Chapter 5-6

木榕

Reader:陶迎转
Reading Time:4.7-4.9
Reading Task:chapter 5-6
1.Content: Chapter 5 revealed two main circumstances when analysing the repeated references appearing in the sentence. When the repeated references are redundant, they need to be removed. However, they are not always being so. Therefore, to guatantee the logical progression, they need to be retained in this case. Then it explored different ways of shorting repeated references. If the idea is based on a verb, the second reference might be replaced with an expression like "do so" ,"do the same". If the idea is based on a noun accompanied by modifiers, we can abbreviate it by eliminating the modifiers,replacing the expression with initials. As for the part of initials, what impressed me most is once the meaning of these abbreviations has been established, they can be used lightly and flexibly. All in all, to avoid the tendency of redundancy, the omissions and substitutions are necessary because they followed the economy principle.
Chpter 6: The chapter made a conclusion of the preceding five chapters. I've learned that tightening loose sentence can save reader's time and make the writer's meaning more clear so that the text seem concise and succinct. It also proposed the golden rule for translators writing English, that is, to pick those words that convey to the reader the meaning of the writer and to use them and them only. The rule reminds us the professional responsibility of the translator is to select words in equal value rather than in equal measure.
2. Evaluation
The writing style is concise and clear, directly pointing out common problems in Chinglish and providing specific solutions. The book uses a large number of examples to support the viewpoints, enabling readers to understand and apply the knowledge they have learned more easily. The book emphasizes the importance of conciseness in English writing, arguing that excessive embellishment and redundant vocabulary will reduce the readability of the article and the accuracy of its expression. This idea runs through the entire book and provides us with clear writing guidance.
3. Reflection: After reading Chapters Five and Six of "A Mirror of Chinglish", I deeply realized the importance of conciseness in English writing. In daily life, I often find myself being overly verbose when writing, using too many modifiers and repetitive references. By reading this book, I have learned how to simplify sentence structures to make expressions clearer and more accurate.
Meanwhile, I realize that the problems of Chinglish exist not only in personal writing, but also widely in various translated works and official documents. This not only affects the international dissemination of Chinese culture, but may also cause misunderstandings and ambiguities. Therefore, improving the ability of English writing is of great significance for both individuals and society.