科技英語的特點

1、科技英語的特點 1. The range of a voltmeter may be extended by means of a series resistor called a multiplier as shown in Fig. 2 The fullscale reading of the meter alone may be 15 volts. With the multiplier 250 volts may be required to move the pointer to full-scale, 135 volts across the multiplier and 15 v

2、olts across the meter.從上述的一段科技文章，不難看出其文體與修辭手段與文藝小說，新聞報道等迥然不同?？萍嘉捏w崇尚嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)周密，概念準(zhǔn)確，邏輯性強，行文簡練，重點突出，句式嚴(yán)整，少有變化，常用前置性陳述，即在句中將主要信息盡量前置，通過主 語傳遞主要信息。科技文章文體的特點是：清晰、準(zhǔn)確、精練、嚴(yán)密。一、大量使用名詞化結(jié)構(gòu)nominalization 當(dāng)代英語語法（A Grammar of Contemporary）在論述科技英語時提出，大量使用名詞化結(jié)構(gòu)（Nominalization）是科技英語的特點之一。因為科技文體要求行文簡潔、表達(dá)客觀、內(nèi)容確切、信息量大、強調(diào)存在的事實

3、。而非某一行為。Archimeds first discovered the principle of displacement of water by solid bodies.阿基米德最先發(fā)現(xiàn)固體排水的原理。“of displacement of water by solid bodies” 系名詞化結(jié)構(gòu)，一方面簡化了同位語從句，另一方強調(diào)displacement 這一事實。More examples:一般文體：Eliot refused the offer and it made us angry.科技英語文體: Eliots refusal of the offer made us a

4、ngry.(refuse refusal)科技英語的特點二、廣泛使用被動語句根據(jù)英國利茲大學(xué)John Swales 的統(tǒng)計，科技英語中的謂語至少三分之一是被動態(tài)。這是因為科技文章側(cè)重敘事推理，強調(diào) 客觀準(zhǔn)確。第一、二人稱使用過多，會造成主觀臆斷的印象。因此盡量使用第三人稱敘述，采用被動語態(tài)，例如：Attention must be paid to the working temperature of the machine.應(yīng)當(dāng)注意機器的工作溫度。而很少說：You must pay attention to the working temperature of the machine .你們必

5、須注意機器的工作溫度。此外，如前所述，科技文章 將主要信息前置，放在主語部份。這也是廣泛使用被動態(tài)的主要原因。試觀察并比較下列兩段短文的主語。一般文體：We can store electrical energy in two metal plates separated by an insulating medium. We call such a device a capacitor, or a condenser, and its ability to store electrical energy capacitance .It is measured in farads.科技英語文體

6、：Electrical energy can be stored in two metal plates separated by an insulating medium. Such a device is called a capacitor, or a condenser and its ability to store electrical energy capacitance. It is measured in farads.電能可儲存在由一絕緣介質(zhì)隔開的兩塊金屬極板內(nèi)。這樣的裝置稱之為電容器，其儲存電能的能力稱為電容。電容的測量單位是法拉。 三、非限定動詞科技文章要求行文簡練，結(jié)

7、構(gòu)緊湊，為此，往往使用分詞短語代替定語從句或狀語從句；使用分詞獨立結(jié)構(gòu)代替狀語從句或并列分句；使用不定式短語代替各種從句；介詞十動名詞短語代替定語從句或狀語從句。這樣可縮短句子，又比較醒目。試比較下列各組句子。一般文體：A direct current is a current which flows always in the same direction.科技英語文體：A direct current is a current flowing always in the same direction.直流電是一種總是沿同一方向流動的電流。英語上根據(jù)動詞在句法上是否受到主語的限定，英語動詞又

