1.在英文写作中,最好的方法是效仿英文为母语的写作者。
2.资深的英文写作者,都喜欢直接而间接的写作方式。在中文写作中,作者有时候会假定读者已经知道主语是谁而将其省略,而英文中主语是必须有的,不能省略。
7.1句子的意思要特定、清楚
badex:OurmethodisbetterthanSmith'smethod.
goodex:ourmethodismoreaccuratethanSimth'smethodandnearlytwiceasfast.
badex:TheproposedalgorithmperformsbetterthanChen'salgorithm.
goodex:TheproposedalgorithmismoreefficientthanChen'salgorithm.
badex:Wehavealsoconsiderthephenomenonofthefringeeffect.
goodex:Wemustalsoconsiderthefringeeffect.
badex:Theproposedalgorithmisverysimpleindesignandisquitefastandsomewhateasiertoprogramthanpreviousmethods.
goodex:Theproposedalgorithmissimple,fastandeasierthanpreviousmethods.
4.去除多余动词
badex:ThefinalestimatesaresummarizedandlistedinTable8.
goodex:ThefinalestimatesarelistedinTable8.
badex:Thegeneratingfunctionfornodexisgivenandderivedasfollows.
goodex:Thegeneratingfunctionfornodexcouldbederivedasfollows.
5.去除多余代名词
badex:Theflamethatisproducedbythisfuelisextremelyunusual.
goodex:Theflameproducedbythisfuelisextremelyunusual.
wrongex:Theflamethatproducedbythisfuelisextremelyunusual.(要嘛一起留,要嘛一起删除)
badex:Theprofessorwhoisteachingthecoursethisyearisveryknowledgeable.
goodex:Theprofessorteachingthecoursethisyearisveryknowledgeable.
7.2不必要的应该省略
badex:wemustalsoconsiderthephenomenonofthefringeeffect(边缘效应).
goodex:wemustalsoconsiderthefringeeffect.
badex:basically,theprocesscanbedividedintotwoparts.
goodex:theprocesscanbedividedintotwoparts.
如果作者的意思是要强调basically的话,则应该将basic放在part的前面进行修饰:
goodex:theprocesscanbedividedintotwobasicparts.
我常犯的错误:
(1)一直认为中间加一个宾语,然后后面用短语结构(比如of,with引导的短语)能使句子更清晰,是错误的想法。
(2)一直认为中间用过副词过渡会显得更地道,其实是错误的。
badex:theproposedalgorithmisverysimpleindesignandisquitefastandsomewhateasiertoprogramthanpreviousmethods.
goodex:theproposedalgorithmissimpleandfastandeasiertoprogramthanpreviousmethods.
badex:itistheaimoftheresearchinthispapertoproposeandjustifyrecommendedmodificationstothecnventionalmethodsoastoenhanceandstrengthentheperformanceandeffecivenessofonlinecontrolsystems.
goodex:theaimofthispaperistomodifytheconventionalmethodsoastoenhancetheeffectivenessofon-linecontrolsystems.
注意:使用最直接能够表达出意思的动词,最直接最清楚的表达出意思,少绕来绕去,造成句子太长,让读者晕掉,最终词不达意。
badex:thefinalestimatesaresummarizedandlistedintable8.
goodex:thefinalestimatesarelistedintable8.
注:一个动词就已经足够表达句子的意思了,何必用两个动词呢?
badex:theflamethatisproducedbythisfuelisextremelyunusual.
goodex:theflameproducedbythisfuelisextremelyunusual.
注:省略thatis,这种类型的主语从句,引导词和其相应的系动词可以一起省略,但是不能只省略其中之一。
7.3句子的意思要直接
用直接、率直的方法叙述句子的重点,而不要让读者迂回的解读。
badex:inthispaper,weconcentrateoureffortsontheseissues.
goodex:inthispaper,weinvestigatetheseissues.
badex:inthispaper,wewilltrytoproposeanewmethodtosolvethisproblem.
goodex:inthispaper,wewillproposeanewmethodtosolvethisproblem.
