本帖最后由 finder 于 2014-12-28 00:10 编辑 ( U5 ]2 k& @+ B6 L+ D ; @9 u9 A7 Q7 r+ P, R. V转帖 / o7 _( B2 {9 c v. P6 m( y1. 尤其在商业上,报章杂志或公文书信上,尽量不用难字 (big word) 或过时的字眼 (old-fashioned word) : P9 P2 u4 v! ~* L! V - A- Q# i! ^- j- t, c% R) _例如:# [$ F' e+ I5 l9 n5 }9 t/ w
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Many people feel that moral education is the infrastructure of higher learning. (许多人认为道德教育是高等知识的基础) (如果用 foundation 或 basis 代替 infrastructure 就更明白) / T+ S/ C# J& b( j# M2 T" n% H 8 e" Y7 }9 x9 ~/ A) EThree hundred acres of land is the parameter of our university,s expansion (growth). (三百英亩的土地是本大学发展的限度) (如果用limit代替parameter,会更简单易懂。) N$ O* v/ \3 |: ~- q) Y! r9 g
/ r3 \' Y; r m, x# {# RThis news has been disseminated all over the U.S. (这消息已散布到全美各地) (如果用spread取代disseminated,不更简单?) (动词时态是:spread, spread, spread) 2 @0 `$ n' M7 ?8 U+ ^1 K. n4 k # F/ x* G8 T8 R7 p" sThe president of this college is not diminutive in size. (这大学的校长个子不小) (假如用small代替diminutive,不更明白吗?)* u! b- A7 t. \
! {$ a6 E7 l2 Z! D" w( |I have to elucidate this document to my staff. (我要向我的员工解释这份文件) (如用explain代替elucidate,也许更明白。) ; _) ~2 F2 c. p9 O0 J, w) ^0 j2 P. P
Mr. A will endeavor to be a physician. (A 先生想尝试当个医生) (如果用try代替endeavor,会更浅白。) (endeavour = endeavor)0 W* E8 k" P. g2 e& M
: O! G5 G- l2 [- m" M: T, k! sWe hope to visualize world peace in the future. (我们希望将来看到世界和平)(如果用see代替visualize,也许更简单!)* M8 M B, W" s, L" y5 A
6 U1 Q) W$ `2 t% m r) yWe don't know what may transpire when we have a new boss. (当新老板来后,我们不知会有什么发生。) (如果用happen代替transpire,也许更明白。), u: A3 M& c0 `/ e/ E2 a# V; O
& d" i+ Z* t7 ~7 y: z( HPlease act as soon as possible on the aforementioned matter. (前面提过的事,请尽速办理。)(如果用 previous 代替古字 aforementioned 不是更明白?) `: j0 j6 E. X+ h9 j ' _$ ~; X5 P1 y" [! n. {这就像美国大文豪马克吐温 Mark Twain 也曾说过:「我不愿在字典里找长字或难字,我绝不用『metropolis』这个字,因为我同样可以用『city』这个字来代替」。罗斯福总统为了强调美国政府不会遗忘那些穷人,在一篇讲词里用了这么一句:「We are endeavoring to construct a more inclusive society.」后来被人批评咬文嚼字,卖弄文笔。如果用浅白易懂的字眼写成:「We are going to make this country in which no one is left out.」或「We are trying to make everyone equal.」也许更简单明白! , M1 I) r- U D; S* s O9 M0 v, U1 s; w' G( c2 x8 l! b+ Y3 B* Z3 P 2. 老外也主张不写噜苏或绚丽的字眼(flowery or wordy),句子应该越短越好,一句能用两个字,绝不多加一个。6 ]2 R, h% J5 s) i% h) [. ~. J
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例如: . [; z" n/ J# m0 j. g, c 6 `" W$ B; h- Y* IAt this point in time, we should pull together for our goal. (现在我们应该为我们的目标团结一致)(如果说:Now, we should pull......更简单。因为 at this point in time = now) - D3 p. B1 E2 j 4 S: z ?% L. I$ B% v# oDespite the fact that my English is not very good, I am not discouraged. (虽然我的英语不好,但我不灰心。) (如果说:Although my English is not...... 就更简短。因为despite the fact tha t= although = Though) # o4 V4 [6 n9 x, d. z + D9 V2 R; J) B# x f& P: @( UI am of the opinion that Mr. Lee should resign from this position. (我想李先生应该辞职) (假如说:I think Mr. Lee should......不是更简单吗?因为I am of the opinion = I think) $ G) q4 h3 _3 b; S" B- X6 \* M 6 e5 t- ?) N O, I. X8 {He quitted the job due to the fact that he was sick. (他由于生病而辞职) (若说:He quitted the job because he was sick. 更简单。因为 due to the fact that = because) ; {" v$ w; B& X" C$ S2 e* O1 Q% r) q, j, _( f. p1 l
In the majority of cases,he likes to ride bike to the office.(他通常喜欢骑单车到办公室) (如果说:Usually, he likes to ride...... 更简单。因为 in the majority of cases = usually)+ P( O$ X8 {" l. R2 ~5 @* O9 V( r
