摘要

被动语态作为英汉两种语言中常见而又复杂的语言现象，长期以来一直是国内外语言学家和学者关注的问题。在商务英语信函与合同中，被动语态常用来提供建议、表达愿望、提醒对方应尽的责任和义务等，同时也可表达一种客观、客气、委婉、公正的语气。但商务英语句式和商务汉语句式存在诸多差异，能够正确使用被动语态并掌握其翻译技巧尤为重要。本文将运用合作原则和礼貌原则理论并结合商务合同及商务信函中的被动语态实例研究被动语态在商务英语中的语用功能及其翻译。研究表明：相比主动语态来说，被动语态能将文本表达得更加地客观、正式，语气也更加的委婉礼貌，在实际商务贸易中恰当使用被动语态，知晓其翻译能使贸易双方的合作更加密切。

关键词：被动语态；主动语态；商务英语；合作原则；礼貌原则；商务合同；商务信函

Contents

Abstract II

1．Introduction 1

1.1 Historical background of passive voice 1

1.2 The reasons for using passive voice in business English 2

1.3 The significance of analyzing the passive voice in business English 3

2. Pragmatic functions of passive voice in business English 3

2.1 Related Theories 3

2.1.1 Cooperative Principle 3

2.1.2 Politeness Principle 5

2.2 Pragmatic functions of the passive voice in business English 7

2.2.1 Being polite to protect the agent 7

2.2.2 Emphasizing objective facts 9

3. English-Chinese translation of passive voice in business contracts and letters 10

3.1 Translating the original sentence into an active one 11

3.2 Translating the original sentence into a sentence without subject 12

3.3 Retaining a passive sentence 13

4. Conclusion 14

Bibliography 15

Acknowledgments 16