Structures and the Relations Between Form and Meaning

The cat is under the blanket. The blanket is over the cat. Langacker(1987) 指出， 主动结构与被动结构之间的

差异在于句中 焦点有了调整。 说话者采用被动态表示看问题角度的改变。

Be passive /Get passive

Notice the difference in the structures: A:Was Bruno arrested? B: No. He was not even caught. A: Did Bruno get arrested? B: No. He did not even get caught. How was it broken? be-passive How did it get broken? Get － passive

Passive • With respect to meanings concerned:• When a get-passive is used, stress is

usually laid on the result of the action, rather than on the action itself.

• This construction is often used to denote sudden and unexpected happening in contexts initiated by such expressions as “in the end” or “eventually” “at last”.

• He got taught a lesson. • How did the window get closed?• The trip was spoiled by the downpour. • ???The trip got spoiled by the

downpour.

Get, grow, become+ V-en I don’t know when I got acquainted with him. A lot of people got killed. 死了许多人 Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes. 沙蛇者常被蛇咬死 . She grew irritated. The road became blocked. She grew alarmed at his behavior. She got tired. She seemed embarrassed by the question.

To be born

The lioness bore three cubs. Mary was born in Tehran. To be deemed, be fined, be

hospitalized, be scheduled, be shipped, be staffed, be suspended

It is rumored that he is on his way out. ＊ Someone say that he is on his way

out.

＊

They have a small house. Dennis lacks confidence. The coat doesn’t fit me. Five times six equals thirty. The auditorium holds 5,000 people. The group consists of ten man and eight women.

Voice constraints Great changes have taken place in my hometown. ＊ Great changes have been taken place in my hom

etown. Jane resembles her mother. ＊ Her mother is resembled by Jane. The committee consists of ten members. ＊ Ten members are consisted of the committee. The fact speaks for itself. ＊ Itself is spoken for by the fact. Transitive verbs with reflexive or reciprocal objects

do not passivize. This plane holds about 150 people. These students lacked experience.(No passive for

ms)

Verb Constraints ＊ The poem is known by heart. Anthropolo

gical perspective ,that is ,all emphasis on human beings as aspects of the events

＊ The music was followed .(…by a short interval)

＊ Himself (Each other )could be seen in the mirror.

(John could see himself in the mirror.) (We could see each other in the mirror.)

Instances of Verb constraints

They often help each other. (anaphora) Each is helped by the other. On hearing the news, he could not believe his

ears. He shook his head at my suggestion. He cried her eyes out.(part of the body) She dreamt a sweet dream. He nodded assent. (expressing his attitude) The girl smiled her thanks. Exceptions : Life must be lived. 日子总得过。

Instances of Verb constraints(II) She enter the hall gracefully. (location) She likes to watch sunrise on the veranda. She started singing at the bell ring. She will be watering the garden this time

tomorrow. The stone weighs a ton. I would rather do it. He will fight it out. She is buried in the research. She offered to buy a recorder for me. The case was looked into…(??The house…)

She caught a bad cold.

Some set expressions can not be turned into passives. Such as speak one’s mind, lose one’s heart , do one’s best, make a face, keep watch, keep words, take one’s place, make room, take office,take one’s leave, make bed, change trains etc.

(verb +noun) Set foot on, keep company with, take

leave of, set one’s eyes. Join hands with, give ear to., bear witness to (verb +noun+prep.)

Meaning Constraints Every schoolboy knows one joke at least. (More than one)

One joke at least is known by each schoolboy.(The oneness is emphasized.) John cannot do it. ( ability) It cannot be done by John.(possibility) Winston Churchill has twice visited Harvard. Harvard has twice been visited by Winston Churchill. Excessive drinking causes high blood pressure. High blood pressure is caused by excessive drinking.

Pseudo-passive

The building is already demolished. Is demolished is a statal passive.

(Someone has already demolished the building. )

His signature is attached to the document. ( 文件上有他的名字 ) In 1920, the Democrats were defeated.(two poss

ible interpretations) In 1920, the Democrats were defeated by the Re

publicans.

Pseudo-passive

His bills are paid regularly every month. His bills are paid, so he owes nothing now. He is deeply read in English literature. 他对英国文学有深湛的造诣 . There is no one so widely read but that he may ma

ke pleasant discoveries among authors that are new to him.

Read (adj.) 没有谁比他更博览群书 , 哪怕是对他 很生疏的 作家 , 他都有新的发现 .

Statal passive and Actional passive状态的被动和动作的被动

He is quite mistaken. Her money is all gone. 她的钱用完了 . Spring is come. 春满人间 All the guests are arrived. 客人都到齐了 . They are gathered around the desk. The leaves are fallen. They are agreed on that point. He is prepared for the worst. John was graduated from Oxford with honors in chemistry. Their boat was stranded on the rock. His clothes was splashed with mud.

Statal passive and Actional passive状态的被动和动作的被动

He was dressed in the latest fashion.(elegantly)

他衣着时尚 ( 华丽 ) The children were dressed every morning by th

eir mother. His bills are paid, so he owes nothing now. 他的帐单全部付清 , 现在他一文钱都不欠了 His bills are paid regularly on the first of every

morning. He is buried at Westminster. She was buried yesterday.

Known to /by This book is known to everybody. (no agent, a state is em

phasized) I am pleased with the boy.

He was absorbed in reading. He is determined to have his own way.(statal passive) He is attentive to his teacher. She is blind to her son’s faults. The tree is known by his fruit. ( 手段 ) 观其言行可知其人 (known to us by fruit) A man is known by the company he keeps. 视其所与交游可知其人之善恶 known =realized or distingui

shed

Double Passive Constructions She offered to buy a recorder for me. Subject +Verb+infinitive A recorder was offered to be bought for

me. A recorder was offered to buy for me.( ＊ ) I think that she has read the book. She is thought by me to have read the book. The book is thought by me to have been

read by her. The book is thought by me to read by her.( ＊ )

Verb+objective +to be done

I want the flowers to be watered this afternoon.

