3impersonal&personal

Impersonal vs. Personal
1.I mpersonal in English, personal in Chinese
Examples:
(1). What’s has happened to you?
你出什么事啦？
(2) An idea suddenly struck me.
我突然想到了一个主意。

(3). A strange peace came over her when he was alone.
他独处时便感到一种特殊的安宁。

English sentences with the use of impersonal subject can be devided into two types:
I.Subject is realized by the use of abstract nous or inanimate objects, and its predicate is realized by the verbs originally indicating human’s action. Examples:
(1). From the movement we stepped into the People’s Republic of China, care and kindness surrounded us on every side.
一踏上中华人民共和国国土，我们就
随时随地受到关怀和照顾。

(2). The thick carpet killed the sound of my footsteps.
我走在厚厚的地毯上，一点脚步声也
没有。

(3). The forty years, 1840-80, brought almost ten million migrants to America. 从1840年到1880年这四十年中，近
一千万名移民移居美国。

II. Subject is realized by the use of impersonal pronoun “it”. The word “it”could be used as an expletive except for the use of refering to
objects or matters rather than persons.
1.U sed as preparatory “it”, to replace the real subject and object.
(1).It never occurred to me that she was so dishonest.
我从来没有想到他这么不老实。

(2). It is not our view that the substance or the tone of his remarks this morning will contribute to creating a lasting peace in the Middle East.
我们认为，他今天上午发言的内容和口气都无助于在中东建立持久的和平。

2.U sed as unspecified “it”, to replace the unknown things in subject., such as natural things, time, space and even used in some establishd expressions.
It’s only half an hour’s walk to the school.
How is it going?
3.U sed as emphatic “it”, to lead the part should be emphasized.
It is in the hour of trial that a man finds his true profession.
人总是在面临考验的关头，才发现自己的专长。

It is a good horse that never stumbles. 人有失误，马有失蹄。

***There be…
One…
In 1958, there was a strike participated in by five thousand workers.
1958年，五千个工人参加了一次罢工。

One must be a servant before one can be a master.
要当主人，先当仆人。

***Passive and impersonal in English, active and personal in Chinese. Examples:
(1). 发现了错误，一定要改正。

Wrongs must be righted when they are discovered.
（2）看树要看果实，看人看作为。

A tree is known by its fruit, and a man is known by his actions.
（3）。

当两个物体在一起摩擦时，电子便从一个物体转到另一个物体。

Whenever two objects are rubbed together, electrons are transferred from one object to the other.。