探讨被动语态的语篇功能与人际意义.doc

PAGE 探讨被动语态的语篇功能与人际意义 陈涛 （惠州市博罗中等专业学校， 广东516100） 【摘要】主动语态和被动语态具有不同的句式结构，在语篇中选择主动语态还是选择被动语态必然会带来不同的结果。本文以Halliday的三大纯理功能理论之一（语篇功能）为理论基础从语篇层面上分析英语被动语态的语篇功能与人际意义。 【关键词】被动语态；语篇功能；人际意义 语言作为人类交际的工具，承担着各种各样的功能。Halliday的系统功能理论提出三大纯理功能为语言交际提供了语义选择，因而语篇中不同句式、不同结构有着不同的意义。众所周知，主动语态和被动语态具有不同的句式结构，在语篇中选择主动语态还是选择被动语态必然会带来不同的结果。本文将以Halliday的三大纯理功能理论之一（语篇功能）为理论基础从语篇层面上分析英语被动语态的语篇功能与人际意义。 一 被动语态的语篇功能 （一）对比焦点功能 被动语态的对比焦点功能就是使用两个或多个被动句，将成分并置于句末，成为信息焦点，使之形成强烈鲜明的对比性焦点而突出之。如：At Midway Island eighteen birds were caught and banded. They were then put into boxes, and the boxes were placed in waiting aero planes. Some of the birds were taken to North America, some were taken to the Philippines, some were taken to island of Oahu, and some were taken to the Marshall Islands. 这段语篇中“Some of the birds…Marshall Islands”中共使用了四个被动语态，就主位结构和信息结构而言，这四个被动语态的主位都是“some of the birds”,是可从上文“eighteen birds”推知的已知信息，而且谓语动词一致，述位中被置于句末的分别是“North America, the Philippines, the island of Oahu 和Marshall Islands”。它们形成信息焦点并形成了鲜明的对比，强调了鸟儿被送去不同的地方，从而体现了被动语态的对比性焦点功能。 （二）凸显焦点功能 凸显焦点功能是指运用被动语态对语篇中的信息进行重组，从而把交际者想要表达的重要信息置于句末，成为信息焦点，从而突出了此信息的重要性。如：In spite of all that has been said, the tourists have been picking leaves and cutting their names on the tree-trunk. So far, not one of them has-been struck down by sudden death! 语篇的最后一段使用了被动语态，被置于被动语态句首的成分“not one of them”显然是可推知的信息，可从上文的“the tourists”推知。而被置于句末的“sudden death”是新信息，是作者特意要强调的信息焦点，因此这一被动语态起到了凸显焦点的语篇功能。 （三）突出主题功能与形式 突出主题功能就是运用一定的句法手段使语篇所讨论的主题保持在同一位置上，使读者对主题一目了然。被动语态是一种语用性很强的句法手段，在语篇重组过程中可以将语篇的主题前置，把主题都保持在主位上，这样既起到了强调作用，又突出了主题。如：I was being tested for a driving license for the third time. I had been asked to drive in heavy traffic and had done so successfully. After having been instructed to drive out of town, I began to acquire confidence. Sure that I had passed. I was almost beginning to enjoy my test. 这段语篇中使用了两个被动语态，就孤立的而言，这两个被动语态与其对应的主动语态“The examiner was testing me for a driving license for the third time”和“The examiner had asked me to drive in heavy traffic”的命题意