動語態(tài),有不同程度的不順。用漢語表達這些句子中的同樣的概念,就可以不一定用被動語態(tài)。
2.關于疲倦困乏
He was doneup afterthe long ride. ALD
He was knocked uP after the longsteen climb. _____ ALD
He was almost fagged out. ______ ALD
I’m completely exhausted3.____LDCE
I was spent with the fatigue4 of the voyage.
漢語說"累了"、"累垮了"極普通。如說由于某種原因而"累了"、"累垮了",至少在結構上不用被動語態(tài)。這和第一類的例子是一致的。
3.關于喜悅、高興
I was delighted to hear the news of your success._____ALD
We’re very pleased to see you here._____ALD
On hearing of the victory,the nation was transported with joy._____ALD
She was enchanted5 with the flowers you sent her. _____ALD
The children were fascinated by the toys in the shopwindows._____ ALD
漢語如說"被高興",將不成文理,說"使……高興"或"為……高興",那也不能照英語被動語態(tài)去處理。事實上這頭一句話照漢語是"我高興地聽到……"這雖帶點歐化,但目前也通行了。最常見的恐怕還是"聽到……我高興"。無論如何。漢語說"高興",不能如英語那樣用被動語態(tài)。
4.關于阻塞、拖延:
We’re been held up by fog. _____ ALD
The mountain roads were obstructed6 by falls of rock._____ALD
The train was delayed two hours. _____ALD
I was hindered from getting here.____ALD
The harbour was blocked by ice._____ALD
這第二句ALD英漢雙解本譯成"山路被落下石頭所阻塞"。嚴格地說這句譯文似乎欠流暢,尤其不能用于口語。當然,凡是阻力,總是外來的阻力,施于受事的主語,主語處于被動地位,但漢語不能采取英語的被動語態(tài)形式而完全不加變動。
5、關于習慣
He is quite used to hard work.____ALD
This is not the kind of treatment I am accustomed to. _____ALD
He is addicted8 to smoking. _____ALD
The old soldier was inured9 to danger. ____LDCE
He is given to long walks. _____LDCE
英語中有些動詞,由于常用于被動語態(tài),詞典中對它們的分詞(participle)形式另立專條著錄,成為獨立的詞,其功能相當于形容詞。以上例句中的動詞就是典型的例子。例如,詞典一般既有use這一專條(不定式動詞),又有 used;既有 accustom7,又有 accustomed;既有give,又有given。但如inure及addict,在 ALD上只注明"常用于被動"(usu.passive),尚未另立inured和 addicted專條,其他詞典也大體是這樣,雖然addicted還可以作為形容詞,看成是獨立的詞條。然而不管這些詞是否帶有形容詞的性質,在上面的句子中卻具有被動語態(tài)的作用。
6.關于苦惱、心煩意亂
He was annoyed to learn that the train would be delayed.____ALD
She is easily upset emotionally.____ALD
He was vexed10 at his failure. ____ ALD
He was disturbed to hear of your illness.______ALD
I felt harassed11 by all the work of the office._____LDCE
苦惱等情緒當然是引起的,因此英語中的被動語態(tài)似乎說明了是由于什么引起的,但要注意第一句She is easily upset emotionally.不必指出原因。
7.關于驚訝或震驚
I was astonished to see him there. ____ALD
I’m surprised he didn’t come._____ALD
He was shocked to hear his daughter swearing. _____ALD
He was startled to see him looking so ill._____ALD
He was astounded12 when he heard he had won._____ALD
一個正常的人無故不會大驚小怪。但是我們說"吃驚"、"大吃一驚"或"使……吃驚"和"使……大吃一驚"等也就夠了,不同于英語的被動表現(xiàn)形式。
8.關于圍繞、包圍
His land is fenced with barbed wire.____ALD
Troy was besieged13 by the Greeks for ten years._____ALD
The troops were surrounded._____ALD
The cliffedge is dangerous and should be railed._____LDCE
Japan is compassed about by the ocean.____LDCE
對于以上第二句,第三句及第五句,漢語是可以用"被包圍"這類說法的,但對第一句的"is fenced with,"如說"有籬笆圍住"就行了,不一定要說"被用籬笆圍住"。至于第四句中"should be railed",英語的被動語態(tài)在漢語中也難以表達。我們通常說:應該用欄桿圍起來",或"應該把它用欄桿圍起來",而不是"應該被用欄桿圍起來"。
9.關于玷污、污染
His reputation is tarnished14._____ALD
My car was mired15. ____ ALD
The river was contaminated with water from the factory. ____ LDCE
Your fingers are stained with ink.
That cheese is mildewed16.
和第三句的contaminated意義近似的動詞如pollute及 defile等,也常用于被動語態(tài)。我們說,"出污泥而不染",不是"……而不被染"。
10.關于惶惑、慌亂
I was confounded to hear that. ____ALD
They sked so many questions that I got confused. _____ALD
Tom was bewildered by the examination questions.____ALD
He was puzzled what to do next. ____ ALD
The Cabinet Ministers are perplexed17 as to what to do.
以上可和第六和第七兩類聯(lián)系起來看。
綜觀以上的例子,我們覺得中國學生學英語不只是要記住動詞被動語態(tài)的形式,尤其要留心,在什么情況下,英語一定比漢語更常用被動語態(tài);要留心哪些動詞是這樣用的,哪些動詞雖有各種不同用法,但專指某一特殊意義時一定用被動形式。有些特殊被動語態(tài),幾乎習語化了,也是不可忽視的,如下面兩個句子:
My hints were lost upon him.___ ALD
My advice was thrown away upon him.___ALD
下面這類以it開頭的被動語態(tài),初學者不會使用的大有人在,以致語言死板,并違反英語習慣。
It is observed that…
It may be observed that…
It will be observed that…
It remains18 to be observed that…
如此等等。他們只知說“We may observe that…”之類,因為這與漢語結構接近。
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學習英語的被動語態(tài)
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