中式英語(yǔ)之鑒

1、Part One: Unnecessary WordsAll authorities on the style of English prose agree that good writing is concise. Careful writers say what they mean in as few words as possible.Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same

2、reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. It follows that any words which perform no useful function in the sentencethat is , which add nothing to the meaningshould be edited out. Almost every text that has been translated into English from Chinese( o

3、r that has been written directly in English by a native speaker of Chinese) contains unnecessary words. Draft translations are commonly full of them, and even polished final versions are seldom free of them.Read anything that has been published in English for foreign readersa magazine article, a new

4、s story, an advertisement, a government reportand you are likely to find superfluous words. Read even the shortest of English textsthe label on a food product , a billboard on Changan , the company name on the front of a buildingand , if you are on the alert to recognize them, chances are that you w

5、ill find words that could and should have been omitted. Unnecessary words are the hallmark of Chinglish.Unnecessary words can be any part of speechnouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, articles, and so on. In the following chapters we shall consider the most important types, starting with

6、 unnecessary nouns and verbs, which often go hand in hand.I .Unnecessary Nouns and VerbsNounsMost unnecessary nouns in Chinglish appear not alone but in short phrases, combined with articles and prepositions. When you eliminate the nouns , you eliminate the articles and prepositions as well.Many of

7、these nouns are easy to recognize. They are plainly redundant because their sense is already included or implied in some other element of the sentence. Here are a few examples (A) with suggested revisions (B)and comments in brackets.加快經(jīng)濟(jì)改革步伐A: to accelerate the pace of economic reformB: to accelerat

8、e economic reform (To accelerate = to increase the pace of )農(nóng)業(yè)獲得大豐收A: There have been good harvests in agriculture.B: There have been good harvests.“Harvest” implies agriculture: there are no harvests in industry.城鄉(xiāng)人民生活水平持續(xù)上升。A: Living standards for the people in both urban and rural areas continued

9、 to rise.B: Living standards in both urban and rural areas continued to rise.【The notion of living standards applies only to people.】這些困難從本質(zhì)上說(shuō)是暫時(shí)的。A： These hardships are temporary in nature.B: These hardships are temporary.Any adjectives describes the “ nature” or “character” of the noun it modifies

10、 . To say that hardships are “temporary in nature” is like saying that the Chinese flag is red in color” or that pandas are few in number.”我國(guó)未來(lái)的經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展在很大程度上有賴于A：The development of our economy in the future will, to a large extent, depend onB: The development of our economy will, to a large extent, dep

11、end on The future tense of the verb(will depend) is sufficient to express futurity.我們應(yīng)采取一系列措施來(lái)保證A: we should adopt a series of measures to ensure that.B: we should adopt measures to ensure that.Here the plural form of “measures” covers the sense of a “series”O(jiān)ther unnecessary nouns(or gerunds) may b

12、e less easy to identify. Nevertheless, a little thought will reveal that they add nothing to the meaning of the sentence. When they are deleted, the sense is not diminished, only clarified. Some examples:在實(shí)現(xiàn)農(nóng)業(yè)機(jī)械化和電氣化后A：following the realization of mechanization and electrification of agricultureB：fo

13、llowing the of mechanization and electrification of agriculture必須加強(qiáng)國(guó)防建設(shè)。 A: It is essential to strengthen the building of national defense.B: It is essential to strengthen national defense.這些構(gòu)成了努力實(shí)現(xiàn)過(guò)渡時(shí)期的偉大任務(wù)的重要條件。A: These constitute important conditions in striving for the fulfillment of the general

14、 task in the transitional period.B: These are important conditions for fulfilling the general task in the transition period.當(dāng)時(shí)，東北的形勢(shì)仍然是敵強(qiáng)我弱。A: At that time the situation in northeast China was still one where the enemy was stronger than the peoples forces .B: At that time the enemy was still stronge

15、r than the peoples forces in northeast China. Situation is a particularly dangerous noun. Not only is it generally unnecessary, but it drags other unnecessary elements after it (in this instance, one where).解決問(wèn)題的關(guān)鍵在于削減開(kāi)支。 A: The key to the solution lies in the curtailment of expenditure. B: The solu

16、tion is to curtail ( or. cut back on) expenditure. Key is sometimes useful, but usually it too can be dispensed with. And like situation, it often leads to further unnecessary complications (here, lies in). 黨內(nèi)民主是已詳細(xì)討論過(guò)的問(wèn)題。 A: Inner-Party democracy is a subject that has been discussed in detail.B: In

17、ner-Party democracy has been discussed in detail.Category nounsThere is one type of noun that deserves special mention, because it is the commonest unnecessary word in Chinglish. This is the general noun that serves only to introduce a specific noun( or gerund) to follow: “ a serious mistake in the

18、work of planning.計(jì)劃工作中的錯(cuò)誤。In such constructions, the first noun announces the category of the second; in this case, it tells readers that “planning” falls into the category of “work”. That is something they already know. Accordingly, the first nouns should be deleted a serious mistake in planning.Ot

19、her examples: 促進(jìn)和平統(tǒng)一事業(yè)A : promoting the cause of peaceful reunificationB: promoting peaceful reunification經(jīng)濟(jì)領(lǐng)域的改革A: reforms in the sphere of the economy B: reforms in the economy (or economic reforms)保證雙方之間的親密合作關(guān)系A(chǔ) to ensure a relationship of close cooperation between.B to ensure close cooperation b

20、etween我們必須反對(duì)鋪張浪費(fèi)的行為。A: We must oppose the practice of extravaganceB: We must oppose extravagance.這些原則適應(yīng)于處理中外關(guān)系中的所有情況A: These principles apply to all cases of relations between China and other countries.B: These principles apply to relations between China and all other countries.這種情況，加上價(jià)格不穩(wěn)定的因素，引起.A:

