-
前言
肯定地说,
一个
人只有知道规则的情况下才能去打破它,
这句经典引用是任何一个学生和认
真的作者所必须懂得的。
这本书的目的是在有写作的练习加上文学的学习中得
到应用,
它用
简洁的话语给出了简明英语风格最主要的要求,<
/p>
在规则的使用时的细致的注意事项,
以及最
可能共同违反的作文的原则。
第一章
简介
这本书的意图是在英语课上使用,
作为英语作文的联系以及对文
学的学习。
它旨在用简洁的
方式给出简明英语最基本的要求。<
/p>
它的目的是通过将学生和老师的注意力都集中到
(第二三
章)一些基本的要素,应用规则,以及人们共同的犯的作文的基本规则,来减轻老师和学生
的负担。节选的片段可能用作修正过的手稿的引用。
这本书仅仅包含英语风格领域的一小部分,
但是作者的体验是一旦能够掌握这些
细节,
学生
将会通过基于他们自己自己作品中的问题的个人指导
受益匪浅,
每个老师都有他们自己的理
论,他也会更喜欢这个在
某本书中给出的方法。
在准备这本书的手稿时,作者在康内尔
大学英语系的同事给与了作者很大的帮助。
Mr.
George McLaneWood
非常爽快地同意在规则<
/p>
11
中包含的一些内容来自于他的
Sug
gestions to
Authors.
下面的这些书籍可以作为更进一步学习的参考:
in
connection
with
Chapters
II
and
IV,
F.
Howard
Collins, Author and Printer (Henry Frowde);
Chicago University Press, Manual of Style;
T.
L.
De
Vinne,
Correct
Composition
(The
Century
Company);
Horace
Hart,
Rules
for
Compositors
and
Printers
(Oxford
University
Press);
George
McLane
Wood,
Extracts
from
the
Style-
Book of the Government Printing Office (United
States Geological Survey); in connection
with Chapters III and V
, Sir
Arthur Quiller-Couch, The Art of Writing
(Putnams), especially the
chapter,
Interlude
on
Jargon;
George
McLaneWood,
Suggestions
to
Authors
(United
States
Geological Survey); John Leslie Hall,
English Usage (Scott, Foresman and Co.); James P.
Kelly,
Workmanship in Words (Little,
Brown and Co.).
有个古老的观察:最好的作者有时会忽视修辞的规则
。然而,
当他们这么做的时候,读者将
会通常在句子中发现一些
修正的好处,
得到了违反规则的耗费。
如果他也不确定这样做,
那
他遵守这些规则会做得最好。
在他学
习这些规则之后,
经过这些规则的指导,
在每天的使用
中写出足够多的简明英语,让他看看,为了了解风格秘密,得学习文学的控制。
< br>
II.
基本的使用规则
p>
1.
单数名词所有格后加
’
的形式
当名词的最后音节为辅音时,遵循这样的规则。这样写:
Charles's friend
Burns's poems
the witch's
malice
这是美国联邦政府印刷局和剑桥大学出版社的使用方式。
p>
例外是传统的专有名词所有格使用“
-es
”和“
-is
”
,
Jesus'
所有格以及这样的一些形式,
如:
for
conscience'
sake,
for
righteousness'
sake
。但是,这些形式(
Achilles'
heel,
Moses' laws, Isis'
temple
)完全能够用下面的这些形式代替:
the heel of Achilles
the laws of Moses
the temple
of Isis
代词所有格没有撇号使用方式,如:
hers, its,
theirs, yours,
和
oneself
2.
除了最后一个
,三个或者更多的一系列词语使用逗号连接在每个词语后面。
这样写:
red, white,
and blue
honest, energetic,
but headstrong
He opened the letter,
read it, and made a note of its contents.
这也是美国联邦政府印刷局和剑桥大学出版社的使用方式。
如果是厂商的名字,那么最后一个逗号将省略,如:
Brown, Shipley and Company
在
缩写
etc
之前如果是单数,那么一般也要加上逗号。
3.
