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北京大学李博主编的《新编大学英语辅导》(P.274)为浙江大学应惠兰主编的《新编大学英语》第一册第八单元Translation练习第七小题——“对这么一幢大房子来说这价格相当便宜,但……”(P.217)所做的答案是"The price is fairly cheap for such a big house,but..."
显然,作者在此是一味地用汉语的“价格便宜”去套用英语,因此就有了上面的"The price is fairly cheap"之说。殊不知这是一句典型的“中式英语”。英文中与"price"(价格、价钱)搭配的形容词只能是"low"(低)或"high"(高),而不是"cheap"(便宜)或"dear"(昂贵)。因此汉语中的“价格便宜/昂贵”的确切英文译文应为"The price is(fairly)low/high",而非"The price is(fairly)cheap/dear"。英语中与"cheap"和"dear"搭配使用的名词应是具体的物品或服务,如"The house/book/meal is cheap/dear"。
由此可见英汉两种语言表达上的差异之一斑。如盲目地用汉语去生搬硬套英语,就会走进英语学习的误区。同时,若将学生在四级统考中所写的中式英语泛滥的作文与充斥当今市场的四、六级写作指南等书中所出现的类似上面提到的屡见不鲜的中式英语——"my most favorite TV program""the far distance""to improve the level of..."以及一些老师在英语课堂上讲的蹩脚英语——"Today,I'll teach you lesson XX."(今天我教你们××课)、"As students,you must try your best to learn knowledge."等联系起来看,便可进一步发现,学生的中式英语除了受到本族语言的影响所致外,还与老师及著作者的指导不当,甚至是误导有关。如果说作为初学者的学生在学练过程中出现些中式英语尚可理解,那么身为人师的教员,特别是著书立说的作者,其英语水平尚且停留在中式英语表达上,就不能不令人感到遗憾和担忧了。
下面将英汉表达上一些最常见的差异进行简单的归类比较,以便读者对照学习和掌握。
1.动词用法差异
a.学习知识
误:Learn knowledge
正:acquire/obtain/accumulate/enrich/absorb/take in/seek/be after/be in pursuit of knowledge
b.做个好人
误:do a good man
正:be a good man
c.提高英语水平
误:improve the level of one's English
正:improve one's English
2.形容词、副词用法差异
a.我最理想的职业
误:my most ideal job
正:my ideal job
b.我最喜欢的电视节目
误:my most favorite TV program
正:my favorite TV program
c.英勇作战
误:fight brave
正:fight bravely
d.饮酒过量
误:drink too excessively
正:drink excessively/too much
3.形容词与名词搭配使用上的差异
a.费用/房租/价钱便宜或昂贵
误:The cost/rent/price is cheap or dear.
正:The cost/rent/price is low or high.
b.离此处(距离)近/远
误:It is near/far distance from here.
正:It is a short/long distance from here.
正:It is near/far from here.
4.介词使用差异
a.住在校园里
误:live in(the)campus
正:live on(the)campus
b.鸟在树上唱
误:Birds are singing on a tree.
正:Birds are singing in a tree.
5.连词使用上的差异
a.对大脑的工作方式产生兴趣
误:be interested in the way how the human brain works
正:be interested in the way(that/in which)the human brain works
正:be interested in how the human brain works
b.(他迟到的)原因是因为……
误:The reason(why he is late)is because...
正:The reason(why he is late)is that...
c.尽管她很疲劳,但她仍继续坚持工作。
误:Although she was very tired,but she still kept on working.
正:Although she was very tired,she still kept on working.
正:She was very tired,but she still kept on working.
6.其他方面的差异
a.我们开始学英语到现在已八年了.
误:We have begun to learn English for eight years.
正:It has been eight years since we began to learn English.
正:We have learnt English for eight years.
b.我们只有努力,才能取得成功。
误:Only we study hard can we succeed.
正:Only by studying hard can we succeed.
正:Only when/if we study hard call we succeed.
至于前面提到的"Today,I'll teach youlesson XX"的蹩脚英语,既不准确,又令学生感到压抑,因为"teach sb.a lesson"是“教训某人一顿”。因此正确的说法应为——"Today,we'll study(or begin with)Lesson XX"或"Today,we'll discuss Lesson XX or discuss the text in Lesson XX",这样不仅能给学生灌输准确地道的英语,便于学生学习和模仿,而且能活跃课堂气氛,调动学生的积极性,体现了以学生为主体,老师为主导的教学思想。
从如此众多的英汉差异中,读者不难看出只有在平时学、练、用的语言实践中做到多留心、多思考、多比较,才能认识并掌握英语自身的语言规律及其表达习惯,少受本族语的影响,少说中式英语。特别是我们的老师和著作者,在传授知识和著书立说时更应做到严谨治学、严谨治教、勤思善导、慎之又慎,切忌想当然地用汉语套英语,误己害人。