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(chǔ)) (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 (growth). (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, spread)

The 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 document 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 = endeavor)

We 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 donation. (慈善機構(gòu)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 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(diào)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. 老外也主張不寫嚕蘇或絢麗的字眼(flowery or wordy)，句子應(yīng)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(yīng)該為我們的目標團結(jié)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 English is not...... 就更簡短。因為despite the fact that=although = Though)

I am of the opinion that Mr. Lee should resign from this position. (我想李先生應(yīng)該辭職) (假如說：Ithink Mr. Lee should......不是更簡單嗎?因為I am of the opinion = I think)

He quitted the job due to the fact that he was sick. (他由于生病而辭職) (若說：He quitted the jobbecause he was sick. 更簡單。因為 due to the fact that = because)

In 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 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 opinion)is that we have to 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 to)remain 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.(他在演說里做出結(jié)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 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?qū)懽鞯木渥?，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 = 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?manpower = labor power = work force = human resources)

This small company hired a cleaning woman yesterday.(這個小公司昨天請來一名清潔女工)(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.(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(yīng)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 speak up for their constitutes. (國會議員應(yīng)該為其選民說話)(constitute = voter) (我們也可以把 congressmen 或 congresswomen 改為 members ofcongress 或 congressional representatives)

Stewardesses 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(wù)員。)

同理，我們可以把 salesman 或 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(yīng)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(jié)婚的孩子，也不可稱為 Oreo(Oreo 餅乾外面是巧克力，里面是白奶油)。

有偏見的老外，不叫華人為 Chinese，而叫 Chink 或 Chinaman(從前還叫「Yellow Peril」，即黃禍)。遇到這種事，怎么辦呢?我建議：「君子不與小人斗」，最好是「不理」(ignore)或「走開」(walk away)。不過老外與你談話時，如果使用這些不禮貌的字眼，那么你就可以說：「Foryour information,the word you just used is derogatory(或 inappropriate)to describe someone ofmy race.」(只想讓你知道：你剛剛所用的字，來描寫我的族群，是很不合適的)。