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She shows a preference for tea rather than coffee. (她喜欢茶而不是咖啡) (若说:She prefers tea rather......更简短清楚,因为 show a preference for = prefer) $ N+ ]5 {* L5 D* g. H 7 W a. S' m- o1 ^* R9 p+ `5 _I will bring the matter to the attention of Mr. Wang. (我要通知王先生) 4 Q! s" [/ j1 _2 x9 N! R% {% I7 `* V/ v0 j% }
如果只说:I will tell Mr. Wang (about the matter). 不是更简单吗?因为 bring the matter to the attention of = tell = inform) (句子最后面:「about the matter」可以省去); 同理,也要避免意义的重复或用字的多余 (redundant); 例如: 7 r& f o4 }+ z; ^; z+ e/ M/ U" z# J
The consensus(of opinion)is that we have to act right away.(大家认为我们必须立即行动)(of opinion 可以省去,因为 consensus 的意思,就是大家的意见。)1 V- L+ U/ c0 L2 m6 |
+ q$ u$ I! Y, w2 GThe letter shows that the problem(continues to)remain unsolved.(他的信显示问题尚未解决)(continue to 是多余的字,因为 remain 已经有 continue 的含意。所以句子就成为:The letter shows that the problem remains unsolved.) % {1 R1 D/ S; @0 N s4 W3 ` . p% [$ a( h# t+ X( M$ ?( S1 dHe has made his (final) conclusion in his speech.(他在演说里做出结论) (final 是多余的字,因为 conclusion 已经含有 final 的意思。) ]- r. K: o2 M7 e 3 b1 f% L4 \9 d; SHe has had many years of (actual) experience in business。(他有多年经商的经验) (actual 也是多余的字,因为 experience 已有 actual 的意味) $ c/ H. q+ E# n* Z6 U 8 P @1 O1 |% r# QWe assembled (together) all the parts for our radio.(我们装好收音机的零件)(因为 assemble 本身就有 together 的意思,所以 together 是多余的)7 Z1 h8 }. X" N
. S/ V2 ^! T, G; d* @3 a' sEnclosed (herewith ) please find the report of the meeting.(herewith 是多余的字,因为 enclosed 就有 herewith 的意思)(即:附上会议报告,请查收) 8 ?8 Y: E2 B- B. W& ]- E* M4 O, ]9 K B X. w, o& s
写到这里,想起一位深受美国人民爱戴,一向主张不写长句、不噜苏的美国已故参议员 Stephen Young,他每次受邀参加会议、演讲、宴会时,他的回信只有三个字「我会到」(I'll be there)......。也有人打趣的说:「讲演或写作的句子,就像穿迷你裙,愈短愈好。」(Like wearing mini-skirt, sentences in speech or writing should be the shorter, the better.) ! \( e# F' I* B5 C) e0 [( m+ U/ k# y5 I& I, A* v, r
此外还有:in reference to = about;draw to close = end; at an early date = soon等。 ; l4 T+ G6 G- ]% T" z- Y0 I* u) E: Q
) x' U, p4 G8 i; ?- k* I3 ^. y 3.老外为了族群和谐相处,除不用歧视或偏见的字眼外,连男女性别,也要避免区别,以示「平等」。 / l' k$ ^1 t6 R( `4 h. x8 \; ~) [5 J! m4 B. c8 ]9 P! h
例如: : ?8 R9 K9 t, f2 o& l & r* f( G& ?2 a% j1 N# h. z" uMankind are considered the smartest animals in the world。(人类是世上最聪明的动物)= Man is the smartest animal......。 (如果改为:Human beings are considered the smartest animals...... 就能包括男女。所以 mankind = man = human beings) (注意:mankind 后面动词要用多数,而 man 的后面动词,则用单数)0 o4 a( P+ N4 o: Y3 {" Z$ D, H4 m' n
4 r" B3 `% Q3 V( i" eManpower seems not strong enough in developing our economy here. (发展这里的经济,似乎缺乏人力资源。)(如果说:Labor power seems not strong enough... 也就没有「男性主义」的感觉。可见 manpower = labor power = work force = human resources). q+ d. K0 t; G2 B* P2 P$ o
9 @. j" A/ p2 t a8 p- d5 `This small company hired a cleaning woman yesterday.(这个小公司昨天请来一名清洁女工)(如果说:This small company hired an office cleaner...也就没有男女之分了) ; P& {7 H2 F7 s4 Z# L( V9 Y/ R* A3 W+ [% p7 k" Z
He (she) has been a committee chairman (chairwoman) since 1998. (自从1998年他就是委员会主席) (假如把chairman或chairwoman改为chairperson或chair,就没有男女之分。) (如指讨论会的主持人,也可称为 moderator 或 coordinator。)/ r5 O; n; J( k( n( `4 i! U% U9 k2 z
2 ]% s" N) l2 m/ x h0 H! I& OMany businessmen (businesswomen) feel their jobs are very stressful.(许多商人觉得工作压力很大)(如果把 businessmen (businesswomen) 改为 business people 或 business executives 或 business managers 就可包括男女了)(凡是单数 man 或 woman,其多数都是 men 或 women。)) a7 R% |& ?2 a