TPS News

Answer: “holy” should be “wholly”

“The two authors from quite different centuries are mirror images, with one irrational but brimful of emotion, and the other wholly unfeeling and full of calculation.”

Error: The writer made a spelling mistake, falling victim to sound-alike words. The word “holy” should have been “wholly.” The former refers to the divine, to matters of holiness and subjects of reverential value, whereas “wholly” refers to the entirety of a matter, to a complete, whole subject. That is, the author was “wholly,” or entirely, unfeeling. The writer might have errantly used yet another homophone—holey. Something described as “holey” has holes in it. Obviously, academic writers need to become as familiar as possible with language—by reading and listening critically—so that homophones and homonyms don’t slip into their papers in embarrassing ways.
作者混淆了同音字 “holy” 與 “wholly”，“holy” 意指與神有關、神聖、值得虔敬的事物，而 “wholly” 就是事物的整體，表示全體、完整的事物，作者應該是要形容文中的作家「完全」(“wholly”) 欠缺感覺。另外，作者可能也要小心另一個同音字 “holey”，意為「有洞的」。由此可知，寫作學術必須認真練習閱讀與聽力，努力熟悉語言，才不會在寫作論文時不小心用錯同音異字，貽笑大方。

下列的句子中，包含了一個錯誤，可能是文法、拼法或是標點符號的錯誤。我們將提供統一超商/星巴克咖啡NTD200元的購物禮券，給予今天前三名挑出正確錯誤、寫出正確答案的粉絲。正確的解答與獲獎的粉絲姓名，將於明天公佈於本TPS的專頁。請將你的答案寫在下方，獲得免費購物禮券的幸運兒可能就是你哦!
The sentence below contains 1 grammatical, spelling and/or punctuation error. The first three (3) TPS Fans to respond with the corrected sentence will win a NTD200 7-11/Starbucks Gift Certificate. The corrected sentence and the names of the winners will be published tomorrow on this TPS Fans page. Please post your answers below. Good luck!

題目Contest Sentence:

“The two authors from quite different centuries are mirror images, with one irrational but brimful of emotion, and the other holy unfeeling and full of calculation.”

很多字詞並非表面所見的意思，字詞的組合會產生不同的解釋。這樣的慣用法，我們稱之為「比喻」。一個成功的比喻，作者本身必須相當瞭解字詞的源起。以下的句子為讀者介紹一個比喻及其來源。
Imagery buries itself in language and takes on new meaning. The transplanted and transformed sets of words are called “figures of speech.” For a figure of speech to be effective, however, a writer must first understand the original meaning of the phrase. The following sentence contains a common figure of speech. Its original meaning is explained.

“The theologians respectfully discussed points of doctrine that separated them, knowing that, in the end, their beliefs generally emanated from the same divine ballpark.”
「幾位神學家帶著敬意，討論彼此不同的教義論點，明白深究起來，他們的信仰源自同一個神聖的競技場。」

A “ballpark” is a place where outdoor ball games are played. Baseball. American football. Soccer. Lacrosse. Rugby. In each case, the playing field for the athletes is a manicured grassy field with lines that denote in and out of bounds and other linear markers that conform to a game’s rules and regulations. Usually the playing field is surrounded by areas where fans of a game can stand or sit while they watch the athletes play. Fans of opposing teams generally gather on opposite sides of the playing field, yet all are well within the confines of the same ballpark.
“Ballpark” 指進行棒球、橄欖球、足球、長曲棍球、英式橄欖球等戶外球賽的場地，通常球員在修剪整齊的草皮上比賽，場上畫了線區分場內外，並依照比賽規則畫有不同的場地線。場外通常有一塊區域，讓球迷或站或坐，觀看比賽。兩隊的球迷通常分踞場地兩側，不過都位在該場地範圍內。

The author of the sentence about a meeting of academic religious leaders uses “ballpark” to assert the commonality of the theologians’ faiths. The theologians may be, as it were, on opposite sides of the playing field on a particular doctrinal point and fully prepared to defend their respective positions. Yet they understand that all are “fans” of God and, in all likelihood, will line up on the same side of many secular issues. Consequently, many of their different beliefs can be said to have originated in the same “divine ballpark” as the beliefs of their rivals.
本句討論宗教學術領導人會面，用了 “ballpark”（球場、競技場）一字，表明神學家的信仰是共通的。神學家就像過去一樣，對某個教義論點分執不同意見，佔據競技場兩側，且準備引經據典捍衛自己的立場。然而，他們明白自己都是神的「球迷」，無論如何，在許多世俗議題上都站在同一陣線。因此，許多歧異的理念可以說其實都與對方的理念一樣，源自同一個 “divine ballpark”（神聖的競技場）。