21、 This, coupled with the factor of price instability, caused.B: This, coupled with price instability, caused.Whatever function the category noun serves in Chinese, in English it is generally useless. All it adds to the sentence is weight without substance.Verbs Like unnecessary nouns, most unnecessar

22、y verbs in Chinglish occur in phrases. Usually they are combined with nouns(plus the inevitable articles and prepositions that nouns bring with them). These phrases are of two principal types:1. Unnecessary verbs plus noun2. Unnecessary verb plus unnecessary noun plus third wordwe shall look at firs

23、t one and then the other.1. Unnec.verb+nounThe commonest type is a phrase like “we must make an improvement in our work.” Here the verb(make) is a weak, colorless, all-purpose word having no very specific meaning of its own, while the real action is expressed in the noun (improvement).Since the verb

24、 is not contributing anything to the sense, it can be edited out. “ We must improve our work.”The basic pattern is unnec.verb+noun. Both translators and polishers tend to overlook constructions of this sort, because they are grammatically correct and becausepreciselyeveryone is so accustomed to them

25、. Once you became alert to the pattern, however, it is easy enough to eliminate the unnecessary words by substituting plain verbs.我們想在一夜之間完成整個(gè)社會(huì)的變革是不可能的。A：It is impossible for us to accomplish the transformation of the whole society overnight.B：It is impossible for us to transform the whole society

26、overnight.他們應(yīng)該對(duì).進(jìn)行仔細(xì)的檢查。A: They should conduct a careful examination of.B: They should carefully examine.試圖誘使朝鮮軍隊(duì)對(duì)他們發(fā)動(dòng)一場(chǎng)攻擊。A：trying to entice the Korean army to launch an attack against themB：trying to entice the Korean army to attack them改變這種局面A: to bring about a change in this state of affairsB: t

27、o change this state of affairs他們必須下決心對(duì)現(xiàn)存體制進(jìn)行改革。A: They must make up their minds to implement the reform of the current system.B: They must make up their minds to reform the current system.直到中國(guó)實(shí)現(xiàn)工業(yè)現(xiàn)代化。A: until China realizes industrial modernizationB: until China modernizes its industryThe constructi

28、on may also appear in passive voice. That is, instead of “we must make improvement in our work,” we find “ an improvement must be made in our work.” But this is only a variation of the same pattern, and the solution is the same too: substitution a plain verb. The result is our work must be improved.

29、 (because “to make an improvement in”= “to improve”)More examples in passive voice:應(yīng)當(dāng)批準(zhǔn)所有這些項(xiàng)目。A: Approval should be given to all these projects.B: All these projects should be approved.because “to give approval to ”= “to approve”只有通過(guò).才能找出解決這些問(wèn)題的辦法。A: Solutions to these problems can be found only thr

30、oughB: These problems can be solved only throughbecause “to find solution to”= “to solve”實(shí)行糧食配給A: Grain rationing was implementedB: Grain was rationed.Because “to implement rationing”= “to ration”The verb most frequently found in these combinations with nouns is to make:To make an investigation of =

31、 to investigateTo make a careful study of = to study carefullyTo make a decision to = to decide to To make a proposal that = to propose that To make efforts to = to try( attempt) to To make an analysis of = to analyzeThe runner-up is doubtless to haveTo have a dislike for = to dislikeTo have an infl

32、uence on = to influenceTo have adequate knowledge of = to know enough aboutTo have the need of = to needTo have request for = to respectBut many others can be seen on every pages as well:To give guidance to = to guideTo provide assistance to = to assistTo carry out the struggle against= to struggle

33、againstTo conduct reform of= to reformTo engage in free discussion of = to discuss(it) freely To achieve success in = to succeed inTo accomplish the modernization of = to modernizeTo realize the transformation of = to transformTo bring about an improvement in = to improveTo place stress on = to stre

34、ssTo exercise control over= to controlTo register an increase= to increaseYou should be on watch for all of them.2. Unnec.verb +unnec.noun+ third wordAs we have seen in the first type of phrase a vague and general verb, incapable of expressing specific action, shifts the responsibility for that task

35、 onto a noun. In the second type, however, the noun cannot perform the task either.Consider “our efforts to reach the goal of modernization”. Here the noun (goal) is no more precise than the verb (reach). (Indeed, “the goal of” is another example of the superfluous category noun.) This means that th

36、e work of the verb has to be done by still another word, a second noun (“modernization”). Since now the first noun is not doing anything useful in the sentence, it too can be eliminated, along with the all-purpose verb. The result is, “our efforts to modernize” In the phrases of this type, the basic

37、 pattern unnec. verb+ noun has been expanded to unnec. Verb+unnec. Noun+ third word. As in the example above, the third word is usually another noun( or gerund).Since this new noun is performing the function of a verb, it should be given the form of a verb.我軍緩慢前進(jìn)A: Our troops used the method of slow

38、 advance.B: Our troops advanced slowly.需要三個(gè)師的駐軍來(lái)執(zhí)行守衛(wèi)倉(cāng)庫(kù)的任務(wù)。A: Three garrison divisions were necessary to perform the task of guarding warehouses.B: Three garrison divisions were necessary to guard warehouses.我們決定后撤。A: We adopted the policy of withdrawal.B: We withdrew.(or decided to withdraw.)This was a particular tactical retreat, not a general military policy.在所有問(wèn)題上我們都要采取“知之為知之，不知為不知”的態(tài)度。A: In all matters we must assume the attitude of admitting what we do and do not know.B: We should always (be