英语的物称倾向

6.2　英语的物称倾向

物称表达法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。这种表达法往往使叙述显得客观、公正，结构趋于严密、紧凑，语气较为委婉、间接。

例21. It has been noted 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。

例21中有两个物称主语: it作先行词，替代后面的逻辑主语that the stock of books in the library has been declining alarmingly, penalties for overdue books。

例22. When reports came into London Zoo that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London, they were not taken seriously.

当伦敦动物园接到报告说，在伦敦以南45英里处发现一只美洲狮时，这些报告并没有受到重视。

此例中，物称主语reports跟有灵动词came搭配在一起使用。

例23. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

人们公认这样一个事实，一个有钱的单身男子一定想要娶个妻子。

此例中it作先行词，替代后面的逻辑主语that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife。

英语的物称倾向主要有以下表现形式：“无灵主语”和“有灵动词”搭配；非人称代词“it”、被动句、there be句型的广泛使用。下面将分别举例说明：

6.2.1 　“无灵主语”（inanimate subject）和“有灵动词”（animate verb）搭配

这种“无灵主语”可以是事物名称、抽象概念、心理感觉、时间、地点、外因、工具等。而谓语动词则是通常用来说明人或社会团体的动词，如:see, find, bring, give, escape, surround, kill, deprive, seize, send, know, tell, permit, invite, take, drive, prevent... .from等等。“无灵主语”与“有灵动词”连用，这样的句子往往带有“拟人”或“拟物”的修辞色彩。

1.主语是事物的名称或抽象概念：

例24.面对着满院子灿烂的花，不说一句话，心中的怨恨已全消失。

The blooming flowersof the yard presenting of color before my eyes quietly dispelled all my grudges.

例25.他没有遵守安全规程，使机器发生意外。

His failureto observe the safety regulations brought an accident to the machine.

例26.恕我孤陋寡闻，对此关系一无所知。

My total ignoranceof the connection must plead my apology.

例27.他总共获得4 404美元，在奖金名单上居第160位。

His winnings, a total of $4 404, put him in 160th place on the money list.

从上面几个例子中，我们可以看到，译文中主语是无灵主语flowers, garlic, ignorance, winnings，搭配了有灵动词dispelled, kills, plead, put，这样的搭配给原来无生命的事物赋予了生命特征，使语言表达栩栩如生。

2.主语是表意识、感觉、心理感觉的词：

例28.他吓得惊恐万状，动都不敢动一下。

Fearpossessed him and prevented him from moving.

例29.如果你真正意识到这一点，你就会明白最重要的是活出自己的风采与滋味来。

A　full awarenessof this will point out to you that the most important thing in your existence is your distinctive individuality or something special of yours.

例30.发怒之后，我不难过，也不后悔。

Neither sorrow nor regret　followed my passionate outburst.

例31.我感到很饿，又发现日影移动，这是我明白：自从我睡着以后，太阳一走了很长的路了。

My hunger and the shadowstogether tell me that the sun has done much travel since I fell asleep.

3.表见闻的the sight, the thought等构成的物称：

例32.见到那个孤儿，他总是想起了他的父母。

The sight ofthe orphan always reminds him of the orphan’s parents.

例33.想起辛酸的往事，奶奶就悲伤不已。

The thought ofbitter past overwhelmed my grandma with grief.

4.可以是时间、具体地点、人生阶段：

例34. 1940年3月，我在一家小型建筑公司工作。

March 1940found me working in a small construction firm.

例35.进入青年期，他工作了，他恋爱了。

Youthsees him on a job and in love.

例36.他在古玩店呆了大约三个小时，因而耽搁了。

The curiosity shopdetained him for almost three hours

例37.那个寒冷的下午，他独自在雪地里跋涉。

The chilly afternoonfound him trudging the snow.

这里的几个例句均采用表示时间、人生阶段、地点的名词作主语，而谓语则是有灵动词found, saw, detained，有拟人的感觉，使得整个句子更加生动形象。

5.表示外因（external cause）和工具（instrument）的词：

例38. The electric shock killed him.

