中式英语之鉴读书笔记

Azi

Reader: 英语2301石希羽
Reading Time: 2025.3.5
Reading Task: Unnecessary Nouns and Verbs in Chinglish
Unnecessary Nouns
Often appear in short phrases with articles and prepositions.
Many are redundant as their meaning is already included or implied in other parts of the sentence.
Examples:
"to accelerate the pace of economic reform" → "to accelerate economic reform"
"there have been good harvests in agriculture" → "there have been good harvests"
"living standards for the people in both urban and rural areas continued to rise" → "living standards in both urban and rural areas continued to rise"
Category nouns (e.g., "work" in "a serious mistake in the work of planning") are often unnecessary.
Unnecessary Verbs
Often occur in phrases combined with nouns.
Two principal types:
Unnecessary verb + noun (e.g., "make an improvement" → "improve")
Unnecessary verb + unnecessary noun + third word (e.g., "our efforts to reach the goal of modernization" → "our efforts to modernize")
Overworked introductory verb phrases (e.g., "make great efforts to", "pay attention to", "do a good job in") are common in Chinglish and can clutter sentences and obscure their point.
Evaluation
Writing Style
The writing style is clear, concise, and instructional. The author uses examples to illustrate points, making it easy for readers to understand and apply the concepts.
The use of brackets for comments and explanations adds clarity and helps readers grasp the nuances of the suggestions.
Theme
The theme is the elimination of unnecessary nouns and verbs in Chinglish to improve clarity and conciseness.
The author emphasizes the importance of using plain, straightforward language to convey meaning effectively.
Ideas
The ideas presented are practical and relevant for anyone writing or translating in English, especially those dealing with Chinglish.
The author's insights into common patterns of unnecessary words and phrases are valuable for improving writing style.
Inspiration and Reflection
In my personal life, this section reminds me of the importance of editing and revising my writing to eliminate redundancy and improve clarity.
It encourages me to be more mindful of my word choices and to strive for conciseness in my communication.
In the context of social issues, this section highlights the need for clear and effective communication in various domains, such as government reports, academic writing, and business communications.
It underscores the importance of language proficiency in a globalized world where English is often the common language of communication.
Thoughts
The discussion on overworked introductory verb phrases is particularly insightful, as these phrases can become tedious and lose their power of exhortation through overuse.
The author's comparison to the speech of a native English speaker who uses similar phrases habitually illustrates the universal nature of this issue and the importance of being mindful of language use.