美国人喜欢短句表达

由于美国人生活繁忙、紧张,讲求快速,时间就是金钱,所以近年来许多美国大学也在推行日常生活的讲和写,不用难字,不写长句,不含偏见的「三不」。也就是说,尽量使用简短易懂的白话英语 (Plain English),写得愈白愈好,用字愈少愈妙,使别人可以一目了然,充分了解。这不但可节省「思索」时间,也可避免对方的误解。还有,老外为了族群和谐相处,也不使用带有偏见的字眼。以下即为一些例子,以供读者参考。
日出东海落西山,愁也一天,喜也一天;遇事不钻牛角尖,人也舒坦,心也舒坦

     春有百花秋有月,
    夏有凉风冬有雪。
    若无闲事挂心头,
    便是人生好时节。
Share |
Share

1、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);
» 例如: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)
» Three 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。)
» This 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)
» The 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?)
» 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。)
» 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。) (endeavor = try)
» We 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!)
» The charitable organization solicits for our annual donation. (慈善机构要求我们一年一度乐捐)(假如用 ask 代替 solicit,更浅白易懂。)(solicitation是名词)
» We 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。)
» Please 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?)
» 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!
日出东海落西山,愁也一天,喜也一天;遇事不钻牛角尖,人也舒坦,心也舒坦

     春有百花秋有月,
    夏有凉风冬有雪。
    若无闲事挂心头,
    便是人生好时节。

TOP

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。 例如:

» At 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)
» Despite 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 that= although = Though)
» I 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)
» 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)
» 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)
» 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)
» I will bring the matter to the attention of Mr. Wang. (我要通知王先生)
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:
» 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。)
» The 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.)
» He 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。)
» He 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)
» We 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)
» Enclosed (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)
» 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.)
此外还有:in reference to = about; draw to close = end; at an early date = soon等
日出东海落西山,愁也一天,喜也一天;遇事不钻牛角尖,人也舒坦,心也舒坦

     春有百花秋有月,
    夏有凉风冬有雪。
    若无闲事挂心头,
    便是人生好时节。

TOP

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」。 例如:

» Mankind 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)
» Manpower 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)
» 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)
» 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。)
» Many 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。)
» Policemen (policewomen) should treat citizens with courtesy.(警察对人民应该有礼貌)(假如把 policemen 或 policewomen 改为 police officers 就可避免男女性别)
» Congressmen (congresswomen) should speak up for their constitutes. (国会议员应该为其选民说话)(constitute = voter) (我们也可以把 congressmen 或 congresswomen 改为 members of congress 或 congressional representatives)
» Stewardesses for international regions may get jet lag sometimes.(国际航线的空中小姐有时会有时差疲惫的现象)(如把 stewardess 改为 flight attendant,就能包括男女空中服务员。)
同理,我们可以把 salesman 或 saleswoman 改为 salesperson;把 mailman 改为 mail carrier 或 postal worker;把 foreman 改为 supervisor 等等。
»当然,一些带有种族偏见的字眼,甚至有侮辱的味道(insulting words 或 slur),也要尽量避免使用,以免闹出麻烦。例如:
»对黑人不要用 Negro,更不能用 Nigger(用 Black 还可以),礼貌的说法是 Afro-American 或 African-American;
»对白人不要用 Honky(这是黑人骂白人的用字),正确用法是 Caucasian,或 white people;
»对犹太人不要用 Hymies,应该叫 Jewish 或 Jewish people;
»对越南人不要用 Gook,要用 Vietnamese;
»至于墨西哥人、西班牙人及中、南美洲人,包括 Puerto Rico,正确的用法多是 Hispanics 或 Latins,不过据说西班牙人为了维护自己的文化,倒喜欢别人称为 Spaniard。
»还有黑白结婚的孩子,也不可称为 Oreo(Oreo 饼乾外面是巧克力,里面是白奶油)。
»有偏见的老外,不叫华人为 Chinese,而叫 Chink 或 Chinaman(从前还叫「Yellow Peril」,即黄祸)。
» 遇到这种事,怎么办呢?我建议:「君子不与小人斗」,最好是「不理」(ignore)或「走开」(walk away)。不过老外与你谈话时,如果使用这些不礼貌的字眼,那么你就可以说:「For your information, the word you just used is derogatory(或 inappropriate)to describe someone of my race.」(只想让你知道:你刚刚所用的字,来描写我的族群,是很不合适的)。这时,你也可说一句「拜拜」了。
日出东海落西山,愁也一天,喜也一天;遇事不钻牛角尖,人也舒坦,心也舒坦

     春有百花秋有月,
    夏有凉风冬有雪。
    若无闲事挂心头,
    便是人生好时节。

TOP