No formula exists for the writing of a superior sentence, but this much is known: The best sentence has no weak part. The following sentence is incomplete. In 5 or fewer words, complete the sentence in a way that strengthens the whole of it. The first TPS Fan to complete the sentence as we believe it is best completed will win a NTD200 7-11 / Starbucks Gift Certificate. Another Starbucks certificate will be awarded to the first Fan to complete it in an alternate way that, in our estimation, also is effective. The explanation and the names of the winners will be published tomorrow on this TPS Fans page.
怎麼寫出好句子沒有標準答案，不過起碼我們知道，優秀的句子每個環節都很完美。下面有一句未完成的句子，請用五個字以內完成句子接龍，寫出完整的句子。最先完成句子，並寫出最佳解答的一位TPS 粉絲，將獲得兩百元統一超商／星巴克禮券；另增設特別獎一名，頒給符合文意又別具創意的粉絲。接龍解答與獲獎粉絲姓名將在明天公布於本 TPS 專頁，敬請密切鎖定、先睹為快！

題目Contest Sentence:

“The creeping Isuzu truck, its bed overflowing with scruffy, shirtless men in pajamas, shuddered to a stop in the plaza and disgorged its load like ____ ____ ____ ____ ____.”

並非所有與學術議題相關的文章，就能稱之為「學術文章」。本篇專欄將節錄不同學術議題的內容，分析常見的寫作錯誤，並分享潤修與寫作的技巧。
Not all articles written on academic topics are written in proper academic English. In this "This is not academic writing" column we examine short excerpts from academic texts to illustrate common writing errors and explain how to correct them.

Unacceptable 不被認可的文章

“Archaeologists long have deemed lower Central America to have a cultural history quite separate from the so-called “higher civilizations” of adjacent Mesoamerica and South America. This is partly because of geographic factors and partly because the neighboring civilizations were superior. This professional view of the region’s inferior status is changing as new archaeological research reveals the internal cultural forces that shaped the region as much as did external threats. Furthermore, lower Central America’s geological parentage as a volcanic region seems to have both frustrated and enhanced its development, periodically blasting it apart, but also creating fertile soils.”

This paragraph from a paper about the archaeology of a region suffers from poor word choices. In two instances, the choices are judgmental: Neighboring civilizations are called “superior” when in fact they were just “more dominant,” and the region’s status is called “inferior” when in fact it was “subordinate.” Also, the use of “so-called” is unnecessary to describe “higher civilizations,” since the latter already is in quotes. The writer is at least partially inaccurate to refer to external “threats” of the region’s neighbors when in some cases it probably was external “influences” that came into play. Finally, writing about volcanoes “blasting it apart” is colorful imagery but less accurate than writing “erupting and killing.” What else do you see?
本段文章討論中南美洲考古學，遣字用字不慎理想。文章中兩個用字帶有評斷意味，一是描寫鄰近地區的文化更 “superior”（優越），但實際上只是 “more dominant” （較為主要）而已，而當地的文化也並非較 “inferior”（低劣），應說 “subordinate” （較為次要）。此外，“higher civilizations” （更優越的文明）已經用引號括起，所以前面也不需要加 “so-called”（所謂的）幾個字。作者說鄰近區域造成外來的 “threats”（威脅）也不盡正確，因為有時候應是造成外來的 “influences”（影響）。最後，描寫火山 “blasting it apart”（爆裂）很生動，但不如 “erupting and killing” （爆發並造成死亡）來得正確。你還找得到其他錯誤嗎？

Acceptable 認可的文章

“Archaeologists have long deemed lower Central America to have a cultural history incidental to the “higher civilizations” of adjacent Mesoamerica and South America. This is partly attributed to difficult geography and partly to more dominant neighboring civilizations. Now this view of the region’s subordinate status is changing as new research reveals internal cultural forces that shaped the region as much as did external influences. Furthermore, lower Central America’s geological parentage as a volcanic region seems to have both inhibited and enhanced its development, periodically erupting and killing, but also creating fertile volcanic ash soils.”

很多字詞並非表面所見的意思，字詞的組合會產生不同的解釋。這樣的慣用法，我們稱之為「比喻」。一個成功的比喻，作者本身必須相當瞭解字詞的源起。以下的句子為讀者介紹一個比喻及其來源。
Imagery buries itself in language and takes on new meaning. The transplanted and transformed sets of words are called “figures of speech.” For a figure of speech to be effective, however, a writer must first understand the original meaning of the phrase. The following sentence contains a common figure of speech. Its original meaning is explained.

