On The Textual Function Of The Passive Voice In English Legislative Texts

The passive voice, as a common but complicated grammar phenomenon, hasbeen the subject for many linguists for a long time. Massive employment of thepassive voice has been recognized as a conspicuous feature of English legislative texts.It is mainly analyzed from such aspects as its ideational function, interpersonalfunction and the like. In effect, the passive voice plays a crucial role in textualorganization in legal English. The present thesis was conducted on the theoreticalbasis of Halliday’s metafunctions for the purpose of exploring how the passive voiceperforms its textual function in English legislative texts so as to achieve cohesion andcoherence of the discourse. The data for this study is collected from four internationalconventions which are authoritative and objective. Through the analysis of thesematerials, the author has found the following facts:To begin with, the passive voice can help to move the patient to the subjectposition. As a result, the order of information distribution can be realigned. By doingso, the passive voice can help to stress the topic, maintain the given^new informationorder, protrude the focus and construct it+be+v-ed+that clause structure. By thesemeans, the passive voice helps to fulfill the objectiveness of the English legislativetext as well as the coherence of the discourse.In addition, the passive voice is a powerful tool to maneuver the thematic choicewhich contributes to pushing the information flow. By moving an element to thethematic position, the passive voice can connect themes, thus creating linear theme TPpattern; By keeping the same theme, the passive voice helps to create constant themeTP pattern. Besides, by shifting theme, the passive voice assists to construct inclusivetheme pattern. In sum, through manipulating the thematic choice and constructingcharacterized TP patterns in English legislative texts, the passive voice can promotethe coherence of the whole text and make the information flow smooth, thus ensuingthe provisions and articles of law can be drafted and explained in an accurate,objective, formal and authentic way. Finally, although the various textual functions of the passive voice are usuallyexplained separately, several functions can be performed simultaneously in a text bypassivization. That is to say, while rearranging the information distribution, thepassive voice is also conducting the thematic choice and establishing characterized TPpatterns so as to achieve its textual function in English legislative texts.The author hopes that this study can give enlightenment for further study on thepassive voice in legal language.