英語寫作三大注意事項

1、英語寫作三大注意事項1. 尤其在商業(yè)上,報章雜志或公文書信上,盡量不用難字(big word 或過時的字眼(old-fashioned word例如:Many people feel that moral education is the infrastructure ofhigher learning. (許多人認為道德教育是高等知識的基礎 (如果用 foundation 或 basis 代替 infrastructure 就更明白 Three hundred acres of land is the parameter of ouruniversity,s expansion (growt

2、h. (三百英畝的土地是本大學發(fā)展的限度 (如果用limit代替parameter,會更簡單易懂。This news has been disseminated all over the U.S. (這消息已散布到全美各地 (如果用spread取代disseminated,不更簡單? (動詞時態(tài)是:spread, spread, spreadThe president of this college is not diminutive in size. (這大學的校長個子不小 (假如用small代替diminutive,不更明白嗎?I have to elucidate this docume

3、nt to my staff. (我要向我的員工解釋這份文件 (如用explain代替elucidate,也許更明白。Mr. A will endeavor to be a physician. (A 先生想嘗試當個醫(yī)生 (如果用try代替endeavor,會更淺白。 (Endeavour = endeavorWe hope to visualize world peace in the future. (我們希望將來看到世界和平(如果用see 代替visualize,也許更簡單!The charitable organization solicits for our annual donat

4、ion. (慈善機構要求我們一年一度樂捐(假如用 ask 代替 solicit,更淺白易懂。(solicitation是名詞We don't know what may transpire when we have a new boss. (當新老板來后,我們不知會有什么發(fā)生。 (如果用happen代替transpire,也許更明白。Please act as soon as possible on the aforementioned matter. (前面提過的事,請盡速辦理。(如果用 previous 代替古字 aforementioned 不是更明白?這就像美國大文豪馬克吐溫

5、Mark Twain 也曾說過:我不愿在字典里找長字或難字,我絕不用metropolis這個字,因為我同樣可以用city這個字來代替。羅斯?？偨y(tǒng)為了強調美國政府不會遺忘那些窮人,在一篇講詞里用了這么一句:We are endeavoring to construct a moreinclusive society.后來被人批評咬文嚼字,賣弄文筆。如果用淺白易懂的字眼寫成:We aregoing to make this country in which no one is left out.或We are trying to make everyoneequal.也許更簡單明白!2. 老外也主

6、張不寫嚕蘇或絢麗的字眼(flowery or wordy,句子應該越短越好,一句能用兩個字,絕不多加一個。例如:At this point in time, we should pull together for our goal. (現(xiàn)在我們應該為我們的目標團結一致(如果說:Now, we should pull.更簡單。因為 at this point in time = now Despite the fact that my English is not very good, I am not discouraged. (雖然我的英語不好,但我不灰心。 (如果說:Although my

7、 English is not. 就更簡短。因為despite the fact that=although = ThoughI am of the opinion that Mr. Lee should resign from this position. (我想李先生應該辭職 (假如說:Ithink Mr. Lee should.不是更簡單嗎?因為I am of the opinion = I thinkHe quitted the job due to the fact that he was sick. (他由于生病而辭職 (若說:He quitted the jobbecause h

8、e was sick. 更簡單。因為 due to the fact that = becauseIn the majority of cases, he likes to ride bike to the office.(他通常喜歡騎單車到辦公室 (如果說:Usually, he likes to ride. 更簡單。因為 in the majority of cases = usually She shows a preference for tea rather than coffee. (她喜歡茶而不是咖啡 (若說:She prefers tearather.更簡短清楚,因為 show

9、 a preference for = preferI will bring the matter to the attention of Mr. Wang. (我要通知王先生如果只說:I will tell Mr. Wang (about the matter. 不是更簡單嗎?因為 bring the matter to theattention of = tell = inform (句子最后面:about the matter可以省去; 同理,也要避免意義的重復或用字的多余(redundant; 例如:The consensus(of opinionis that we have to

