研究生實用英語寫作2-diction

1、Diction Diction Diction is the choice and use of words. Good diction helps one express himself clearly and effectively while poor diction sounds awkward, unidiomatic or chinglish. A certain amount of vocabulary forms the basis of English writing. So, first of all we should have a vocabulary as large

2、 as possible. Then we can have much freedom for selection of the most appropriate words when we write. In selecting the most appropriate words, we should put the following 5 criteria in mind: vAccuracy and exactnessvCulture awarenessvEmotion awarenessvOccasion awarenessvAbundance and diversityvAccur

3、acy and exactness Many errors in writing result from the confusion of word meanings. For example: 1.When he was only 10 years old, he won first reward.2.They can not find an outlet for escaping the burning room.3.Tom shed regrettable tears.4.He derives quick sense from folk music.1.When he was only

4、10 years old, he won first prize.2.They can not find an outlet for fleeing the burning room.3.Tom shed regretful tears.4.He derives delight (sensuous delight) from folk music.Another example: He is soft.He is weak.He lacks strength. 他是柔和的/虛弱的/缺乏力量和勇氣的。Other examples:vCountry主要指國土及國民；vNation強調民族，種族；v

5、state多指國家的政府及政府機構；v而land指國家雖不夠精確，但更富有文學的色彩，比country一詞帶有更多的感情。 First ladyfirst wifeFamilyHomeExceptBesides TipsvBasically, to memorize the differences as much as possible.vMore reading can help us understand different usages in different contexts.vWell understanding of the real implication can lead t

6、o appropriate expressions. For example: We enjoy free medical care.我們享受公費醫(yī)療。看 Watch TV, see a movie, read a book, visit parents, look at an issue提高 Improve the living standard, deepen our understanding, raise the efficiency.vCultural awareness Countless mistakes arise because of lack of cultural bac

7、kground knowledge. For example: 1.White elephant sports shoes2.Yellow publications3.Hes as quiet as a cat.4.Hes as strong as a cow.vWhite elephant sports shoes something expensive and not useful/practicalvYellow publications pornorgraphic/blue/indecent publicationsvHes as quiet as a cat. mousevHes a

8、s strong as a cow. horseOther examples:vPhoenix vPeacockvBatvDogvDragonvPeachvGreenvEverybody thinks that the dragon is Chinese tradition culture part, we all are descendants of the dragon. The Chinese character龍 should not be translated into dragon. The dragon does not ought to be the Chinese image

9、, cause a dragon is a vicious animal in Occidental eye. There are scholars having suggested that the Chinese character龍 translates into loong, but is not a dragon. Because loong has two oes to resemble dragons eye, and loong is similar to the Chinese pronunciation of 龍.v“龍”不應該翻譯成dragon。Dragon的本意是兇殘的

10、巨獸、惡魔、悍婦等。中國人在外國人面前自稱dragon，是自我妖魔化。“龍”也不應該翻譯成long。Long的英文發(fā)音不是“龍”，而是“狼”，這不是真正的音譯?！褒垺睉摲g成loong，它的發(fā)音和“龍”相近，在英文中本來就是“龍”字的音譯，有些西方人也把龍稱為loong，有廣泛的使用基礎。Loong的兩個“O”字母象龍的兩只眼睛，loong使人聯想到long（長），所以它也是一個象形文字，和漢字特色相通。而long在形象上是獨眼龍。 “龍”是中華民族的象征，在中譯英時，“龍”被翻譯成Dragon。 但是在英文中，dragon是邪惡的怪物，還有“兇暴的人，悍婦”等含義。在圖畫中，dragon的

11、身軀龐大笨拙，顏色是黑灰色的，長著巨大的翅膀，口中吐火，吞噬人和動物，非常丑陋恐怖，和中國的龍完全兩樣。 中國人在西方人面前自稱“Dragon”或“Descendants of the Dragon”（龍的傳人（后裔），西方人當然要把中國人看成是惡魔、壞人了。所以我們再也不能把“龍”翻譯成“Dragon”了！ 有人建議把“龍”音譯成“Long”。 但是“l(fā)ong”的英文發(fā)音和“龍”完全兩樣，相當于中文的“狼”，并非真正的音譯。當西方人指著龍說“l(fā)ong”時，中國人還必須糾正他的發(fā)音，不僅增加了交流的困難，還會引起對方的困惑。Long在英文中是一個使用非常普遍的常用詞，含義本來就很多，把龍翻譯成

