汉英语言对比（8）
(1)句子的概念
汉语句子和英语句子代表不同的概念。在1.2讨论汉英翻译的单位时，我们得知汉语句子强调语义，表示语义终止的标点符号根据句子语义和语气来确定，具有突出的“以意统形”的特点。而英语句子的定义是：“A sentence is a group of words which, when they are written down, begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark. Most sentences contain a subject and a verb.”(Collins COBUILD) 十分明显，英语句子强调形式和语法结构：首词第一个字母大写，句末用句号、问号或叹号;大多数句子有主语和谓语。
汉语句子和英语句子都可分为陈述句、感叹句、祈使句和疑问句。在汉语中它们的定义分别为：“陈述句是告诉别人一件事的句子。”“感叹句是抒发某种强烈感情的句子。”“祈使句是表示命令或请求的句子。”“疑问句是用来提出问题的句子。”(邢福义，2002：11—14)可见汉语句子这样分类突出的是句子的语气或用途。
而根据 Randolph Quirk 等人编写的 A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language：
Simple sentences may be divided into major syntactic types differentiated by their form. Their use correlates largely with different discourse functions.
(Ⅰ) Declaratives are sentences in which the subject is present and generally precedes the verb.
(Ⅱ) Interrogatives are sentences which are formally marked in one of two ways:
(i) yes-no interrogatives: the operator is placed in front of the subject.
(ii) wh-interrogatives: the interrogative wh-element is positioned initially.
(Ⅲ) Imperatives are sentences which usually have no overt grammatical subject, and whose verb has the base form.
(Ⅳ) Exclamatives are sentences which have an initial phrase introduced by what or how, usually with subject-verb order.
(Quirk et al, 1985:803)
可见，英语四类句型的划分决定于形式。在强调这四类句子的形式特征之后，相关的话语功能才得到陈述。
Statements are primarily used to convey information.
Questions are primarily used to seek information on a specific point.
Directives are primarily used to instruct somebody to do something.
Exclamations are primarily used for expressing the extent to which the speaker is impressed by something.
(Quirk et al, 1985:803-804)
从汉语句子和英语句子的不同概念可以看出汉语句子重意义和功能，英语句子重形式和功能。因此，将汉语句子译成英语时，要重视形式。