“Thoroughbreds are beneficiaries of hundreds of years of exquisite breeding that has produced horses of great speed, strong spirit, and a puzzling capacity for galloping misfortune.”
「由於數百年來精湛的育種法，純種馬速度極快、性情強健，還有疾馳的厄運這項令人不解的特色。」

“Galloping” is a gait usually associated with horses and is characterized by rapid movement, both of the legs and of the entire body of the horse as it is propelled forward. It is the fastest mode of running for a horse, the slower modes being walk, trot, and canter. Race horses usually are walked to the starting gate, but once the gates are sprung open, galloping immediately ensues. Thoroughbred horses are primarily bred for racing, with their large chests, powerful leg muscles, and delicate hooves cleaving the air at speeds up to 55 mph as they gallop.
“Galloping”（疾馳）通常指馬的步伐，馬匹向前疾馳時，腿部和整個身軀都迅速地運動。馬匹奔跑以疾馳的速度最快，步行、小跑、慢跑則較慢。賽馬時，騎師一般先騎馬走到柵門口，柵門一彈開，馬匹隨即撒腿疾馳。純種馬一般用來競賽，有寬闊的胸肌、強壯的腿部肌肉，以及構造精巧的馬蹄，疾馳時馬蹄劃破空氣，時速可達 55 英里。

The author of the sentence used the phrase “galloping misfortune” as something of a double entendre. It alludes to the tendency of thoroughbreds to break down for no apparent reason, with legs fracturing, lungs issuing blood, and undersized hearts pumping too little blood for the needs of the large animals. The “galloping” adjective also infers that the health crises can occur suddenly, often while the horses are speeding along the inside rail of a track. The phrase “galloping misfortune” neatly ties together the breed’s chief characteristic and its chief hazard.
“Galloping misfortune”（疾馳的厄運） 是雙關語，暗指純種馬有時莫名其妙就倒下了，可能腿部骨折、肺出血，或是心臟太小，打出的血液不夠馬匹龐大的身軀使用。“Galloping”（疾馳）也用來形容馬匹身體健康突然發生問題，通常發生在馬匹沿著跑道內圈加速時。“Galloping misfortune”「疾馳的厄運」巧妙連結了純種馬的主要特徵與主要問題。

Correct best answer: Replace “excepted” with “accepted.”

“The publication of a book by a new author is a noteworthy event, because the odds of having a manuscript accepted are tantamount to winning a lottery… twice.”

Simple slip-ups can be simply excruciating to read. The writer of this passage unwittingly substituted “excepted” for “accepted” and turned the sentence upside down. Instead of a new book being welcomed by a publisher, it was excluded. Errant substitution of one word for another also injures the writing when the words are similar but different; in that case, the reader takes away a similar but different meaning than was intended. The solution always is to re-read a paper critically and, when possible, to have someone else read the paper, too. Better that a peer find an incorrect word than that a professor discover it. Friends don’t use red pencils.
一個小小的筆誤可能讓文章變得不忍卒睹。作者無意間把 “accepted” 寫成 “excepted”，結果意思完全相反，原本想說新書受到出版社賞識，卻變成被出版社拒絕。有時，如果用了一個相似但不完全相同的詞彙，讀者理解的語意也會與原本的意思有點不同。解決之道就是仔細重讀自己的文章，也可以請另一個人再讀一次。錯字被朋友找出來，總比被教授挑出來好得多，起碼朋友不會用紅筆改你的錯字。

撰寫學術文章時，每字每句都需要謹慎著墨。改變幾個字就會使完整的一句話變得令人摸不著頭緒。下列的句子中，為使這句話能完整且有意義的表達，請選出你認為會令人感到困惑的字，我們將提供統一超商/星巴克咖啡NTD200元禮券，給予挑出混淆字，並寫出最佳替代字的第1位粉絲，最適的解答與獲獎的粉絲姓名，將於明天公佈於本TPS的專頁。請將你的答案寫在下方，獲得免費購物禮券的幸運兒可能就是你哦!
Every word is important in a well-written academic paper. Changing just a word or two can turn a clear sentence into a confusing one. Tell us what word you would change in the following puzzling sentence to render it more meaningful. The first best answer will receive a NTD200 7-11/Starbucks Gift Certificate.

題目Contest Sentence:
“The publication of a book by a new author is a noteworthy event, because the odds of having a manuscript excepted are tantamount to winning a lottery… twice.”

並非所有與學術議題相關的文章，就能稱之為「學術文章」。本篇專欄將節錄不同學術議題的內容，分析常見的寫作錯誤，並分享潤修與寫作的技巧。
Not all articles written on academic topics are written in proper academic English. In this "This is not academic writing" column we examine short excerpts from academic texts to illustrate common writing errors and explain how to correct them.

Unacceptable 不被認可的文章

“Two pragmatic books on political life often compared are the ‘Arthashastra’ of ancient India and ‘The Prince’ of early 16th-century Italy. While each is a coldly calculating text for preserving a tyrant’s reign, the Indian writings are especially cold-blooded in their recommended use of extreme violence to eliminate inside and outside threats to a seat of power. Suggested measures to hang on to power include the rationale for a king killing his own family members to lessen the political threat, and the case for torture as a political weapon. The influence of these soulless propositions on the course of political history are hotly debated.”