他被电死了。

主语是表示具体的客观事物the electric shock，突出了物称主语对“他”造成的结果。

例39.因为在市中心当了十年交通警察，他的听力受到了损伤。

Adecade of the traffic police job in the city center has hurt his hearing.

此例中译文用a decade of the traffic police job in the city center这样一个表示外因的无灵物称主语来强调“他听力受损”的原因。

例40. The thick carpet killed the sound of my footsteps.

我走在厚厚的地毯上，一点脚步声也没有。

6.2.2　非人称代词“it”的广泛使用

代词“it”有人称和非人称之分。作为人称代词，“it”用来指动植物、无生命物、事物、抽象概念等。作为非人称代词、“it”有几种不同的用法：

1.作先行词，用来替代逻辑主语或逻辑宾语：

例41. It never occurs to me that she is so dishonest.

我从来没想过他有这么不老实。

例42. It has been known for a long time that there is a first relationship between the heart and the liver.

大家早就知道，心与肝的关系至为密切。

2.用来构成强调句型：

例43. 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。

例44. It is a good horse that never stumbles.（proverb）

人有失误，马有失蹄。

3.用来指时间、距离、自然现象或虚指情况：

例45.离下一站有60英里。

It is sixty miles to the next station.

例46. It’s only half an hour’s walk to the ferry.

只要走半个钟头就可以到轮渡。

4.惯用法：

例47. How is it with the sick man?

那病人怎么样了?

6.2.3　被动句的使用

被动句的使用和英语的物称倾向有密切的关系。“被动句促成了物称倾向，物称倾向也滋长了被动句。”（连淑能1993）一方面，物称主语往往是受事，必须和被动式的谓语搭配；另一方面，被动句本身是一种客观、间接的叙述，与物称主语的客观色彩相得益彰。

例48. The challenge from the Third World has always been foreseen by our shipping companies.

本航海运输公司总能预见来自第三世界的挑战。

例49. The murderer was caught yesterday, and it is said that he will be hanged.

凶手已于昨天被捕，据说他将会被绞死。

例50. Lulled by the gentle motion and soothed by the rippling music of the waves, the babies soon fell asleep.

船儿在轻轻摇荡，波声潺潺悦耳，孩子们不久就睡着了。

这种不提及行为者的被动式最常见于公文文体、科技文体及新闻文体：

例51. A current search of the files indicates that the letter is no longer in this Bureau’s 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。可以肯定的是，我们于两个月前收到此信，经研究后，已寄还贵处。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，不胜感谢。

此例里，英文中出现了七个动词被动式，而中文里却一个“被”字也没有，翻译时还添加了多个“我们”、“你们”等人称词。

英语的被动式，尤其是用it作为主语的非人称被动式（impersonal passive），如it is believed, it is felt, it is thought等，往往不说出施动者（doer或agent）。这是为了让所叙述的事实或观点以客观、间接和婉转的方式表达出来.

例52. It is said that the rhythm of tides is affected by the moon.

据说潮汐的涨落受月亮的影响。

例53.据报道，那个著名的球员将对该城作一次访问。

It is reported that the famous player will pay a visit to the city.

汉语没有像英语那样的多重被动式，没有用“it”作为主语的非人称被动式，一般也少用被动式，而较多用主动形式表达被动意义。汉语若要表达类似英语那种被动式的客观口气，则常常采用无主句、主语省略句、祈使句或无形式标志的被动句：

例54.发现了错误，一定要改正。（祈使句）

Wrongs must be righted when they are discovered.

例55.看树看果实，看人看作为。（无主句）

Atree is known by its fruit, and a man is known by his deeds.

例56.必须调整高等院校的专业设置，改进教学方法。（主语省略，祈使句）

Specialties in colleges and universities should be adjusted and teaching methods improved.

6.2.4there be句型的使用

这是英语中一种特殊而常见的句型，也是一种冷静客观的叙述方式，具有明显的物称倾向。汉语表达同样的意思往往直接用人、事物作主语，或用无主句：

例57. In 1958, there was a strike participated in by five thousand workers.

1958年，五千个工人参加了一次罢工。