由于美国人生活繁忙、紧张,讲求快速,时间就是金钱,所以近年来许多美国大学也在推行日常生活的讲和写,不用难字,不写长句,不含偏见的「三不」。也就是说,尽量使用简短易懂的白话英语 ,写得愈白愈好,用字愈少愈妙,使别人可以一目了然,充分了解。这不但可节省「思索」时间,也可避免对方的误解。还有,老外为了族群和谐相处,也不使用带有偏见的字眼。以下即为一些例子,以供读者参考。
1、尤其在商业上,报章杂志或公文书信上,尽量不用难字 或过时的字眼 ;
例如:Many people feel that moral education is the infrastructure of higher learning.
Three hundred acres of land is the parameter of our university,s expansion .
This news has been disseminated all over the U.S.
The president of this college is not diminutive in size.
I have to elucidate this document to my staff.
Mr. A will endeavor to be a physician.
We hope to visualize world peace in the future. (如果用see代替visualize,也许更简单!)
The charitable organization solicits for our annual donation. (假如用 ask 代替 solicit,更浅白易懂。)
We dont know what may transpire when we have a new boss.
Please act as soon as possible on the aforementioned matter.
Despite the fact that my English is not very good, I am not discouraged. (虽然我的英语不好,但我不灰心。)
He quitted the job due to the fact that he was sick.
I will bring the matter to the attention of Mr. Wang.
如果只说:I will tell Mr. Wang . 不是更简单吗?因为 bring the matter to the attention of = tell = inform) ; 同理,也要避免意义的重复或用字的多余 ; 例如:
The consensus(of opinion)is that we have to act right away.(大家认为我们必须立即行动) conclusion in his speech.(他在演说里做出结论) experience in business。(他有多年经商的经验) all the parts for our radio.(我们装好收音机的零件) please find the report of the meeting.(herewith 是多余的字,因为 enclosed 就有 herewith 的意思)
写到这里,想起一位深受美国人民爱戴,一向主张不写长句、不噜苏的美国已故参议员 Stephen Young,他每次受邀参加会议、演ll be there)。也有人打趣的说:「讲演或写作的句子,就像穿迷你裙,愈短愈好。」(Like wearing mini-skirt, sentences in speech or writing should be the shorter, the better.)
此外还有:in reference to = about; draw to close = end; at an early date = soon等。
3、老外为了族群和谐相处,除不用歧视或偏见的字眼外,连男女性别,也要避免区别,以示「平等」。 例如:
Mankind are considered the smartest animals in the world。(人类是世上最聪明的动物)= Man is the smartest animal。 has been a committee chairman since 1998.
Many businessmen feel their jobs are very stressful.(许多商人觉得工作压力很大) 改为 business people 或 business executives 或 business managers 就可包括男女了)
Policemen should treat citizens with courtesy.(警察对人民应该有礼貌) should speak up for their constitutes. (国会议员应该为其选民说话) (我们也可以把 congressmen 或 congresswomen 改为 members of congress 或 congressional representatives)
Stewardesses for international regions may get jet lag sometimes.(国际航线的空中小姐有时会有时差疲惫的现象)(如把 stewardess 改为 flight attendant,就能包括男女空中服务员。)
同理,我们可以把 salesman 或 saleswoman 改为 salesperson;把 mailman 改为 mail carrier 或 postal worker;把 foreman 改为 supervisor 等等。
当然,一些带有种族偏见的字眼,甚至有侮辱的味道(insulting words 或 slur),也要尽量避免使用,以免闹出麻烦。例如:
对黑人不要用 Negro,更不能用 Nigger(用 Black 还可以),礼貌的说法是 Afro-American 或 African-American;
对白人不要用 Honky(这是黑人骂白人的用字),正确用法是 Caucasian,或 white people;
对犹太人不要用 Hymies,应该叫 Jewish 或 Jewish people;
对越南人不要用 Gook,要用 Vietnamese;
至于墨西哥人、西班牙人及中、南美洲人,包括 Puerto Rico,正确的用法多是 Hispanics 或 Latins,不过据说西班牙人为了维护自己的文化,倒喜欢别人称为 Spaniard。
还有黑白结婚的孩子,也不可称为 Oreo(Oreo 饼乾外面是巧克力,里面是白奶油)。
有偏见的老外,不叫华人为 Chinese,而叫 Chink 或 Chinaman(从前还叫「Yellow Peril」,即黄祸)。
遇到这种事,怎么办呢?我建议:「君子不与小人斗」,最好是「不理」(ignore)或「走开」(walk away)。不过老外与你谈话时,如果使用这些不礼貌的字眼,那么你就可以说:「For your information, the word you just used is derogatory(或 inappropriate)to describe someone of my race.」(只想让你知道:你刚刚所用的字,来描写我的族群,是很不合适的)。这时,你也可说一句「拜拜」了。
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