两个逗号之间的附加说明
The best way to see a country, unless
you are pressed for time, is to travel on foot.
p>
这条规则应用起来是有难度的。
它的困难之处在于你要频繁的去决定
一个简单的词语,
例如
however
,或者一个简短的短语,是否为附加说明。如果这种插入对于句子的流畅性是一种
轻微的
间断,那么作者就可以放心地省略那些逗号。但是不管这种间断是轻微还是重要的,
都不
能省略其中的一个而去留下另外一个逗号。这样的标点符号例子如:
Marjorie's husband, Colonel Nelson paid
us a visit yesterday,
或者
My brother you will be pleased to hear,
is now in perfect health,
都是站不住脚的。
与这条规则相一致的是,非限定性定语从句被逗号分开。
The audience, which had at first been
indifferent, became more and more interested.
相似的从句由
when
和
where
引起,同样加上逗号。
In 1769, when Napoleon was born,
Corsica had but recently been acquired by France.
Nether
Stowey,
where
Coleridge
wrote
The
Rime
of
the
Ancient
Mariner,
is
a
few
miles
from
Bridgewater.
在这些句子中,从句是由
which
,
where
和
when
引起的非限定性从句。它们并不是限定从
句所依赖而使用的词语,
而是对主句的增加性,附带性,
补充性说明。
每个句子都是两个独
立句子的组合。
p>
The audience was at first
indifferent. Later it became more and more
interested.
Napoleon was
born in 1769. At that time Corsica had but
recently been acquired by France.
Coleridge wrote The Rime of the Ancient
Mariner at Nether Stowey. Nether Stowey is only a
few
miles from Bridgewater.
限定性定语从句不能用逗号隔开。
The candidate who best meets these
requirements will obtain the place.
在这个
句子中,定语从句限定单词
candidate
为一个单数人,
与前面提到的不同的是,这样
的句子不能分割成两个独立的句子。
缩写词
etc
和
< br>jr
之前也通常会加上逗号,除非在句子的末尾,由一个单数跟随。
(例如:
Synonymous with
illegal: used with instruction code, character,
etc.
The place
was a blazing, raging, roaring, etc inferno.
The city's
bright lights, theatres, films, etc, are great
attractions
。
)
与在逗号之间插入附加说明表达方式的原则相似的是在一句话的主句上前置或者后置一系
列用逗号隔开的独立的句子。
这一部分所引用的句子和在第
4,5,6,7,16
和
18
原则下所引用的
例子能够有充分的指导。
如果前置的附加说明的表达是由一个连接词组成,
请在连接词之前放置第一个逗
号,
而在其
后面则不需要。
He saw us coming, and unaware that we
had learned of his treachery, greeted us with a
smile.
4.
通过
and
或者
but
引入一个独立的句子时,在
and
或者
but
之
前加上逗号。
The early records of
the city have disappeared, and the story of its
first
years can no longer be
reconstructed.
The situation is perilous, but there is
still one chance of escape.
这种独立与上下文的句子
,
可能根据需要要进行重写。
由于逗号之前的句子具有完整的语
义,
第二个从句便有了事后补充的表象。更进一步说,
and<
/p>
是最无特殊之处的连接词。它用于两
个独立的句子之间,
它意味着在这两个句子之间只是一种没有被说明的联系。
上面提到的例<
/p>
子中,这种联系表现为原因和结果。这两个句子可以重写为:
As
the
early
records
of
the
city
have
disappeared,
the
story
of
its
first
years
can
no
longer
be
reconstructed.
Although the situation is perilous,
there is still one chance of escape.
或者从句由短语代替:
Owing
to the disappearance of the early records of the
city, the story of its first years can no longer
be reconstructed.
In this perilous situation, there is
still one chance of escape.
