Contrast between English and Chinese (1)   

◇Teaching Contents:

I. Thinking Style and Diction

A. Abstract  vs. Concrete

An excessive reliance on the noun at the expense of verb will, in the end, detach the mind of the writer from the realities of here and now, from when and how and in what mood the thing was done, and insensibly induce a habit of abstraction, generalization and vagueness.    

                                                       ─G. M. Young

1. Embodiment

e.g. The signs of the times point to the necessity of the modification of the system of administration.（Times）

   It is becoming clear that the administrative system must be modified.

    行政系统需要改革，这一点已经越来越清楚了。

e.g. There seems to have been an absence of attempt at conciliation between rival 

sects. (Daily Telegraph)

   The rival sects seem never even to have tried mutual conciliation.

   对立的派别似乎从未试图谋求和解。

2. Visualization

e.g. utterly quiet鸦雀无声

e.g. In 1966 the North Korean team made it to the quarter finals.

译：1966年，北朝鲜队成功地踢进了四分之一决赛。

perfect harmony	水乳交融
careful consideration	深思熟虑
total exhaustion	精疲力竭
impudence	厚颜无耻
ardent loyalty	赤胆忠心
feed on fancies	画饼充饥
offend public decency	伤风败俗
make a little construction	添砖加瓦
await with great anxiety	望穿秋水
disintegration	土崩瓦解
lack of perseverance	三天打鱼，两天晒网

 

B. Static（静）vs. Dynamic（动）

Examples:

1) 名词化（Nominalization）

Comparison:

a) The doctor arrived extremely quickly and examined the patient uncommonly carefully; the result was that he recovered very speedily.

The doctor’s extremely quick arrival and uncommonly careful examination of the patient brought about his speedy recovery.

医生迅速赶到，并非常仔细地检查了病人，因此病人很快就康复了。

b) Freedom-loving people everywhere condemned them because they violated the agreement reached at Helsinki and abused basic human rights in their own country.

      The abuse of basic human rights in their own country in violation of the agreement reached at Helsinki earned them the condemnation of freedom-loving people everywhere.

      他们违反在赫尔辛基达成的协议，在国内践踏基本人权，因此受到各地热爱自由的人们的谴责。

e.g. He was a clever man; a pleasant companion; a careless student; with a great propensity for running into debt, and a partiality for the tavern.

    他头脑灵活，讨人喜欢/很好相处，可是学习不用功；他老是东挪西借，又喜欢上酒馆喝点小酒。

2) 介词充斥(prepositionitis)

e.g. He has someone behind him.

    Someone supports him.

e.g. With these words she went away.

    After saying these, she went away.

e.g. He is at his books.

    He is reading his books.

 

II. Thinking Style and Syntax

A. 形合与意合 (Hypotactic vs. Paratactic)

形合（Hypotactic）

     句中的词语或分句之间用语言形式手段连接起来，表达语法意义和逻辑关系。

     The dependent or subordinate construction or relationship of clauses with connectives. (The American Heritage Dictionary)

      e.g. I shall despair if you don’t come.

意合 （Paratactic）

     词语或分句之间不用语言形式手段连接，句中的语法意义和逻辑关系通过词语或分句的含义表达。

     The arranging of clauses one after the other without connectives showing the relation between them. (The World Book Dictionary)

e.g.大雨倾盆，河水泛滥，冲毁了很多民房。

英语造句多用各种形式手段连接，注重显性接应（overt cohesion），重形式，重结构。相对汉语而言其连接手段和形式不仅数量大，种类多，而且使用频率极高。

e.g.The present onslaught of vehicles poses a serious threat to urban life and pedestrian peace of mind.

   现如今车辆横冲直撞，严重威胁着城市生活，路上行人无不提心吊胆。

B. Impersonal vs. Personal

It has been noted with concern that the stock of books in the library has been declining alarmingly. Students are asked to remind themselves of the rules for the borrowing and return of books, and bear in mind the needs of other students. Penalties for overdue books will in the future be strictly enforced.

    近来已注意到本馆存书惊人地减少，此事令人关切。现要求学生切记图书借还规则，并考虑其他学生的需要。今后凡借书逾期不还者，必将严格按章处罚。

1. Inanimate noun (无灵名词) as subject

    e.g. Excitement deprived me of all power of utterance.

       我激动得什么话也说不出。

    e.g. The thick carpet killed the sound of my footsteps.

    我走在厚厚的地毯上，一点声响都没有。

2. Preparatory word: it

e.g. It hurts! (“it”: unspecified word 虚义词)  ——好疼！

e.g. It never occurred to me that she was so dishonest. 

    我从未想到她会这么不老实。

3. Passive voice (hidden agent/doer)

e.g. The resistance can be determined provided that  the voltage and current are known.

只要知道电压和电流，就能确定电阻。

C. Subject-Prominent（主语句）vs. Topic-Prominent（主题句）

Examples:

1) She showered us with telegrams.

译：她的电报纷至沓来。

2) There was something original, independent, and heroic about the plan that pleased all of them.

译：这个方案富于创造性，独出心裁，很有魄力，所以他们都很满意。

3) Bright colors and bold strokes characterize his early painting.

译：他的早期绘画色彩明亮、笔触大胆。