注:删除tryto,常犯错误
badex:inthissection,wewillfocusoninvestigatingtherelationshipbetweentheseparameters.
goodex:inthissection,wewillinvestigatetherelationshipbetweentheseparameters.
注:删除focuson,常犯错误
避免画蛇添足,认为加了这些词能够强调重点,其实都是多余。
7.4避免塞满名词的句子以及弱动词
7.4.1塞满名词
badex:thismethodhastheadvantageofaccuracybutthedisadvantageofslowness.
goodex:themethodisaccuratebutslow.
注:塞满了名词,其实用几个形容词就能代替,可能这里想强调的是优缺点,但其实用相应的形容词是优点还是缺点,读者已经明白。
badex:theproblemiscausedbythelackofconsiderationoftheeffectofthebandwidthgainthatresultsfromtheterminationrequest.
revisedex:theproblemiscausedbecausewefailedtoconsidertheeffectofthebandwidthgainresultingfromtheterminationrequest.
goodex:theproblemiscausedbecauseweneglectedtheeffectofthebandwidthgainresultingfromtheterminationrequest.
7.4.2弱动词
badex:thecalculationofthisparametercanbeperformedusingLee'salgorithm.
goodex:theparametercanbecalculatedusingLee'salgorithm.
accurateex:thevalueofparametercanbecalculatedusingLee'salgorithm.
注:perform这种动词无法最直接的表达出动作,parameter是被计算,直接用计算这个动词最直接的表达,无需将其变成名词,然后在用其他的弱动词。
badex:theyreachedtheconclusionthatadisruptiveapproachismoreeffective.
goodex:theyconcludedthatadisruptiveapproachismoreeffective.
注:原来的句子可能作者会觉得比较地道,实则不然。
7.5多使用主动语态
badex:thetestsubjectswereshownbytheexperimentalresultstoprefersweetfoods.
goodex:theexperimentalresultsshowedthatthetestsubjectspreferredsweetfoods.
7.6尽量用肯定的说法
badex:thistechniquedoesnotproducegoodresult.
goodex:thistechniqueproducepoor/unsatisfactoryresult.
7.7必要时才用虚主语结构
如果把另外一个词摆在句首,就可以造出比较清晰,间接的句子,那就应该避免以itis/therebe开头的句子。
7.7.1避免therebe
badex:thereareseveralmethodsthathavebeenproposedforselectingthefittestindividuals.
goodex:severalmethodshavebeenproposedforselectingthefittestindividuals.
注:中枪了,therebe句型少用!!!
7.7.2避免itshouldbe...,用祈使句代替,避免句子太冗长。
badex:itshouldalsobenotedthat...
goodex:notethat...
badex:itcanbeobservedthat...
goodex:observethat...
7.8科技论文中的第一人称复数代名词的用法
如果用第一人称复数we可以写出比较清楚、间接的句子,就大胆采用。
有些作者不太敢使用第一人称we,因为担心这样会让人觉得主观,不符合科技论文的客观原则,这是个理解的误区。用第一人称,对于报告内容客观与否,毫无影响。
badex:theproposedmethodrequirestobeshowntobemoreaccuratethantheconventionalone.
goodex:weneedtoshowthattheproposedmethodismoreaccuratethantheconventionalone.
但有时候we这一类型的第一人称不是必须的,比如:
ex1:fromthegraph,weobservethatthevalueofxincreasessharplyaftertimet.
ex2:thegraphshowsthatthevalueofxincreasessharplyaftertimet.
不过有点感觉是下头这个稍微好点。
7.9避免不必要的术语
谨记使用专业术语的目的是希望用比较简短、直接的方式来表达日常语言无法简介表达的观念。但要避免使用不必要的专业术语,当用日常用语就能够很简介的表达清楚的话。
7.10避免直接疑问句
在英语科技写作中,当作者需要提出问题或者新的课题时,通常都是使用直属局或者间接疑问句,而不是使用直接疑问句。
badex:animportantquestionis,"whydoweneednormalization"thisquestionwillbeaddressedinthenextsection.
goodex:thenextsectionwillexplainwhynormalizationisneeded.