论英语被动语态的语用功能.docVIP

论英语被动语态的语用功能 On Pragmatic Functions of English Passive Voice GUAN Jin (Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510420) Abstract Passive voice is used when the doer of an action is unknown or when the target of an action should be highlighted ? The present study will an a lyze the pragmatic functions of passive voice through the selected examples from authentic discourse? Key words grammar; passive voice; pragma廿c functions H315 A DOI： 10.16400/ki.kjdkz.2015.05.060 1 In troducti on Literature on the studies concerning passive voice demonstrates that passive voice has been investigated from different angles with different focuses in traditional grammar and functional grammar. Traditional grammar examines the passive voice mostly from a syntactic perspective while functional grammar concentrates on the information flow of active and passive voice? The prese nt study will an a lyze the pragmatic functions of passive voice through the selected examples from authentic discourse? 2 Functions of passive voice 2.1 To put the information focus on actions and processes By using the passive voice, the information focus can be shifted from the actor of an action in the active voice to the action itself. The shift, as a consequence, augments the objectivity of the information conveyed? Therefore, the passive voice is universally used in scientific or technical writings, where the vital information is the procedures or principles rather than the doer of an action.? For example， “Blood was drawn? from the subject using an 18 gauge Vacutainer needle taken from the antecubital space (inside of elbow) into 10 mL vacuum vials? The Vacutainer vials contained sodium heparin as an anticoagulant. The 10 mL of blood was diluted by addition of 40 mL of DI water to produce a 20% dilution. Dilution was necessary so that the blood could be drawn through the aspirator tubing into the nebulizer of the AAS for analysis. (^Silver colloids： Laboratory report, v 2001) This tex