8、可以分為限定動詞(Finite Forms of Verbs)和非限定動詞(Non-Finite Forms of Verbs)。 非限定動詞，又叫非謂語動詞，在句中不能單獨充當(dāng)謂語（但可以和情態(tài)動詞或助動詞一起充當(dāng)謂語），它們不受主語的限定，沒有人稱和數(shù)的變化，具有名詞、形容詞和副詞的特征，在句中可以充當(dāng)主語、賓語、表語、定語、狀語、補足語等。同時非限定動詞也保留了動詞的部分特征，有時態(tài)和語態(tài)的變化，也可以有自己的賓語、表語、狀語等，構(gòu)成非限定動詞短語，在邏輯意義上也有其動作的執(zhí)行者或承受者，叫非限定動詞的邏輯主語(Logical Subjects)。 英語非限定動詞有三種基本形式：不定式(

9、Infinitives)、動名詞（gerund）、分詞（現(xiàn)在分詞Present Participle和過去分詞ed Participles) 1. 不定式 (1) Jean aims to go tomorrow.h (2) I was delighted to meet him. (3) The clothes are easy to wash 2.動名詞 （1）Reading is an art. （2）Swimming is a good sport in summer. 3. 現(xiàn)在分詞 （1）I saw the dog digging holes in the yard. （2）Hea

10、ring the news, they immediately set off for Shanghai. （3）He walked down the hill, singing softly to himself. （4）If traveling north, you must change at Leeds. 4. 過去分詞 （1）developed country; fallen leaves; lost child （2） Half of the guests invited to the party were foreigners. （3）She cant make herself

11、understood in English. 大量使用后置定語也是科技文章的特點之一。常見的結(jié)構(gòu)有以下五種：1、介詞短語The forces due to friction are called frictional forces.由于摩擦而產(chǎn)生的力稱之為摩擦力。A call for paper is now being issued .征集論文的通知現(xiàn)正陸續(xù)發(fā)出。2、形容詞及形容詞短語。In this factory the only fuel available is coal.該廠唯一可用的燃料是煤。In radiation, thermal energy is transformed

12、into radiant energy, similar in nature to light.熱能在輻射時，轉(zhuǎn)換成性質(zhì)與光相似的輻射能。四、后置定語3、副詞The air outside pressed the side in .外面的空氣將桶壁壓得凹進(jìn)去了。The force upward equals the force downward so that the balloon stays at the level.向上的力與向下的力相等，所以氣球就保持在這一高度。4、單個分詞，但仍保持校強的動詞意義。The results obtained must be cheeked .獲得的結(jié)果

13、必須加以校核。The heat produced is equal to the electrical energy wasted.產(chǎn)生的熱量等于浪費了的電能。5、定語從句During construction, problems often arise which require design changes.在施工過程中，常會出現(xiàn)需要改變設(shè)計的問題。The molecules exert forces upon each other, which depend upon the distance between them.分子相互間都存在著力的作用，該力的大小取決于它們之間的距離。科技文章

14、中經(jīng)常使用若干特定的句型，從而形成科技文體區(qū)別于其他文體的標(biāo)志。例如It-that-結(jié)構(gòu)句型，被動態(tài)結(jié)構(gòu)句型，比較結(jié)構(gòu)句型，分詞短語結(jié)構(gòu)句型，省略句結(jié)構(gòu)句型等。It is evident that a well lubricated bearing turns more easily than a dry one .顯然，潤滑好的軸承，比不潤滑的軸承容易轉(zhuǎn)動。It seems that these two branches of science are mutually dependent and interacting.看來這兩個科學(xué)分支是相互依存，相互作用的。It has been pro

15、ved that induced voltage causes a current to flow in opposition to the force producing it.已經(jīng)證明，感應(yīng)電壓使電流的方向與產(chǎn)生電流的磁場力方向相反。五、常用句型為了表述一個復(fù)雜概念，使之邏輯嚴(yán)密，結(jié)構(gòu)緊湊，科技文章中往往出現(xiàn)許多長句。有的長句多達(dá)七八十個詞。The efforts that have been made to explain optical phenomena by means of the hypothesis of a medium having the same physical character as an elastic solid body led, in the first instance, to the understanding of a concrete example of a medium which can transmit transverse vibrations, and at a later stage to the definite conclusion that there is no luminiferous medium having the physical ch