美国人写作三个原则（二）
<p>这就像美国大文豪马克吐温 <span word="Mark">Mark</span> <span word="Twain">Twain</span> 说的：我不愿在字典里找长字或难字，我绝不用<span word="metropolis">metropolis</span>这个字，因为我同样可以用<span word="city">city</span>这个字来代替。罗斯福总统为了强调美国政府不会遗忘那些穷人，在一篇讲词里用了这么一句：<span word="We">We</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="endeavoring">endeavoring</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="construct">construct</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="more">more</span> <span word="inclusive">inclusive</span> <span word="society">society</span>.后来被人批评咬文嚼字，卖弄文笔。如果用浅白易懂的字眼写成：<span word="We">We</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="going">going</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="make">make</span> <span word="this">this</span> <span word="country">country</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="which">which</span> <span word="no">no</span> <span word="one">one</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="left">left</span> <span word="out">out</span>.或<span word="We">We</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="trying">trying</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="make">make</span> <span word="everyone">everyone</span> <span word="equal">equal</span>.也许更简单明白!</p><p>2. 老外也主张不写噜苏或绚丽的字眼(<span word="flowery">flowery</span> <span word="or">or</span> <span word="wordy">wordy</span>)，句子应该越短越好，一句能用两个字，绝不多加一个。 例如：</p><p><span word="At">At</span> <span word="this">this</span> <span word="point">point</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="time">time</span>, <span word="we">we</span> <span word="should">should</span> <span word="pull">pull</span> <span word="together">together</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="our">our</span> <span word="goal">goal</span>.(现在我们应该为我们的目标团结一致!)(如果说：<span word="Now">Now</span>, <span word="we">we</span> <span word="should">should</span> <span word="pull">pull</span>更简单。因为 <span word="at">at</span> <span word="this">this</span> <span word="point">point</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="time">time</span> = <span word="now">now</span>)</p><p><span word="Despite">Despite</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="fact">fact</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="English">English</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="very">very</span> <span word="good">good</span>, <span word="I">I</span> <span word="am">am</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="discouraged">discouraged</span>. (虽然我的英语不好，但我不灰心。)(如果说：<span word="Although">Although</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="English">English</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="not">not</span> 就更简短。因为<span word="despite">despite</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="fact">fact</span> <span word="that">that</span>= <span word="although">although</span> = <span word="Though">Though</span>)</p><p><span word="I">I</span> <span word="am">am</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="opinion">opinion</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="Mr">Mr</span>. <span word="Lee">Lee</span> <span word="should">should</span> <span word="resign">resign</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="this">this</span> <span word="position">position</span>.(我想李先生应该辞职。)(假如说：<span word="I">I</span> <span word="think">think</span> <span word="Mr">Mr</span>. <span word="Lee">Lee</span> <span word="should">should</span>不是更简单吗?因为<span word="I">I</span> <span word="am">am</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="opinion">opinion</span> = <span word="I">I</span> <span word="think">think</span>)</p><p><span word="He">He</span> <span word="quitted">quitted</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="job">job</span> <span word="due">due</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="fact">fact</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="he">he</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="sick">sick</span>.(他由于生病而辞职)(若说：<span word="He">He</span> <span word="quitted">quitted</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="job">job</span> <span word="because">because</span> <span word="he">he</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="sick">sick</span>. 更简单。因为 <span word="due">due</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="fact">fact</span> <span word="that">that</span> = <span word="because">because</span>)</p>
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