Part one

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Inspiring Excerpt:
One of the most common features of Chinglish is the tendency to use more words than necessary. For instance, instead of saying 'advance planning,' many Chinese learners write 'preliminary advance planning,' unaware that 'advance' already implies 'preliminary.' Such redundancies clutter sentences and obscure meaning.

This passage struck me deeply because I recognized my own writing habits in it. As a Chinese ESL learner, I often subconsciously add "explanatory" words to ensure clarity, fearing that concise expressions might be misunderstood. For example, in a recent essay, I wrote: "We must adopt a positive attitude to actively solve these problems." After reading the book, I realized that "actively solve" is redundant—"solve" inherently requires action. The revised version (We must adopt a positive attitude to solve these problems) is sharper and equally clear.
Key Takeaways:
1. Precision Over Verbosity: The book taught me that good English prioritizes precision. Redundant modifiers like "completely eliminate" or "repeat again" weaken rather than strengthen statements.  
2. Cultural Nuances in Translation Directly translating Chinese structures (e.g., 加强建设 → "strengthen the construction of") often creates unnecessary nouns. Native speakers would simply say "improve" or "develop."  
3. Self-Editing Strategies: I now use a three-step checklist when revising:  
Hunt for paired words (adverbs + verbs/adjectives + nouns).  
Replace noun-heavy phrases with strong verbs (e.g., "conduct an investigation" → "investigate").  
Read sentences aloud—if a word doesn’t add meaning or rhythm, delete it.

In my recent translation assignment, the original Chinese sentence was: "我们需要对这项计划进行进一步的优化和调整。" My initial translation was: "We need to carry out further optimization and adjustments to this plan." Applying the book’s principles, I revised it to: "This plan requires further refinement." The latter saves six words while conveying the same message with sophistication.

Part One of The Translator's Guide to Chinglishhas been a mirror reflecting my ingrained habits. It challenges me to unlearn the "more is better" mindset and embrace the elegance of simplicity. Moving forward, I plan to analyze official documents (e.g., UN reports) to study how professionals avoid verbosity, turning this awareness into intuitive writing competence.