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(Plain English),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(big word)或过时的字眼(old-fashioned word),例如:
Many people feel that moral education is the infrastructure of higher learning.(许多人认为道德教育是高等知识的基础)(如果用 foundation 或 basis 代替 infrastructure 就更明白)
Three hundred acres of land is the parameter of our universitys expansion(growth).(三百英亩的土地是本大学发展的限度)(如果用limit代替parameter,会更简单易懂。)
This news has been disseminated all over the U.S.(这消息已散布到全美各地)(如果用spread取代disseminated,不更简单?)(动词时态是:spread, spread, spread)
The president of this college is not diminutive in size.(这大学的校长个子不小)(假如用small代替diminutive,不更明白吗?)
I have to elucidate this document to my staff.(我要向我的员工解释这份文件)(如用explain代替elucidate,也许更明白。)
Mr. A will endeavor to be a physician.(A 先生想尝试当个医生)(如果用try代替endeavor,会更浅白。)(endeavour = endeavor)
We hope to visualize world peace in the future.(我们希望将来看到世界和平)(如果用see代替visualize,也许更简单!)
The charitable organization solicits for our annual donation.(慈善机构恳求我们一年捐一次。)(假如用 ask 代替 solicit,更浅白易懂。)(solicitation是名词)
We dont know what may transpire when we have a new boss.(我们不知道新老板来后会有什么事发生。)(如果用happen代替transpire,也许更明白。)
Please act as soon as possible on the aforementioned matter.(前面提过的事,请尽速办理。)(如果用 previous 代替古字 aforementioned 不是更明白
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