無主句是漢語特有的句子形式,被省略的主語往往是泛指,其作用和效果相當于英語中無施事方的被動句,因而可以用來處理某些英語被動形式。如:
例9. If balance sheet were made, it would be found that the rubber ban has created
more difficulties for the United States than for Malaysia.
只要(…)計算ー下得失,(…)就會發(fā)現(xiàn)橡膠禁運給美國造成的困難要比給馬來西亞造成的困難大得多。
另外,英語中有些插入式的被動結(jié)構可以拆離出來,譯成漢語無主結(jié)構,放在全句之前,以區(qū)別于原句中的事實陳述部分。如:
例10. The Chinese are exoected to buy not only earth stations 9 but also two
communications satellites.
(…)預計中國人不僅將購買地面站,還將購買兩顆通訊衛(wèi)星。
英語報刊文章中常用以下這類用先行詞it引出的被動結(jié)構,而且大都可以譯作漢語的無主結(jié)構:
It must be admitted that...(…)必須承認...
It may be safely said that...(…)可以有把握地說...
It is reported that...據(jù)(…)報道...
It will be seen from this that... (…)由此可見...
當然,也可視具體情況,將這類結(jié)構壓縮成單個詞語,放在譯文句子中適當?shù)牡胤剑?例如:
例11. It is expected that the first serious attempts will be made to brinp some
international order to the farm patchwork this year.
各國有望在今年首次做出認真的努力,使雜亂無幸的農(nóng)產(chǎn)品貿(mào)易納入某種國際秩序。
4. 轉(zhuǎn)換成以施事方為主語的主動句