Special English for undergraduate student-2

1、Sichuan University Professional English -for Chemical Engineering Chapter 1 Characteristics of Professional English Section 1: Brief Introduction 一、科技英语词汇的特点 二、科技英语句法的特点 三、科技英语修辞的特点 二、科技英语句法的特点二、科技英语句法的特点 Characteristics of sentences in Professional English 1.长句多：长句多： 由于科技英语以描述某一技术的过程、进行逻 辑推导、叙述某一加工

2、过程为主，故必须严格、 精确，带有修饰、限制或同位语成分等，一点 儿也不含糊。所以就决定了科技英语中使用长 句多这一特点。 这些长句，有的多到四、五个语法层次，这些 句子内部错综复杂，盘根错节，使得句子十分 冗长，有的句子甚至长达二三十行之多，占了 整整一页。 为了说明问题，现举几例： Many man-made substances are replacing certain natural materials because either the quantity of the natural product cannot meet our ever-increasing requirem

3、ent, or, more often, because the physical properties of the synthetic substance, which is the common name for man- made materials, have been chosen, and even emphasized, so that it would be of the greatest use in the field in which it is to be applied. Although authors agree that good gas- liquid di

4、stribution is important for the operation of monolith reactors, no one has tried to make all experiments, i.e. measurements of kLa, ksa, RTD and chemical reaction, in the same apparatus in order to obtain a common background for the comparison and characterization of the most important factors in th

5、e segmented flow of liquid and gas through capillaries. 2.大量使用被动语态：大量使用被动语态： 由于在科技英语中以叙述某一过程为主，所以以句子 的重点往往不在于“谁做”，而在于“做什么”和 “怎样做”，这样就决定了动作的执行者处于“无关 紧要”的地位。于是常用被动语态。有人做过这样的 统计：在一般的科技英语教科书中，约有13的动词 使用被动语态。 另一点是科技文章的特点是在于对某一事物进行客观 的叙述或描写，以达到其科学性之目的。而客观的叙 述就应当尽量少用带有主观色彩的人称主语，例如： we，I 等。一般情况You也只在特别的情况下才

6、使用。 现举两例说明： As oil is found deep in the ground，its presence cannot be determined by a study of the surfaceConsequently，a geological survey of the underground rock structure must be carried outIf it is thought that the rocks in a certain area contain oil，a drilling rig is assembledThe most obvious pa

7、rt of a drilling rig is called a derrickIt is used to lift sections of pipe，which are lowered into the hole made by the drill. As the hole is being drilled，a steel pipe is pushed down to prevent the sides from falling inIf oil is struck a cover is firmly fixed to the top of the pipe and the oil is a

8、llowed to escape through a series of valves. To test the effect of catalysts in long-life fuel cells, a Professional test was constructed. Ten cells were installed in a water bath controlled at a constant temperature of 90F. The cells were charge at various voltages and the gas emitted from each cel

9、l was collected in glass containers. Five cells were equipped with catalyst devices in accordance with the present invention. The other five cells were left as standard control cells, that is, prior art cells which are hereafter referred to as “the control cells”. Reference electrodes were installed

10、 into one cell in each set to measure negative plate potentials. Example 采用被动语态而不使用人称来叙述，可让事 物以客观的口气呈现，使叙述显得客观、公正， 结构趋于严密、紧凑，语气较为委婉、间接。 Attention must be paid to the working temperature of the electric machine. You must pay attention to the working temperature of the electric machine. 对比后一句主动性强，语气生硬

11、，一般在科技 问题中不采用。 主动句主动句 被动句被动句 司机起动发动机 发动机起动 The driver starts the engine The engine is started. 那个人磨尖他的土具 他的工具磨尖了 The man sharpens his tool. His tool was sharpened. 我们必须润滑轴承 轴承必须润滑 We must lubricate bearings.Bearings must be lubricated 我们从中可以看出：左栏的句子由于加了主语稍显拖 沓平淡，有的句子喧宾夺主。有的句子加了不必要的人称 主语，所以，无论从语言修辞的角

12、度，还是从传递信息的 角度看，左栏的句子都是不够“科学”的。只有译成右 栏 的无人称被动句才是较好的译文。 可以采用结构被动式可以采用结构被动式 除一般的意义被动句外，英语的结构被动句的使用更多。 被动式可接组形态变化来表示，如： 限定动词多种时态的被动式： is being done、have been done 非限定动词（不定式、分词、动名词）的被动式: to be done、being done 非人称被动式： It is believed 双重被动式：The date is expected to be announced soon. 可以利用主动形式表被动可以利用主动形式表被动 T

