中式英语之鉴3-4

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Reader: 王伊涵
Reading Time: 3.21-3.22
Reading Task: Chapter3-4

Summary of the content:
Chapter 3: Redundant Twins  
This chapter examines the phenomenon of "redundant twins" in Chinglish, where two or more semantically similar words or phrases are unnecessarily combined to express a single idea, resulting in verbosity. Key points include:  
1. Synonym Stacking   
Chinglish: "provide help and assistance" → Redundant.  
Improved: "provide assistance" or "help".  
Common cases: "final completion," "methods and approaches," "discuss and exchange views."  
2. Hypernym-Hyponym Repetition  
Chinglish: "various different types" → "various types" or "different types".  
Redundancy arises when a general term (e.g. "various") is paired with a specific term (e.g. "different").  
3. Recommended Fixes  
Eliminate redundancy: Retain only the most precise term.  
Rephrase: Replace the redundant pair with a single, stronger word.  
Chapter 4: Saying the Same Thing Twice  
This chapter addresses semantic repetition in Chinglish, where the same idea is expressed multiple times within a sentence or paragraph. Key patterns include:  
1. Simple Repetition  
Chinglish: "We must arrive at the station on time and be punctual."
Improved: "We must arrive at the station on time."  
2. Self-Evident Statements  
Chinglish: "We must arrive at the station on time in order to catch the train."
Improved: "We must arrive at the station on time to catch the train." (Removing redundant "in order to").  
3. Mirror Expressions  
Chinglish: "We must arrive at the station on time and not be late."  
Improved: "We must arrive at the station on time."  
4. Solutions  
Delete redundant phrases: Identify and remove repetitive clauses.  
Reframe logic: Use concise language to convey the idea once.  
  
Evaluation:
Chapters 3 and 4 emphasize eliminating redundancy to achieve clear, concise, and natural English. By avoiding "twin" terms and repetitive phrasing, writers can align with English conventions, where precision and brevity are prioritized over literal translations of Chinese rhetorical habits. The goal is to replace mechanical word-for-word translations with idiomatic efficiency.

Reflection:
Chapters 3 and 4 exposed my unconscious reliance on redundancy, a habit rooted in Chinese rhetorical traditions. I often paired synonyms like “methods and approaches” or added mirror phrases like “work hard and avoid laziness,” mistaking repetition for clarity. The book’s examples—such as trimming “final completion” to “completion”—taught me that English values precision over decorative emphasis. Revising my own sentences, like changing “innovate and create new solutions” to simply “innovate,” felt counterintuitive initially but sharpened my message. This shift from safe verbosity to concise expression has pushed me to prioritize clarity, transforming how I approach English writing.