前陣子在查Plain English的時候找到一篇自己覺得很棒的文章。
以下是節錄：
蘋果日報 2004年07月19日 論壇 - I Love Plain English
I Love Plain English
David Tang
一開頭，作者就說：
The whole point of language is to communicate. So what better way than to do so plainly?
(完全同意)
Trying to speak plainly will help improve our English. Do not let people tell you that simple English is not good English. It's the best English. Do not believe that formal English is better than informal English. Or that there is a "business" English. Or that conversation English should not be written. English is English. If there is any rule, it is that plain English is best.
（有些人口語都說不好，還妄想寫出漂亮的英文。老實說，一般人一天真正花在寫英文看英文的時間有多少？一下筆就妄想「出口成章」，結果只是寫出四不像的英文，還不如乖乖寫plain English）
Do not use big words. Being fluent in English is not about vocabulary. It's about use. You cannot learn English by learning from or reading the dictionary. You have to learn how to use the words together. And choose the correct word.
（為什麼有那麼多人堅持背生字是學英文唯一的方法，生字不夠就說不出好英文呢？其實最簡單的表達方式，往往才是最貼切，最實用的。）
So let's all start speaking and writing plainly. Shortening all your sentences would be a good start. Try writing in short sentences. This style of writing is known as "staccato". Staccato is the plucking of a string on the violin. As we all know, this can sound as beautiful as when the strings are played with a bow. So if we can be beautiful as well as plain, what more can we want?
太贊同這篇文章的看法了。
對非英語母語者來說，能寫出簡單、通順、易懂的英文，才是真正的好英文。英文句子重文法結構。以前在職場上，常看到許多用華麗的詞藻堆砌出來，卻言之無物沒有重心的句子，將中文語句疏離的意合關係，全盤複製到重視形合的英文語句中，即使用了許多漂亮的詞彙，結構不對，也不是好的英文。
要把英文寫好，可從簡單、通順、易懂的英文開始練習，先寫出結構正確的短句，再進一步尋求修飾句型，增進詞藻深度的方法。翻譯沒有一步登天的訣竅。七步成詩的曹植除了天賦的才華之外，亦需豐富的文學涵養才能夠在短時間內建構出流傳千古的絕句。對一般人來說，能夠寫出「讓人看得懂」的英文，才是最重要的。
語言的目的在於溝通，不在於賣弄你會多少生字。
有興趣者，可多看The Economist的文章，單字運用精確，句型結構清楚簡單，洗鍊的風格，絕對可以讓有心增進英文能力者受益無窮。
舉個最近碰到的例子，有時寧可分成兩個清楚的短句，也不要貿然併句：
以下是節錄：
蘋果日報 2004年07月19日 論壇 - I Love Plain English
I Love Plain English
David Tang
一開頭，作者就說：
The whole point of language is to communicate. So what better way than to do so plainly?
(完全同意)
Trying to speak plainly will help improve our English. Do not let people tell you that simple English is not good English. It's the best English. Do not believe that formal English is better than informal English. Or that there is a "business" English. Or that conversation English should not be written. English is English. If there is any rule, it is that plain English is best.
（有些人口語都說不好，還妄想寫出漂亮的英文。老實說，一般人一天真正花在寫英文看英文的時間有多少？一下筆就妄想「出口成章」，結果只是寫出四不像的英文，還不如乖乖寫plain English）
Do not use big words. Being fluent in English is not about vocabulary. It's about use. You cannot learn English by learning from or reading the dictionary. You have to learn how to use the words together. And choose the correct word.
（為什麼有那麼多人堅持背生字是學英文唯一的方法，生字不夠就說不出好英文呢？其實最簡單的表達方式，往往才是最貼切，最實用的。）
So let's all start speaking and writing plainly. Shortening all your sentences would be a good start. Try writing in short sentences. This style of writing is known as "staccato". Staccato is the plucking of a string on the violin. As we all know, this can sound as beautiful as when the strings are played with a bow. So if we can be beautiful as well as plain, what more can we want?
太贊同這篇文章的看法了。
對非英語母語者來說，能寫出簡單、通順、易懂的英文，才是真正的好英文。英文句子重文法結構。以前在職場上，常看到許多用華麗的詞藻堆砌出來，卻言之無物沒有重心的句子，將中文語句疏離的意合關係，全盤複製到重視形合的英文語句中，即使用了許多漂亮的詞彙，結構不對，也不是好的英文。
要把英文寫好，可從簡單、通順、易懂的英文開始練習，先寫出結構正確的短句，再進一步尋求修飾句型，增進詞藻深度的方法。翻譯沒有一步登天的訣竅。七步成詩的曹植除了天賦的才華之外，亦需豐富的文學涵養才能夠在短時間內建構出流傳千古的絕句。對一般人來說，能夠寫出「讓人看得懂」的英文，才是最重要的。
語言的目的在於溝通，不在於賣弄你會多少生字。
有興趣者，可多看The Economist的文章，單字運用精確，句型結構清楚簡單，洗鍊的風格，絕對可以讓有心增進英文能力者受益無窮。
舉個最近碰到的例子，有時寧可分成兩個清楚的短句，也不要貿然併句：
原文：服務台備有輪椅
譯文：The museum is accessible to wheelchair users at information counter.
應改為：(The Museum is wheelchair accessible.) Wheelchairs are available at the Information Desk.
全站熱搜
留言列表
翻譯小工趴趴走 (6)