但是,
< br>作者可能在使他写的句子一致地紧凑和完整时会产生错误,
一个随意的松散句子能
够
使作者的风格避免于太过正式,
给读者一种轻松的感觉。
p>
因此,
松散的这种风格很容易成为
一种共同
的风格————自然的写作。
但是作者应该注意的是在这些类型的句子之后不要去
构造过多的他自己的句子。
(请看第
14
p>
条规则)
。
两部分组成的句子由像这些词语引起的
as
(
意思是
because), for, or, nor,
and while (
意思是
and
at the same
time)
句子的第二部分都需要在连接词之前加上逗号。
<
/p>
如果是独立的句子,
或者引导短语需要用逗号分开,
请在第二个独立的句子之前,
而在连接
词之后不需要
逗号。
The situation is
perilous, but if we are prepared to act promptly,
there is still one chance of escape.
对于由副词连接的两部分类型句子,请看下一节。
5.
不要利用逗号加入独立的分句
<
/p>
如果两个或者更多的分句在语法上说是完整的,
那么不要加入连接
词,
而是使其成为一个简
单的并列复合句,恰当的标点符号是分
号。
Stevenson's romances are
entertaining; they are full of exciting
adventures.
It is nearly
half past five; we cannot reach town before dark.
将上面的复合句各自写成两个句子,用句号代替分号,这当然是正确的。
Stevenson's romances are
entertaining. They are full of exciting
adventures.
It is nearly
half past five. We cannot reach town before dark.
如果要加入连接词,合适的标点符号是逗号。
(规则
4
)
Stevenson's romances are entertaining,
for they are full of exciting adventures.
It is nearly half past
five, and we cannot reach town before dark.
注意:如果第二个分句是由
accordingly,
besides, so, then, therefore,
或者
thus
这样副词,而
不是由连接词引起的,则仍然需要用到分号。
I had never been in the place before;
so I had difficulty in finding my way about.
通常来说,在写作中,避免以这种方式使用
so
无
论怎样都是最好的。那些使用全面使用它
的作者可能经常会用到它,这是危险的。放弃使
用
so
,而在第一个分句之前使用
as
,这种
简单的修正是可行的:
As I had never been in the place
before, I had difficulty in finding my way about.
如果分句是很短的,并且在形式上很像,那么逗号也是可以的:
Man proposes, God disposes.
The gate swung apart, the bridge fell,
the portcullis was drawn up.
6.
不要将句子拆分成两部分
换句话说,不要使用句号代替逗号。
I met them on a Cunard liner several
years ago. Coming home from Liverpool to New York.
He was an interesting
talker. A man who had traveled all over the world,
and lived in half a dozen
countries.
p>
在这两个例子中,第一个句号都应该被逗号代替,以及后面的单词应以小写字母开头。
一个句子为了达到强调一个单词或者表达式的目的,相应地加上了标
点,这是可以的。
Again and again he
called out. No reply.
无论如何,作者都必须确信强调是受到
保证的,他并不只是怀疑标点符号方面的错误。
规则
3,4,5
和
6
包括了
普通句子标点符号方面的最重要的原则。它们必须被熟练的掌握,以
至于让它们成为一种
老的习惯。
7.
句子开头的分词短语
必须与主语相关。
Walking slowly down
the road, he saw a woman accompanied by two
children.
单词
walking
与这句话的主语相关,而不是
woman
。如果作者想与<
/p>
woman
相关,那么作者
必须彻底重写
这句话:
He saw a woman,
accompanied by two children, walking slowly down
the road.
分词短语由连接词或者介词引导,
名词同
位语,
形容词以及形容词短语,
如果放在句子开头,
也遵循同样的规则。
On arriving in Chicago, his
When he arrived (or, On his
friends met him at the station.
arrival) in Chicago, his
friends met him at the station.
A soldier of proved valor,
they entrusted him with the
defence of the city.