10、act right away.(大家認為我們必須立即行動(ofopinion 可以省去,因為 consensus 的意思,就是大家的意見。The letter shows that the problem(continues toremain unsolved.(他的信顯示問題尚未解決(continue to 是多余的字,因為 remain 已經(jīng)有 continue 的含意。所以句子就成為: The lettershows that the problem remains unsolved.He has made his (final conclusion in his speech.(他在演

11、說里做出結論(final 是多余的字,因為conclusion 已經(jīng)含有 final 的意思。He has had many years of (actual experience in business。(他有多年經(jīng)商的經(jīng)驗 (actual 也是多余的字,因為 experience 已有 actual 的意味We assembled (together all the parts for our radio.(我們裝好收音機的零件(因為 assemble 本身就有 together 的意思,所以 together 是多余的Enclosed (herewith please find the

12、report of the meeting.(herewith 是多余的字,因為 enclosed就有 herewith 的意思(即:附上會議報告,請查收寫到這里,想起一位深受美國人民愛戴,一向主張不寫長句、不嚕蘇的美國已故參議員 StephenYoung,他每次受邀參加會議、演講、宴會時,他的回信只有三個字我會到(I'll bethere.。也有人打趣的說:講演或寫作的句子,就像穿迷你裙,愈短愈好。(Likewearing mini-skirt, sentences in speech or writing should be the shorter, the better .此外還

13、有:in reference to = about; draw to close = end; at an early date = soon等3.老外為了族群和諧相處,除不用歧視或偏見的字眼外,連男女性別,也要避免區(qū)別,以示平等。例如:Mankind are considered the smartest animals in the world。(人類是世上最聰明的動物 = Man is the smartest animal.。(如果改為:Human beings are considered the smartest animals. 就能包括男女。所以mankind = man =

14、human beings(注意:mankind 后面動詞要用多數(shù),而man 的后面動詞,則用單數(shù)Manpower seems not strong enough in developing our economy here. (發(fā)展這里的經(jīng)濟,似乎缺乏人力資源。(如果說:Labor power seems not strong enough. 也就沒有男性主義的感覺?？梢妋anpower = labor power = work force = human resourcesThis small company hired a cleaning woman yesterday.(這個小公司昨天

15、請來一名清潔女工(如果說:This small company hired an office cleaner.也就沒有男女之分了He (she has been a committee chairman (chairwoman since 1998. (自從1998年他就是委員會主席 (假如把chairman或chairwoman改為chairperson或chair,就沒有男女之分。 (如指討論會的主持人,也可稱為moderator 或coordinator。Many businessmen (businesswomen feel their jobs are very stressful

16、.(許多商人覺得工作壓力很大(如果把businessmen (businesswomen 改為business people 或business executives 或business managers 就可包括男女了(凡是單數(shù)man 或woman,其多數(shù)都是men 或women。Policemen (policewomen should treat citizens with courtesy.(警察對人民應該有禮貌(假如把policemen 或policewomen 改為police officers 就可避免男女性別 Congressmen (congresswomen should

17、speak up for their constitutes. (國會議員應該為其選民說話(constitute = voter (我們也可以把congressmen 或congresswomen 改為members of congress 或congressional representativesStewardesses for international regions may get jet lag sometimes.(國際航線的空中小姐有時會有時差疲憊的現(xiàn)象(如把stewardess 改為flight attendant,就能包括男女空中服務員。同理,我們可以把salesman 或

18、saleswoman 改為salesperson;把mailman 改為mail carrier 或postal worker;把foreman 改為supervisor 等等。當然,一些帶有種族偏見的字眼,甚至有侮辱的味道(insulting words 或slur,也要盡量避免使用,以免鬧出麻煩。例如:對黑人不要用Negro,更不能用Nigger(用Black 還可以,禮貌的說法是Afro-American 或African-American;對白人不要用Honky(這是黑人罵白人的用字,正確用法是Caucasian,或white people;對猶太人不要用Hymies,應該叫Jewish 或Jewish people;對越南人不要用Gook,要用Vietnamese;至于墨西哥人、西班牙人及中、南美洲人,包括Puerto Rico,正確的用法多是Hispanics 或Latins,不過據(jù)說西班牙人為了維護自己的文化,倒喜歡別人稱為Spaniard。還有黑白結婚的孩子,也不可稱為Oreo(Ore