The flowers are wanted to be watered this afternoon .

He decided that we would leave during the night. It was decided that we would leave during the nigh

t. The verbs such as intend, hope, suggest, propose,

imply, announce etc. can also be followed by that –clause,but in the passives Expletive It is used to initiate the sentence.

Pragmatics Any suggestion or criticism are heartily appreciated. About that project, much has been said but little has bee

n done.

That plan generally considered not practical. You are cordially invited to the ceremony. Customs are requested not to touch the exhibits. I’m not supposed to tell you anything about the negotia

tion. (Agents are not needed.) She gave a lecture on modern American poetry and was a

ttentively listened to . (Brevity) The old professor wheeled himself to the platform and w

as warmly applauded by the students.

It +be +v-en +that clause

It is said that the original painting has been destroyed.

It is alleged that the child was kidnapped.

It is feared that the plane crashed somewhere off the coast.

It is believed that he is the manager of three different businesses

Be +v-en +infinitive

He is considered to be an authority in the field. It’s supposed to be most valuable. He was said to have disclosed the secret. They were reported to be sailing in the Pacific. She is thought to be a good singer. He is rumored to have escaped into the

mountains. He is alleged to have bribed government

officials. The good weather is expected to last another

week.

Different Structures

There is said to be a secret tunnel beneath the building. There are supposed to be wild animals in the hills.

There are known to be thousands of snakes on the islands.

The enemy’s defeat by our army cf. German’s occupation of Paris in the W W II.(active m

eaning ) German’s occupation by the Soviet Union at the end of

W W II. (passive meaning) Vendor =person vends street vendor Vendee=person to whom something is sold Forgettable, indestructible, trustworthy,ridiculous

Want and Need The machine wants being repaired.(?) The machine wants repairing.

The machine wants to be repaired. My shoes want mending. It wants careful handling. It wants to be handed with care. These boxes want numbering. This house needs repairing. This chapter needs rewriting. The best horse needs breaking, and the aptest

child needs teaching.

The house won’t sell.

Sell 这个动词所体现的 过程要求 两个参与者 ,作为买主的 动作者虽然在句子中没有出现 , 但在语义上是存在的 . 因而 , 仍被认为是被动语态 .---- 胡壮麟 朱永生等 系统功能语言学概论 北京大学出版社 2005 p:98

The shoes to mend /to be mended

He had no boots and shoes to mend. His heart was filled with joy, whenever he looked at the

boots and shoes to be mended. He is an agent, while boots and shoes are recipients. 但

是以主动者的立场来说 , 是主动去补 , 要以 shoes and boots 的立场来手才是被补 .He has a lot to read.

Look at 的主动者是 he . 他所 look at 的对象是 the boots and shoes, 这个动作很重要 ,should be stressed, he 的动作到 look at 为止 , 至于修理皮鞋的当另有人在 . 从皮鞋的立场来说 , 是在被修理的状态中 所以 to be mended .

To do or to be done

He brushed the boots and shoes to be mended He washed the boots to be mended. He hit the boots and shoes to be mended. He took up the boots and shoes to be mended. He threw away the boots and shoes to be mended. There were several boots and shoes to mend 用的是主动不定词 , 其实有一个修理皮鞋的人呼之欲出 There were sev

eral boots and shoes for him or for us to mend. 则重点在人 There are several boots and shoes to be mended. 有好几双皮鞋要修理 , 重点在物 .

被动句

汉语主动句

汉语被动句

“把”、“使”、“由”字句

译成汉语主动句原文中的主语在译文中仍作主语

1.Most of the questions have been settled satisfactorily, only a few questions of secondary importance remain to be discussed.

1. 大部分问题已经圆满地解决了，只剩下几个次要问题需要讨论。

原文中的主语在译文中作宾语

2.It has to be pointed out that one and

the same word may have different

meaning in different branches of

science and technique. 2. 必须指出：同一个词在不同的学科和

专业中可以有不同的含义。

可译成带表语的主动句

3.Rainbows are formed when sunlight

passes through small drops of water

in the sky.3. 彩虹是阳光穿过空气中的小水滴时形成的。

译成“被 ······” 或“给 ······”

译成汉语被动句

4.Robert Finn was dismissed by the

boss of the factory.

4. 罗伯特 · 芬恩被工厂老板开除了。

译成“（遭）受 ······”

5.Our foreign policy is supported by the

people all over the world.

5. 我们的对外政策得到全世界人民的支持。

译成 “为······所”

6.I was so impressed by these words

that I used them later for a Christmas

card.6. 我为这些话所深深感动，后来我就把它们写在圣诞贺卡上。

译成 “把” 、“使” 、“由”字句

7.Natural light or “white” light is actually

made up of many colors.

7. 自然光或“白”光实际上是由许多颜色组成的。

8.. Social scientists say that what you’re called can affect your life.

8. 社会科学家认为你叫什么名字会影响你的生活。

9. I was seized with sadness as I thought of how ancient city had been spared during the Second World War and now might be destroyed by an impending riot.

9. 想到这古老的城市在第二次世界大战中能得以幸免，而现在却要遭受到即将来临的暴乱的破坏，我感到十分悲伤。

10.. It is well known that many of our problems—everything, in fact, from the generation gap to the high divorce rate and some forms of mental illness—are caused at least in part by failure to communicate.10. 众所周知，我们的许多问题——事实上是所有的问题，从代沟、离婚率到某些精神病——至少部分地是由于缺乏交流而引起的。

Happy New Year !