A
soldier of proved valor, he
was
entrusted with the
defence of the city.
Young and inexperienced, the
Young and inexperienced, I
task seemed easy to me.
thought the task easy.
Without a friend to counsel
him, the temptation proved
irresistible.
Without a
friend to counsel
him, he found the
temptation
irresistible.
违反这条规则的句子时通常是可笑的。
Being in a dilapidated condition, I was
able to buy the house very cheap.
8.
在行的末端,单词分开写以便与他们的构造和发音相一致
如果在一行的末端有空间给一个单词的单或者多音节,
但是不足以容纳整个
单词,
如果切断
的并不仅仅是一个单词的一个字母或者两个字母
,
那么分开这个单词,
我们主张的是对所有
的单词没有固定的规则。这些原则最主要的应用是:
a
.分开单词,根据他们的构造
know-ledge
(not
knowl-edge);
Shake-speare
(not
Shakes-peare);
de-scribe
(not
des-cribe);
atmo-sphere (not
atmos-phere);
b.
在元音字母上分开
edi-ble
(not
ed-
ible);
propo-sition;
ordi-
nary;
espe-cial;
reli-gious;
oppo-nents;
regu-lar;
classi-fi-ca-tion (three divisions
possible); deco-rative; presi-dent;
c.<
/p>
如果双写字母不是在单词一般形式的末尾,那么在这个双写字母之间分开这个单词
Apen-nines; Cincin-nati; refer-
ring; but tell-ing.
辅音字母组合的处理方式是最好的展示示例。
for-tune;
pic-ture;
presump-tuous;
illus-
tration;
sub-stan-tial
(either
division);
indus-try;
instruc-tion;
sug-ges-tion; incen-diary.
通过对认真出版的书籍许多
页的音节拆分联系之后,学生将会做得很好。
III.
作文的基本规则
9.
让段落成为文章的基本组成单位:一段包含一个主题
< br>
如果你所论述的主题所涉及的范围很窄,
或者你想将它
写的很简单,
那么你就没有必要将它
再划分为几个小的主题。<
/p>
这样,
一个简单的描述,
一件文学作品的
简短总结,一件普通事件
的简单记录,
一种仅仅概况某种行为的
叙述,
一种想法的付诸行动,
这些当中的任何一个主
题都最好写成一段,
当把这些段落写好之后,
我们
就要检查这些段落的划分是否有可以提高
的地方。
然而,
一个主题通常都需要划分成几个小的主题,
而且每个主题都应该单独成段。
当然,这
种将每个小的主题单独
成段的大的主题能够通过自身帮助读者理解。
每一段的开始都是给读
者以主旨的发展到了一个新的阶段的信号。
主旨划分的范
围随着文章的长短变化而变化。
例如,
一本书或者一首诗的通知
可能只包含一
段。稍微长一点的可能包含两段:
A. Account of the work.
B. Critical discussion.
为一个文学专业班级缩写的文学报告,可能包含七段:
A. Facts of composition and
publication.
B. Kind of
poem; metrical form.
C. Subject.
D. Treatment of subject.
E.
For what chiefly remarkable.
F. Wherein
characteristic of the writer.
G
. Relationship to other
works.
C
和
D
段落的内容将会随诗的不同而变化。
段落
C
将会指出诗的真实的或者想象的情况
(情
形)
p>
,如果这些需要解释,然后陈述主题以及描述它的发展。如果诗是以第三人的角度叙述
的,那么段落
C
仅仅需要包含这种行为的简明
总结。段落
D
将会指出文章的主要的思想以
及如何突出他们,或者指出作者叙述主要强调的意义何在。
一部小说可能是在下面的主题下讨论的:
A. Setting.
B.
Plot.
C. Characters.
D.
Purpose.
