Translation Strategies Of English Passive Voice In Informative Text Under The Guidance Of Adaptation Theory

Based on the author’s translation practice of the informative text—Marine Genetic Resources,Access and Benefit Sharing during his graduate studies,this report aims to put forward some E-C translation strategies for the passive voice from the perspective of Adaptation Theory.Informative text enjoys distinctive features in terms of words,grammar structure and expression with high accuracy and objectivity.The usage of passive voice can avoid disadvantages incurred when using active voice.Therefore,it is widely used in informative texts.When translating informative text,the translator should objectively convey the meaning of the original text and make adaptation of the expression in target language.The four angles of Verschueren’s Adaptation Theory,namely contextual correlates of adaptability variability,structural objects of adaptability,dynamics of adaptability and salience of adaptability refresh the understanding of language meaning and its usages.As a feature of language,adaptation makes it possible to select applicable expression out of a variety of variable factors to achieve desired communication effects in certain socio-cultural context of the target readers with suitable words and sentence structures.After describing the text type of the source material,comparing the linguistic and structural features of English and Chinese passive voice,and explaining the development of Adaptation Theory and researches related to it,the author analyzes the examples selected from Marine Genetic Resources,Access and Benefit Sharing and puts forward some translation strategies when translating English passive voice and sentences,namely translating to Chinese passive sentences,shifting to Chinese active sentences,shifting to Chinese sentences without subject and shifting to Chinese determinative sentences.Moreover,the author also aims to provide some inspiration and reference for other translators.