A professor reading the passage critically would find numerous faults. The writer repeatedly is incautious about use of adjectives. Examples: Describing a reign as a “tyrant’s” reign could be disputed by a historian who considered it benevolent. Violence is needlessly characterized as “extreme.” Propositions are described as “soulless,” which invites all kinds of conjecture. On the other hand, a missing adjective hurts the writing: internal and external “threats” apparently are deemed to be real because the writer doesn’t modify them with the word “perceived.” Other failings: “Hang on to power” is colloquial expression at best; in the last sentence, the singular subject “influence” was mistakenly given a plural verb, “are.” What other weaknesses do you see?
如果教授仔細讀這篇文章，就會發現好幾個問題。作者好幾次使用形容詞都不太謹慎，例如，歷史學家可能會認為以 “tyrant’s”（暴君式）來形容政權太「悲天憫人」，此外，也不需要用 “extreme” （極端）來形容暴力；以 “soulless” （沒有靈魂／無血無淚）形容書中的建議會引發不實臆測。另一方面，缺乏必要的形容詞也讓文章有瑕疵，例如，因為沒有形容詞 “perceived” （感覺到的）修飾來自內外的 “threats” （威脅），讀者可能以為威脅確實存在，而 “hang on to power” （抓著權力不放）頂多只能算是口語的說法；且最後一句單數主詞 “influence” 誤用了複數動詞 “are”。你還看得出其他缺點嗎？

Acceptable 認可的文章

“Two pragmatic sets of writing on political life often compared are the ‘Arthashastra’ treatise of ancient India and ‘The Prince’ of early 16th-century Italy. While each stridently calculates how to preserve a reign at any cost, the Indian writings are especially conscience-less in recommending use of violence to eliminate perceived internal and external threats to a seat of power. Suggested measures to maintain power include a rationale for a king killing his own family members to lessen the political threat, and the justification for torture as a political tool. The influence of these radical propositions on the course of political history still is debated.”

Answer: We believe the best revision is… “The truth is, the president is not presidential and is poorly served by Trevor Chan, his vice president for life.”

This suggested revision reduces the word count to 20 from 27. It does so by shortening one introductory phrase and eliminating a second. “The facts of the matter are…” is a clichéd phrase that nonetheless serves a purpose: It defines what follows. It usually is employed as a rhetorical device, declaring that the declaration to come is factual—at least in the mind of the person making the statement—as opposed to previously expressed opinion. “The truth is…” serves this same purpose, but more concisely. Not prefacing the assertion of “facts” weakens it.
句子照建議修改，縮短第一個片語、刪除第二個片語後，字數從 27 個字減少到 20 個字。“The facts of the matter are…” 是個陳舊的片語，目的只是解釋其後的句子，通常是種修辭手法，表明作者認為以下的敘述是事實，不像之前那樣是表達意見。“The truth is…” 這個片語也能達到同樣的效果，而且更簡潔，不加入 “facts” 一字並不會使原意不清楚。

The sentence contains a second introductory phrase—“who is”—that is unneeded and renders the sentence clunky when it is included. The subject of the dependent phrase following the name, Trevor Chan, clearly is the person named, Chan. Therefore, the “who is” serves no purpose other than to slow down the reader, and slowing reading is not something writers should try to do without good reason. In this academic paper, no reason exists to slow the rhythm and pace of the paper, which analyzes contemporary political figures in a quasi-democracy.
同樣的，句中另一個引介片語 “who is” 不僅沒有必要，還讓句子更冗贅。置於人名 Trevor Chan 後非獨立片語的主詞，很顯然就是指 Trevor Chan；所以 “who is” 沒有其他用處，只會拖慢讀者閱讀的速度而已。如果作者沒有正當理由，就不應該拖慢讀者的閱讀速度。本篇學術文章討論當代準民主體制中的政治人物，沒有理由在此放慢文章的節奏步調。

What probably happened is that the writer lapsed into colloquial language, writing in a conversational style. Most people habitually are more verbose in their speech than in their writing. In conversation, we tend to ramble while we sort through our thoughts. We use spoken words to fill silent conversational moments while we search for clear expression. Such wordiness in verbal dialogue can be appealing, but reading filler words is not. When introductory phrases are required to frame a written thought, doing so concisely always is the better choice.
作者可能一時不察，讓寫作風格受到口語對話的影響。多數人說話時通常比寫作時嘮叨，習慣在交談時一邊釐清思緒，一邊喃喃自語，在想出清楚的表達方式前，用口頭贅字填補對話中沉默的片刻。這種嘮叨在口頭交談時或許比較親切，但寫作時則不然。寫作時如果需要使用引介片語界定概念，應該簡明扼要。