一起历史事件可能是在下面的主题下讨论的:
A. What led up to the event.
B. Account of the event.
C. What the event led up to.
当处理最后这两个主题的任何一个时,
作者可能会发现有必要继续划分这里给出的这些
小的
主题中的一个或者更多。
作为一
条规则,
简单句是不能被写作或者印刷成为一段的。
过渡句是它
的例外,
它指出阐述
或者论述部分之间的关系。
在对话中,
每句话甚至是仅仅一个单词都要单独成段
。
换句话说,
每一个新的段落都是以说
话者的改变而开始的。
当对话和叙述综合使用时,
这条规则的应
用最好的学习是从优秀的小
说作品例子中来。
10.
作为一条规则,每段以主旨句开头,以与开头主旨句相一致的句子结尾<
/p>
主旨再次帮助了读者。
作为练习在这里
建议:
当读者开始读每一段时,
能够使他发现这一段
要达到的目的,
当他读完这一段时,
能够将这个目
的记在心中。出于这样的原因,
特别是对
于阐述和论证,最有用
的段落类型是这样的,他们包括:
a.
在段落的开头或者周围,有一个主旨句;
b.
接下来的句子,解释或者加强或者发展这个由主旨句所做的论断;
c.
最后的句子要么强调主旨句的思想,要么陈述一些重要的结果。
p>
以离题或者一些不重要的细节作为结尾,是特别要避免的。
<
/p>
如果段落成为一篇较大文章的一部分,
那么它与它之前部分之间的
关系,
以及它在整体中作
为部分所起到的作用,可能需要表述。
这有时能够通过主旨句中仅仅一个单词或者短语
(
again;
therefore; for the same reason
)完成。然而,有时
通过在主旨句之前加上一句或者更
多的语句作为引导或者过度,
这只是权宜之计。
如果过度句需要不止一句,
那么最好将主旨<
/p>
句分离单独成段。
对于作者的写作意图,
正如上文提到的,
作者可能通过一种或者许多种不
同的方法将主
旨句和段落主体相联系。
作者可能通过使用不同的形式重述主旨句,
使用术语
定义,
否定它的独立面,
给出说明或者特殊的例子,以使其更加清晰;
作者可能通过证据创
立它,
或者通过展示它的启示和结果推动它;
在一个长段落中
,
作者可能执行这些进程中的
一些:
1
Now, to be properly
1
Topic sentence.
enjoyed, a walking tour
should be gone upon alone.
2
If you go in a company, or
2
The meaning made clearer
even in pairs, it is no longer a
by denial of the contrary.
walking tour in anything but
name; it is something else
and more in the nature of a
picnic.
3
A
walking tour should be
3
The
topic sentence
gone upon alone, because
freedom is of the essence;
because you should be able
to stop and go on, and follow
repeated, in abridged form,
and supported by three
reasons; the meaning of the
third (
this way or that, as
the freak
own pace
takes you;
and because you
denying the converse.
must have your own pace,
and
neither trot alongside a
champion
walker, nor mince
in time with a girl.
4
And you must be open to
4
A fourth reason, stated in
all impressions and let your
thoughts take colour from
what you see.
any wind to
play upon.
6
two
forms.
5
You should be as a
pipe for
5
The same reason,
stated in
still another form.
Hazlitt,
talking at the same
time.
7
When I am in the
country, I
6-7
The same
reason as stated
by Hazlitt.
wish to vegetate like the
country,
all that can be said
upon the
matter.
8
There should be no cackle
8
Repetition, in paraphrase,
of voices at your elbow, to
of the quotation from Hazlitt.
jar on the meditative silence
of the morning.
9
And so long as a man is
9
Final statement of the
reasoning he
cannot
fourth reason, in language
surrender himself to that fine
amplified and heightened to
intoxication that comes of
form a strong conclusion.
much motion in the open air,
that begins in a sort of dazzle
and sluggishness of the brain,
and ends in a peace that
passes
comprehension.
—
Stevenson,
Walking
Tours.