12、long也會造成意義上的混亂。所以不能簡單地把龍的拼音字母作為龍的英文音譯。 既然是把中文“龍”音譯成英文，那么在英文中的發(fā)音就應該和“龍”相近，否則就不是真正的音譯。 英文中對“龍”字的音譯是“Loong”，姓氏“龍”和人名中的“龍”字也被翻譯成“l(fā)oong”，例如新加坡總理李顯龍的名字被翻譯成“Lee Hsien Loong”。在一些涉及龍的文字中，“龍”也的確被稱為“l(fā)oong”。因此，把“龍”翻譯成“l(fā)oong”才是真正的音譯，而且它已經有了廣泛的使用基礎，也符合海外華人的習慣，有利于團結海外華人。 Loong的兩個“O”字母，就象龍的兩只大眼睛，loong在文字上又和“l(fā)ong”相近

13、，給人“長”的感覺（很多西方人有意把“l(fā)ong long ago”寫成“l(fā)oong loong ago”），因此loong還具有象形文字的特點，和中文漢字有暗合之妙。而long則有“獨眼龍”之嫌。 英文中本來沒有l(wèi)oong這個單詞，因此把“龍”翻譯成loong，不會引發(fā)歧義。所以，“龍”應該翻譯成“l(fā)oong”。 vEmotion awareness It seems that many English words have similar Chinese meaning, however, quite different implications. Some may be neutral,

14、some may be positive, or negative. v（1） That unemployed man gained great fame as a robber.（2） The commanders obstinacy in the face of the thunderstorm saved all the sailors in the ship.v“Fame”（好名聲）和“obstinacy”（固執(zhí)）的意思適合這兩句嗎？前者需要的是個貶義詞；后者要的是個褒義詞。因此1.里的“fame”要改為“notoriety”（壞名聲），而2.里的“obstinacy”要變成“pers

15、everance”（毅力/堅持不懈）才貼切。examples:vSlender, slim, thin, underweight, skinnyvPolitician, statesmanvPublicity, propagandavFarmer, peasant, landlord vSlender, slim, thin, skinnyv身材修長的，苗條的，細瘦的，干瘦的vPolitician, statesmanv勾心斗角、圖謀私利的政客，正派、有遠見的政治家vOccasion awarenessvFrom a stylistic view, words are divided into

16、 three types: formal, common, colloquial.vFormal words may also be called learned words or literary words, which mainly appear in formal writing and are seldom used in daily conversation, but in exams, application, and technical paper.vColloquial words are mainly used in informal or familiar convers

17、ation. They are usually short words of one or two syllables.vBetween the two are common words, which people use every day, and appear in all kinds of writing. colloquial common formal e.g. nag / plug horse home charger / steed domicilevThink, believe, consider, argue, dispute, hold, maintain, claim,

18、 state vThink, believe, consider, argue, dispute, hold, maintain, claim, statev都可以表示“認為”，but the more behind in the sequence, the more frequently used in formal writing, especially in articles involving philosophy, psychology and sociology. vThose who support the “nature” side of the conflict believ

19、e that our personalities and behavior patterns are largely determined by biological and genetic factors, this theory maintains that our behavior is predetermined to such a degree that we are almost completely governed by our instincts. Proponents of the “nurture” theory, or, as they are often called

20、, behaviorists, claimed that our environment is more important than our biologically based instincts in determining how we will act.vIts very important.vIt is of great importance.vNo one noticed this crime.vThis crime went unnoticed.vWe are discussing this question.vThis question is under discussion

21、.vHe seated himself upon the bench beside her, without a suspicion that she might object to his presence. Sat down on the bench Without suspecting that she might dislike his staying therevHe made some routine observations upon the unhealthy effect of the night breeze at that season. Commented onvThe

22、n as his gaze reached out into the darkness, he began to talk. Then as he looked into the darkvAbundance and diversity Readers will be bored if one word or expression has been used repeatedly. 1) Synonyms should be memorized and applied.vApplicable, proper, suitable, appropriatevApproaches, ways, means, methods, solutionsvIncreasingly important, more and more importantvEver wider, wider and widervAdvancement, development, rise, progressionvPour into, flood into, swarm into, enter intovFor my part, from my own perspective, in my opinionvVirtually impossible, nearly impossible2) More