中国的雅思考生在写雅思作文的时候,很多情况下是先想好中文的句子和结构,然后直接翻译成英文,众多考生认为:
“只要我把中文翻译成英文,然后用一些高级词汇,再注意英语语法(主谓宾)和一些特殊句式(倒装、强调、从句等),我就能在雅思写作中得到一个比较好的成绩。”
但事实证明,很多考生记忆了大量高级词汇、严格遵守“X段论”、也使用了复杂句式,但雅思写作上7了吗?没有!这样的写作可能连6分都达不到!
中翻英的写作模式(或者我们常说的Chinglish)实际上有很多问题。举例来说,中翻英很容易会犯语言冗长多余的错误。这样的错误往往不仅仅是意群和概念上的,而纯粹是结构、用词上的。
- 第一等级的多余
在词语中已经包含的意思被重复再写
There have been good harvests in agriculture.
→ in agriculture是多余的
Living standards for people in both urban and rural areas continued to rise.
→ for people是多余的
The development of our economy in the future will, to a large extent, depend on the younger generation.
→ in the future是多余的
The government should adopt a series of measures to ensure that...
→ a series of是多余的
是不是惊呆了,上面这些句子很多都是“高级句”,没想到居然都有问题!别急,中国考生还会犯下面这种错误↓
- 第二等级的多余
运用了中国老师教的中式结构,句子不简洁
It is impossible for us to accomplish the transformation of the whole society overnight.
→ It is impossible for us to transform the whole society overnight.
They should conduct a careful examination of…
→ They should carefully examine…
Approval should be given to such projects.
→ Such projects should be approved.
This measure will have a restrictive effect on the activities of speculators.
→ This measure will restrict the activities of speculators.
很多考鸭就要问了,那我背高级词、用复合句式错了吗?当然没错!但前提是要用得恰如其分。怎样才能把自己的句子经营得恰如其分?需要思维与写作能力双管齐下。
说到Chinglish,我们可以再举一个例子:为什么许多老师都强调“中心句”(难道是英式八股)?看看美国文学教授Cleanth Brooks怎么说↓
A well-conceived and well-constructed paragraph is a unit, and often this unit is indicated by a key sentence— what is called the topic sentence. The topic sentence states the central thought, which the rest of the paragraph develops.
Brooks, Cleanth (1979). Modern rhetoric (pp.218). New York: Harcout Brace Jovanovich Inc.
英语段落写作要直接,因为老外们的思维方式是线性的 (linear)!而汉语思维的螺旋性 (spiral) 特点则让我们用更加迂回的方式 (a more roundabout way) 表达观点,这并不适合英文写作。
看到这里,考鸭们有没有摸到一点雅思写作的门路?不过,雅思写作的问题可远不止这些。
如何避免雅思写作中多余冗长的结构?
如何进行因果论证、举例论证?
还有哪些方法增强雅思写作内容的说服力?
如何让你的写作高级又地道,轻松get雅思写作高分?
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