13、hese products sell like hot cakes. (sell=are sold) 这些产品十分畅销。 The clock winds up at the back. (winds up= can be wound up) 这个钟在背面上发条。 The book is printing. (is printing= is being printed) 这本书正在印刷。 英语中有一些自动性很强的动词或动词词组， 不必使用被动式即能表达被动含义，从而避免句 式单一，现代专业英语越来越倾向于使用这类动 词。 produce、originate、enable、emerge、vary、

14、 give、send、occur、represent、flow、bring about、 come within The present invention is the reaction process of benzene-bearing gasoline and olefin to produce benzene-free gasoline. However, chemsorption must occur on the zeolite at higher temperature for adequate performance. Internal pores or defects wi

15、thin a solid body may originate from, for example, the packing of powder particles, from gas evolution or shrinkage during the solidification of castings. Example 一些介词短语能代替被动意义： under the influence of alcohol (= drunk; affected by alcohol) 醉酒 in ones possession / in the possession of someone (= owne

16、d; held; kept or controlled by someone) 为 某人所有，在某人控制下 名词或形容词用于表达被动意义： Examinee （= person examined） Referee (=to whom a question is referred) Eatable (=fit to be eaten) Visible (=that can be seen) 3.常使用形容词短语作后置定语：常使用形容词短语作后置定语： 这种情况在科技英语中很多，现举几例 例1: All radiant energy has wavelike characteristics， an

17、alogous to those of waves that move through water 例 2 : Non-mobile robots，capable of learning to perform an industrial task and then of being left to perform it tirelessly，are now in use in industrial plants all over the world. 4.常使用同位语：常使用同位语： 同位语是指一个句子中有两个相同的并列成分， 其中后一成分，即同位语起到对前面成分的解释 和补充作用，使得句子表

18、达更清晰、更准确。 例1: There are three states of matter: solid, liquids and gases. (主语同位语) 例 2 : Only three natural substances can be magnetized, that is, can be made into magnets. (谓语同位语) 例3： one reason is that they are more flexible, being able to do a great variety of jobs. (表语同位语) 5.使用非谓语动词的频率高：使用非谓语动词的频

19、率高： 科技英语比普通英语中使用非谓语动词的频 率高。下面举两例，看看其中使用非谓语动词 的情况： 例1： Today the electronic computer is widely used in solving mathematical problems having to do with weather forecasting and putting satellites into orbit. 例2： Numerical control machines are most useful when quantities of products to be produced are l

20、ow or medium；the tape containing the information required to produce the part can be stored，reused or modified when required. 5. 静态倾向静态倾向 科技英语中，英语名词优先于动词的 倾向体现的十分明显，主要表现方式包 括： 名词化 用名词表示施动者代替动词 名词连用 名词化名词化 指用名词来表达原来属于动词或形容 词表达的概念，如用抽象名词来表达动 作、行为、变化、状态等。名词化常常 使表达比较简洁、结构紧凑，如： The rocket has been develo

21、ped. The development of the rocket For this reason, man entered space. for man to enter space. 将名词化表达法按句法要求组织起来， 则有： The development of rocket makes it possible for man to enter space. 采用名词化更好的讲明了二者间的因 果关系，否则： The rocket has been developed and for this reason, man entered space is possible. 相对来说冗长而结

22、构不清晰。 The doctor arrived extremely quickly and examined the patient uncommonly carefully; the result was that the patient recovered very speedily. The doctors extremely quick arrival and uncommonly carefully examination of the patient brought about his very speedy recovery. 用名词表示实施者，代替动词用名词表示实施者，代替动

23、词 英语除了用抽象名词表示动作和概念，如 realization表示realize, completion表示complete， 还常用含有行为和动作的普通名词代替动词。 大量由动词派生的名词既表示实施者，又保留 原来动词的意义，如以-er或-or结尾的名词。 这类名词常与前置形容词构成静态结构。 a hard worker = someone one who works hard a slow walker = someone who walks slowly The computer is a far more careful and industrious inspector than

24、human beings. 计算机比人检查得更细心、更勤快。 Every country is the best judge of what is required to safeguard its national security. 每个国家需要什么来保卫国家安全，只有它自 己才能做出最好的判断。 Litmus paper can be used as an indicator of the presence or not of acid in a solution. 石蕊试纸可用于指示溶液中是否含有酸。 名词连用名词连用 名词连用是指短语中，前面的名词作为形容 词修饰最后一个名词，这种方