1
It was
chiefly in the
1
Topic
sentence.
eighteenth century that a
very
different conception of
history grew up.
2
Historians then came to
2
The meaning of the topic
believe that their task was
sentence made clearer; the
not so much to paint a picture
new conception of history
as
to solve a problem; to
defined.
explain or illustrate the
successive phases of national
growth, prosperity, and
adversity.
3
The
history of morals, of
3
The
definition expanded.
industry, of
intellect, and of
art; the changes that
take
place in manners or beliefs;
the dominant ideas that
prevailed in successive
periods; the rise, fall, and
modification of political
constitutions; in a word, all
the conditions of national
well-being became the
subjects of their works.
4
They sought rather to
write
4
The definition
explained by
a history of peoples than
a
history of kings.
5
They looked especially in
contrast.
5
The
definition
history for the chain of
causes and effects.
supplemented: another
element in the new
conception of history.
6
They undertook to study in
6
Conclusion: an important
the past the physiology of
consequence of the new
nations, and hoped by
conception of history.
applying the experimental
method on a large scale to
deduce some lessons of real
value about the conditions on
which the welfare of society
mainly
depend.
—
Lecky,
The
Political Value of
History.
在叙述和描述性
的段落中,
为了服务于将下面的这些细节整合在一起,
作者有时
以简洁的容
易理解的陈述开头:
The breeze served us admirably.
The campaign opened with a
series of reverses.
The next ten or
twelve pages were filled with a curious set of
entries.
但是这种策略如果使用太过频繁,
就会成为
一种特殊习惯。
太过平凡的开头明白无误的通过
主题说明这一段
是什么以及它所主要关联的。
At length I
thought I might return towards the stockade.
He picked up the heavy lamp
from the table and began to explore.
Another flight of steps, and they
emerged on the roof.
然而,
简洁生动
的叙述性段落通常是没有这样相似的主旨句。
修辞介入它们之间而产生的停
顿是为了服务于突出某种情节的一些细节。
11.
使用主动语态
主动语态通常比被动语态更加直接,更加有力。
I shall always remember my first visit
to Boston.
这句比下面这句更好:
My first visit to Boston will always be
remembered by me.
后面这句显得不够直接,不够大胆,不够简洁。
如果作者试图通过省略“
by me
”
,以使其简
洁。
My first
visit to Boston will always be remembered,
它将变得不确定:是作者,还是其他身份不明的人,还是整个世界,将会记住这次访问?
这条规则当然并不意味着作者应该完全摒弃通常很方便而在有些时候很需要的
被动语态。
The dramatists of the
Restoration are little esteemed to-day.
Modern readers have little
esteem for the dramatists of the Restoration.
在关于复兴时期剧作家的段落中,
第一句是正确的。
第二句则是在关于现代读者的体验的段
落中是正确的。
正如
在这些例子中,
句子的主语需要使用特殊的词语将会经常决定使用何种
< br>语态。
然而,
主动语态的习惯
性使用,
会导致强有力的写作风格。
而这种风格并不仅仅是在与
一些
情节相关的叙述文章中,
而是在任何一种题材的的文章中都
会体现。
许多乏味的描绘和阐述
性语句通过用这里或者能够听到
的这些马虎的表达取代主动语态中的及物动词,
能够变得生
动和
突出重点。
There were
a great number of
Dead leaves covered
the
dead leaves lying on the
ground.
ground.
The sound of the falls could
still be heard.
The reason
that he left
college was that his
health
became impaired.
The
sound of the falls still
reached our
ears.
Failing health compelled him
to leave college.
It was not
long before he was
He soon repented his
words.
very sorry that he had said
what he had.
作为一条规则,避免使一个被动语态依赖于另一个。
Gold was not allowed to be
exported.
It was forbidden
to export
gold (The export of gold was
prohibited).
He has been
proved to have
been seen entering the
building.
It has been proved
that he
was seen to enter the
building.
