英語寫作中的常見誤區(qū)與克服方法
寫作在英語學(xué)習(xí)中是培養(yǎng)和提高語言能力的有效手段,它有助于鞏固和掌握所學(xué)詞匯、語法等語言知識,有助于訓(xùn)練直接用所學(xué)語言進(jìn)行思維,有利于提高駕馭語言的能力。英語寫作中的常見誤區(qū)有哪些呢?又有什么克服方法呢?
英語寫作中的常見誤區(qū)與克服方法
通常說來,重復(fù)是語言之大忌(當(dāng)然作為修辭手段的重復(fù)例外),幾乎所有的語言都力求簡練、簡潔,避免單調(diào)乏味、拖泥帶水。而在作為外語的英語寫作中我們經(jīng)常發(fā)現(xiàn),對一個詞、詞組、句子結(jié)構(gòu)、概念等的漫不經(jīng)心和無可奈何的重復(fù)現(xiàn)象屢見不鮮,致使語言顯得冗長、累贅。通過對高中生和大學(xué)生的部分作文加以分析,我們可以將這種不當(dāng)或不必要的重復(fù)分為以下兩種類型:語言形式上的重復(fù)和語言信息的冗余。
語言形式上的重復(fù)是指在文章中反復(fù)使用同一個詞、詞組或句子結(jié)構(gòu);所謂語言信息的冗余是指某一信息點(diǎn)以同一種或不同形式反復(fù)出現(xiàn)。在此僅舉一例加以說明:在一篇 “Who Is Your Idol”的調(diào)查報告中,學(xué)生這樣寫道:The other day, we did a survey on “Who Is Your Idol”. Boys and girls have different opinionson it . 接下來寫道:50% of the girls choose film stars and TV stars as their idols while 48% of the boys choose sports stars as their idols. 上述描寫中的黑體字choose 重復(fù)就屬于前者,而其它的黑體字部分就屬于后者。
筆者就此問題在學(xué)生中進(jìn)行了廣泛的調(diào)查,通過細(xì)致的研究與分析,將這類錯誤的原因歸納如下:一是學(xué)生的語言量不足,語言貧乏;二是學(xué)生出于自己理解與表達(dá)習(xí)慣及某種程度上的漢語干擾而導(dǎo)致的有效避免這類重復(fù)的主觀意識不強(qiáng),寫作時隨意表達(dá)的成分過重。鑒于上述原因,筆者認(rèn)為在具體的教學(xué)、指導(dǎo)與訓(xùn)練中,應(yīng)根據(jù)英語中有效避免不必要的重復(fù)的兩種常見手段,從以下幾個方面著手加以改進(jìn):
一. 替代:替代是英語中最常用的有效避免重復(fù)的方法與手段,主要包括以下幾個方面:
一)同義詞和同義句型的使用:
英語中存在著大量的同義詞和表達(dá)同類內(nèi)容的不同句型,這就為有效避免重復(fù)提供了物質(zhì)條件,使避免重復(fù)成為可能。比如表達(dá)意見和看法的詞有think, consider, find, feel等等;句型有think that…, think\consider it +adj\n (to do\that…)等等。這類表達(dá)方式在各種教材中都有大量的經(jīng)典范例?,F(xiàn)以人教版高三英語為例加以說明:
1.1)There are many different varieties of bee.
2)Among the different kinds of bee, it is the honey-bee that has interested scientists most….
2.1)After working with bees for many years, Professor von Frisch was puzzled by something again and again.
2) It repeated these circles over and over again .
3) It kept repeating the “steps” over and over.
3.1) Things were clear now. It was evident that the circle dance told the bees about the location of the feeding place. It was also apparent that the wagging dance sent another message about the feeding place.
2) So another astonishing fact came to light.
以上三組例句選自于人教版高三英語第三冊第十四單元“The Language of the Honey-bees”,不難看出其中的黑體字部分就是通過同義詞的使用而有效的避免了不必要的重復(fù)。
4.People react to advertisements in different ways. Some people find ads useful and entertaining; others think that they are annoying. Defenders of ads say that ads help us make informed choices as consumers by introducing good quality products. On the other hand, critics sometimes accuse companies of using ads to mislead us by making us believe that a certain product is better than it really is or that we will be happier if we buy it.
仔細(xì)閱讀人教版第五單元“Advertising”中的這段文字,我們可以發(fā)現(xiàn)作者在表達(dá)不同的意見和看法時,除了使用近義詞如find,think,say,accuse的手段避免了重復(fù)外,句型結(jié)構(gòu)的變化也是很值得研究和借鑒的,如find ads useful,think that,accuse companies of…。
二)代詞替代:即用代詞替代上文或下文中出現(xiàn)的名詞、詞組或句子:
1.Translation from English to Chinese is not so easy as that from English into French.(英譯 漢不如英譯 法容易) (用that替代前文中的translation)。
2.We still have many failings . We are not afraid to admit them and are determined to get rid ofthem. (我們的毛病 還很多。我們不怕說出自己的毛病 ,我們一定要改正自己的毛病 。)(用them替代failings)
3.Ours is still a very poor country . (我們的國家現(xiàn)在還是一個很窮的國家。)(用ours替代后文中的country。)
上述情況英漢兩種語言存在著較大差異,重復(fù)是漢語常用的手段,而英語中則常用代詞替代。學(xué)生寫作時往往容易受漢語的干擾而犯簡單機(jī)械性重復(fù)的錯誤。
三)名詞替代:常見的名詞替代主要指表示“種”與“類”的名詞之間的替代關(guān)系。如:
The cattle became tired and weak. The animals dragged their legs, too weak to pull their burden, and their tongues hung out in desperate need of water. Yet, our water supply was so low that we dared not share it with the beasts .
上述例句中,animals(動物)是“種”概念,beast(獸,尤指四足獸)是“類”概念,是animal的一種;而cattle(牛)也是“類”概念,是beast中的一類。
四)動詞替代;即用代動詞do、do this\it\that、do so、so do I 、Neither do I 等代替前文中的謂語動詞。如:
1.However, we actually learn a foreign language much faster than we do our mother tongue.
2. …in other words, you were studying the language all day long ! You did this for five years,…
3. You should help him since you have promised to do so .
4.He promised us that he would do his best to help us, and he did .
5.You don`t want to go to the cinema tonight, neither do I.
6.I like reading novels, so does he.
五)分句性替代:即用so或not來替代that從句或與if連用替代上文中某一句的內(nèi)容。如:
1.People believe that the American team will win the football game. Peter thinks so , but I believe not .
2.I`ll probably see you on Sunday; if not , it will be Monday.
3. Does the President intend to go to Moscow? And if so , when?