Professor Pedantic 教授的考究學問
TPS的編輯教授在此歡迎關於學術文章的所有詢問，當然，其實他並沒有足夠的時間給你。他擁有終身教職的教授身份，也是著名的學術巨作作者。即便如此，他仍大方地接受你們的詢問。將關於學術方面的詢問寫在下方，你將獲得教授的親自指導，陶冶對學術的探索與啟發。
The professor awaits your query on academic writing, though in all honesty, he doesn’t have a lot of time for you. He is a tenured full professor and working on yet another magnificent academic tome. Even so, he has graciously consented to entertain your question. Submit it and prepare to be edified.
QUESTION: I prefer complex words. I am told it is pretentious to use complicated words when simpler terminology will suffice. However, I believe the academic community communicates most clearly in multi-syllabic words that precisely express concepts, philosophies, or technical procedures. Am I wrong?
我偏好複合辭彙，有人告訴我，若精簡的術語便足供表達，用複雜的詞彙會顯得矯揉造作。然而，我認為學術群體要清晰明瞭的溝通，必須用多音節的字準確傳達博大精深的概念、哲學與專門程序。這樣應該沒錯吧？
You are only partly wrong. Consider your question phrased more simply: “I like big words. I am told I put on airs when I write that way. Yet I think the learned can best speak to each other in terms that are exact and clear as we share high-level thoughts.” That rendering of your thought uses mostly one-syllable words, yet conveys nearly the same information as your original sentences. There is nothing wrong with multiple syllables in words, nor should any writer strive to “dumb down” language in an effort to simplify it. But long words are not always the best ones.
也不完全錯。你的話用簡單的字來講，就是：「我喜歡用很長的字，有人說用這些字看起來像在擺架子，但是我覺得學者要清楚溝通，就要用清楚準確的字，分享高層次的想法。」這段換句話說的用字多半很簡單，不過表達的意思和原本差不多。用很長的多音節單字沒什麼錯，也沒有必要努力簡化用字，刻意拉低用語的難度。但是，字母多的辭彙不一定是最好的選擇。
The first rule of academic writing happens to be the first rule of any kind of writing: Express yourself clearly and accurately. It does not necessarily follow that one must use short or uncomplicated words. “University” is far more accurate than “school” in describing a higher-level, multi-discipline learning center. “Radiology” is not exactly equivalent to “X-ray,” so the simpler word cannot always be substituted. Good writing uses words precisely and if precision requires a complex word in a sentence, a writer shouldn’t shy from employing it.
學術寫作的第一守則，也是所有寫作的第一守則，就是清楚、準確地表達意思。這不表示一定要用短的、簡單的字，例如形容教授許多學科的高等教育場所時，“university” 就比 “school” 來得精確，而 “radiology” 也不等於 “X-ray”；所以並非總適合用簡單的字作代替。好文章必須用字精確，若精確表示句子裡必須用到複合辭彙，就不該畏縮不前。
What’s more, some academic writing is in areas of learning that allow little simplification. In such disciplines, scientific or technical names and terms hold special meaning to a particular community and convey a wealth of specialized knowledge. Where writers go wrong in such cases is to use such words indiscriminately and repeatedly. The result is a report blemished by jargon. So, yes, use long, fancy words when they are the best communication choice, but do not use them to impress. When that is your objective, you most often will embarrass yourself.
此外，有些學識領域的學術寫作處理不容簡化，在這類學科中，學術或專門辭彙對特定群體來說有特殊意義，蘊含豐富的專業知識。此時，如果不分青紅皂白，任意反覆使用這些詞彙，那就是寫作者的錯，會讓報告因充斥難懂的行話而失色。所以，沒錯，如果很長很炫的字在溝通時最清楚，那就用吧，但是不要為了賣弄而用，否則多半只會讓你出糗。
The professor awaits your query on academic writing, though in all honesty, he doesn’t have a lot of time for you. He is a tenured full professor and working on yet another magnificent academic tome. Even so, he has graciously consented to entertain your question. Submit it and prepare to be edified.
QUESTION: I prefer complex words. I am told it is pretentious to use complicated words when simpler terminology will suffice. However, I believe the academic community communicates most clearly in multi-syllabic words that precisely express concepts, philosophies, or technical procedures. Am I wrong?
我偏好複合辭彙，有人告訴我，若精簡的術語便足供表達，用複雜的詞彙會顯得矯揉造作。然而，我認為學術群體要清晰明瞭的溝通，必須用多音節的字準確傳達博大精深的概念、哲學與專門程序。這樣應該沒錯吧？
You are only partly wrong. Consider your question phrased more simply: “I like big words. I am told I put on airs when I write that way. Yet I think the learned can best speak to each other in terms that are exact and clear as we share high-level thoughts.” That rendering of your thought uses mostly one-syllable words, yet conveys nearly the same information as your original sentences. There is nothing wrong with multiple syllables in words, nor should any writer strive to “dumb down” language in an effort to simplify it. But long words are not always the best ones.
也不完全錯。你的話用簡單的字來講，就是：「我喜歡用很長的字，有人說用這些字看起來像在擺架子，但是我覺得學者要清楚溝通，就要用清楚準確的字，分享高層次的想法。」這段換句話說的用字多半很簡單，不過表達的意思和原本差不多。用很長的多音節單字沒什麼錯，也沒有必要努力簡化用字，刻意拉低用語的難度。但是，字母多的辭彙不一定是最好的選擇。
The first rule of academic writing happens to be the first rule of any kind of writing: Express yourself clearly and accurately. It does not necessarily follow that one must use short or uncomplicated words. “University” is far more accurate than “school” in describing a higher-level, multi-discipline learning center. “Radiology” is not exactly equivalent to “X-ray,” so the simpler word cannot always be substituted. Good writing uses words precisely and if precision requires a complex word in a sentence, a writer shouldn’t shy from employing it.
學術寫作的第一守則，也是所有寫作的第一守則，就是清楚、準確地表達意思。這不表示一定要用短的、簡單的字，例如形容教授許多學科的高等教育場所時，“university” 就比 “school” 來得精確，而 “radiology” 也不等於 “X-ray”；所以並非總適合用簡單的字作代替。好文章必須用字精確，若精確表示句子裡必須用到複合辭彙，就不該畏縮不前。
What’s more, some academic writing is in areas of learning that allow little simplification. In such disciplines, scientific or technical names and terms hold special meaning to a particular community and convey a wealth of specialized knowledge. Where writers go wrong in such cases is to use such words indiscriminately and repeatedly. The result is a report blemished by jargon. So, yes, use long, fancy words when they are the best communication choice, but do not use them to impress. When that is your objective, you most often will embarrass yourself.
此外，有些學識領域的學術寫作處理不容簡化，在這類學科中，學術或專門辭彙對特定群體來說有特殊意義，蘊含豐富的專業知識。此時，如果不分青紅皂白，任意反覆使用這些詞彙，那就是寫作者的錯，會讓報告因充斥難懂的行話而失色。所以，沒錯，如果很長很炫的字在溝通時最清楚，那就用吧，但是不要為了賣弄而用，否則多半只會讓你出糗。
Posted at 2012-05-22 10:29:24
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