在上面的例子
中,
在改正之前,
第一个被动语态的主语决定了与第二个被动相
关的合适的词
语。
一个共同的错误就
是,
在使用名词作被动语态的主语时,
这个名词表达了全部的情
节,
使得
动词在完成句子时没有什么作用能够超越那个名词。<
/p>
A survey of this region was
made in 1900.
This region
was surveyed in
1900.
Mobilization of the army was
The army was rapidly
rapidly
carried out.
mobilized.
Confirmation of these reports
These reports cannot be
cannot be obtained.
confirmed.
比较句子,在“
The export of gold
was prohibited”
中谓语“
was prohi
bited”
表达出而不是暗示
某些事情在“
< br>export
”
。
12.
用肯定的形式表达陈述句
p>
作出明确的断言。避免使用平淡的,苍白的,犹豫的,不置可否的语句。使用单词“
not
”
的否定或者对立面的意思,绝对不要使
用逃避的意思。
He was not very
often on
time.
He did not
think that
studying Latin was much
use.
The Taming of the
Shrew
is
rather weak in
spots.
Shakespeare does not portray
Katharine as a very
admirable character, nor does
Bianca remain long in
memory
as an important
character in
Shakespeare's
works.
He
usually came late.
He thought the study
of Latin
useless.
The women
in
The Taming of
the
Shrew
are unattractive.
Katharine is disagreeable,
Bianca insignificant.
在改正之前,
最后一个例子是不确定和消极的。
所
以,
修改后的版本是一种对作者意图的简
单猜测。
这三个例子都显示了单词“
not
”固有的弱点。有意或者无意的,告诉读者不是什么,作者
对此是不会满足的;
作者想知道的是是什么。因此,作为一条规则,表达消极的意思时,最
好使用积极的形式
。
not honest
not
important
did not remember
did not pay any attention to
dishonest
trifling
forgot
ignored
did not have much confidence in
distrusted
积极与消极之间的对立是非常强烈的:
Not charity, but simple justice.
Not that I loved Caesar
less, but Rome the more.
与
no
t
相比,消极的词通常更强烈:
The sun never sets upon the British
flag.
13.
省略不必要的词句
有力的作品是简洁的。
一句话不应该包括不必要的词语,
一个段落不应该包括不必要的句子,
出于同样的原因,一幅绘画不应该
有不必要的画线,一台机器则是不应该有不必要的部分。
这并不是要求作者将他的所有句
子都缩短,或者避开所有的细节,而仅仅处理主题的轮廓,
而是要求作者用单词实现。<
/p>
许多共同使用的表达违反了这条原则:
the question as to whether
whether (the question whether)
there is no doubt but that
no doubt (doubtless)
used
for fuel purposes
he is a man who
in a hasty manner
this is a
subject which
Used for fuel
He
hastily
this
subject
His story is a strange one.
His story is strange.
尤其是表达式
the fact
that
,应该修改它所出现的每一个句子。
owing to the fact that
in spite of the fact that
since (because)
though
(although)
call your attention to the
fact that
remind you (notify you)
I was unaware of the fact that
I was unaware that (did not know)
the fact that he had not succeeded
his failure
the fact that I
had arrived
my arrival
也可以在第
v
章的时候看看这些单词:
case, character, nature, system
Who is, which
was
等等通常是多余的。
His brother, who is a member
His brother, a member of the
of the same firm
same firm
Trafalgar, which was
Nelson's last battle
Trafalgar, Nelson's last battle
由于积极的陈述比消极的陈述,以及主动语态比别的语态都更
加简洁,所以在规则
11
和
12
给出的许多例子也说明了这条规则。
通常违
反简洁性的是,
一步一步地叙述一个复杂的想法,
而将这一系列
的句子合并成一句话
会变得很有利。
Macbeth was very ambitious.
This led him to wish to
become king of Scotland.
The
witches told him that
this wish of his
would come
true. The king of Scotland
at
this time was Duncan.