25、式结构简化、表 达方便，词数少而信息量大。在科技英语中十 分常见。 Space shuttle flight test program 航天飞机试飞计划 Molecular distillation 分子蒸馏 Slurry bed reactor 浆状床反应器 Molecular sieve desiccant 分子筛干燥剂 X ray Diffraction instrument: XRD Section 1: Brief Introduction 一、科技英语词汇的特点 二、科技英语句法的特点 三、科技英语修辞的特点 三、科技英语修辞的特点三、科技英语修辞的特点 Characteristi

26、cs of rhetoric in Professional English 科技英语的语体不同于文学英语，有它自己的修科技英语的语体不同于文学英语，有它自己的修 辞特点，可从下列四方面叙述：辞特点，可从下列四方面叙述： 1时态运用有限：时态运用有限： 尽管英语有十六种时态，但在科技英语中却顶多 使用五种时态。据美国科技英语专家发现：叙述 过去的研究，常用过去时，偶尔也用现在完成时， 讨论某一计划时用将来时，叙述部分用现在时。 另外也用进行时态，偶尔用过去完成时态。 一般现在时： 一般现在时是科技文章中最常见时态，如阐述科学定义、 定理、方程式、公式及图表等没有时间概念的客观内容。 此外，还用

27、于对通常发生或并非有时间限制的自然现象、 过程和常规的表述。 1）一般叙述：A scientist observes carefully, applies logical thought to his observations and tries to find relationships in data. 2）叙述客观事实或科学定理：Sound travels through the air in waves. 3）通常或习惯发生的行为：Alternating current is usually supplied to peoples houses at 50 cycles per sec

28、ond. 4）描述实验操作过程：The temperature rises until it reaches 373K, but after that it remains constant. 一般过去时： 常用于叙述过去进行的研究情况，若与现在情 况不发生联系，则用一般过去时。如： Solid layers of ice moulded the lakes and hills of Europe and North America millions of years ago. 或用于叙述过去做的实验： All the three solutions were blended together

29、 by high-velocity agitator after pouring into the flask. The emulsion formed was frozen to form porous ice by placing the flask into refrigerator. 现在完成时： 过去进行的研究对现状有直接关系并且影响较 大的，则使用现在完成时。 Vanadium oxide has been used as catalyst for sulfuric acid industry and its performance still been the best now.

30、 现在完成时也用于表示工序的前后顺序。 Cast iron is more brittle than iron that has been heated but not melted, but it is easier to shape, as it can be poured into moulds. 一般将来时： 当讨论计划中的项目研究时，一般采用一般将 来时，表示为拟定中的活动。 In time, many things now unknown will become known. The molecular sieve will be tried for hydrogenation r

31、eaction of octylene in the next year. 2 2修辞手法简单：修辞手法简单： 科技英语中很少用夸张、明喻、隐喻、借喻、 拟人、对照等修辞手法。因为科技英语注重事实 和逻辑，所以往往用图表、公式、数字的时候多。 在科技英语中如果滥用修辞手法反而弄巧成拙， 破坏了科学的严肃性。另外，不同于一篇小说， 一个剧本，科技英语中没有什么情节的产生发 展高潮一尾声的过程。有的是叙述、推理、结 论等的过程，这样就决定了科技英语修辞单调的 特点。 3逻辑语法词使用普遍：逻辑语法词使用普遍： 由于科技英语本身的特点（即推理、论证）,就决定 了逻辑语法词大量使用这一特点。 如表示原

32、因用： because，because of；due to；owing to；as；as a result of； caused by；for 等 表示逻辑顺序的用： but；however；nevertheless； otherwise 等 表示限制用： only； only if ；except；besides；unless 表示假设用： suppose；supposing；assuming；provided；providing 等 nGas mixtures can be separated by absorption because different gases dissolve i

33、n a liquid in different amounts. However, if their dissolvability is similar the absorption will be invalid unless the suitable solvent was utilized. nSuch polymers, unless of extremely high molecular weight (1,000,000), can usually be dissolved and, when heated, they soften or melt so that they can

34、 be extruded into fibers or moulded into desired shapes. These polymers are said to be thermoplastic. On the other hand, if the polymer chains are linked together at numerous points, the polymer is one large three-dimensional molecule, infusible and insoluble. Such polymers are called cross-links. 4：常用虚拟语气和祈使语气：常用虚拟语气和祈使语气 英语中陈述语气用于描述真实的陈述，虚 拟语气用于强调怀疑或不可能，祈使语气 则用来表示命令。其中虚拟语气和祈使语