Encouraged by his wife,
Macbeth murdered Duncan.
He
was thus enabled to
succeed Duncan as
king. (55
words.)
Encouraged
by his wife,
Macbeth achieved his
ambition and realized the
prediction of the witches by
murdering Duncan and
becoming king of Scotland in
his place. (26 words.)
14.
避免一连串的松散的句子
p>
与这条规则特别相关的是一种特殊形式的松散句,
这种类型的句子包
括两个子句,
第二句由
连接词或者关系词引导。虽然这种类型的
单个句子时可能是极好的(请看规则
4
)
,但是当
是一系列的时候,很快就变得单调而冗长。
一个不熟练的作者有时会构造由这种类型句子组成的一整段,使用这样的连接词:
and,
but,
而很少频繁的使用这些词:
who, which,
when, where
以及
while,
后面的这些词是非限定性的
用法(请看规则
3
)
。
The third concert of the subscription
series was
given last evening, and a
large audience was in
attendance. Mr.
Edward Appleton was the soloist,
and
the Boston Symphony Orchestra furnished the
instrumental music. The former showed
himself to
be an artist of the first
rank, while the latter proved
itself
fully deserving of its high reputation. The
interest aroused by the series has been
very
gratifying to the Committee, and
it is planned to give
a similar series
annually hereafter. The fourth
concert
will be given on Tuesday, May 10, when an
equally attractive programme will be
presented.
除了它的平淡和空洞,
上面的这一段之所以不好是因为句子的结构,
以及它们机械式的对称
性和平淡的语调。规则
10
中所引段落中的句子
或者任意优秀的英语散文中的片段,例如名
利场中的前言(在目录之前)
,都与它们形成了对比。
如果作者发现自己写了一系
列所描述的这种类型的句子,
他必须用足够多的这些方法来重新
修改,去除单调,用这些来代替:简单句,由两个子句组成的句子加入分号,由两个子句组
成的掉尾句,由三个子句组成的,最能表达真实想法关系的松散句或者掉尾句。
15.
用相似的形式表达同等的思想
对于平行结构,
这条原则要求相似内容和功能的表现形式应该在
便面上相似。
这种结构上的
相似性能够使读者更容易理解在内容
和功能上的相似性。熟悉的例子来自于《圣经》的
the
Ten Commandments, the
Beatitudes,
和
the
petitions of the Lord’s
Prayer.
不够熟练的作者经常会违反这条原则,
是由于他觉得他应该经常变换他的表达方
式,
这样一
个错误的理念。
为了突出一
个论述,
作者可能会变换表达方式来不断重复,
这是正确的。为
了说明请看在规则
10
下引用来自
p>
Stevenson
的段落。但是除了这个,他应该遵循平行结构<
/p>
的这条原则。
Formerly, science was taught
by the textbook method,
while now the laboratory
method is employed.
Formerly, science was taught
by the textbook method; now
it is taught by the laboratory
method.
左边的版本给人一
种未决定或者羞怯的感觉。
他似乎不能够或者害怕去选择以及坚持一种形
式的表达形式。右边的版本最起码作者做出了选择,并且遵循了这种表达。
<
/p>
鉴于这条原则,
应用于一系列所有成员的冠词或者介词必须是只应
用于第一部分之前或者是
每一部分之前重复。
The French, the Italians,
Spanish, and Portuguese
In
spring, summer, or in
winter
The French, the Italians, the
Spanish, and the Portuguese
In spring, summer, or winter
(In spring, in summer, or in
winter)
相关的表达
(both, and; not, but;
not only, but also; either, or; first, second,
third;
the like)
应该遵
循相同的语法结构。许多违反这条原则的例子可以通过重新安排句子结构改正。<
/p>
It was both a
long ceremony
The ceremony was both
long
and very tedious.
and
tedious.
A time not for words, but
action
A time not for words,
but for
action
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