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Professor Pedantic 教授的考究學問
【學術專欄】
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 have been encouraged to make my papers more “charming.” That seems like an odd word to use in describing an academic paper. Is my professor setting me up to fail?
我的教授一直鼓勵我文章要寫得「誘人」，我覺得用這個字來形容學術文章很奇怪。教授是不是要陷害我啊？
You sound oddly distrusting of your professor. In my experience, classroom instructors work hard to help their students succeed, not fail. Of course, there is the occasional miscreant standing in front of the classroom who encourages student failure as a backhanded compliment to his self-declared high standards. Tenure is wasted on such people, and I am sorry for you if you are stuck with such a don. However, I will assume for the purposes of this column that your professor has your best interests at heart in advising you to become more “charming” as a writer.
很奇怪，你聽起來好像不太信任教授。根據我的經驗，老師總是努力幫助學生，而不是陷害學生。當然，偶爾會有一些不稱職的老師當著全班的面，因為學生達不到他所謂的高標準，出言諷刺，挖苦學生。這種老師不該獲得終身職，如果你也遇上這種老師，我很同情你。不過，在這個專欄中，我假設教授是為了你著想，才提出建議，希望你的文章可以更「誘人」。
In fact, I rather like the professor’s word choice. The definition of “charming” is “extremely pleasing or delightful.” Is there something in the DNA of an academic paper that precludes writing that is delightsome and pleasant? I think not. Too many academicians—though certainly not all—seem to labor under the weight of accumulated degrees; their capacity for joy has been squeezed right out of them. Delightful writing always is acceptable and should be joyously received. Yes, academic writers must be substantive, but they should try to delight their readers.
其實我滿欣賞你教授的用字，「誘人」的意思是「讓人非常開心、愉快」。難道學術文章天生就不該讓人讀了開心、愉快嗎？我可不認為。有些學者為了累積學術地位，榨乾了精力，已經與歡笑絕緣了。我們應該接受讓人讀來愉快的文章，並且開開心心地讀。學術寫作確實必須有份量、內涵，但也應盡可能讓人讀來愉快。
A writer charms readers by pleasantly surprising them. It is true that academic writing seriously examines important topics, so it is not a place for frivolous composition. Papers are straight-line writing projects without room for detours, even pleasant ones. Yet fresh expression of ideas through imagery and imaginative word choice doesn’t sidetrack a paper. Subtle wit that is pertinent is not a defect. Writing a paper so that the eventual reader might actually enjoy it is not a perverse impulse. Remember, academic writers are two people in one: academics, and writers.
文章要吸引讀者，必須帶給讀者驚喜。誠然，學術文章必須認真檢視重要的主題，不能太輕浮；必須直截了當，沒有拐彎抹角的空間，即使這種拐彎很有趣也一樣。不過，如果文章用字能充滿意象與想像力，用耳目一新的方式表達想法，也不算是走偏了路。微妙的機智用得貼切就不算缺陷，想寫篇讓人全心全意樂於欣賞的文章也很正常。別忘了，學術作者既是學者，也應該是作家。
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 have been encouraged to make my papers more “charming.” That seems like an odd word to use in describing an academic paper. Is my professor setting me up to fail?
我的教授一直鼓勵我文章要寫得「誘人」，我覺得用這個字來形容學術文章很奇怪。教授是不是要陷害我啊？
You sound oddly distrusting of your professor. In my experience, classroom instructors work hard to help their students succeed, not fail. Of course, there is the occasional miscreant standing in front of the classroom who encourages student failure as a backhanded compliment to his self-declared high standards. Tenure is wasted on such people, and I am sorry for you if you are stuck with such a don. However, I will assume for the purposes of this column that your professor has your best interests at heart in advising you to become more “charming” as a writer.
很奇怪，你聽起來好像不太信任教授。根據我的經驗，老師總是努力幫助學生，而不是陷害學生。當然，偶爾會有一些不稱職的老師當著全班的面，因為學生達不到他所謂的高標準，出言諷刺，挖苦學生。這種老師不該獲得終身職，如果你也遇上這種老師，我很同情你。不過，在這個專欄中，我假設教授是為了你著想，才提出建議，希望你的文章可以更「誘人」。
In fact, I rather like the professor’s word choice. The definition of “charming” is “extremely pleasing or delightful.” Is there something in the DNA of an academic paper that precludes writing that is delightsome and pleasant? I think not. Too many academicians—though certainly not all—seem to labor under the weight of accumulated degrees; their capacity for joy has been squeezed right out of them. Delightful writing always is acceptable and should be joyously received. Yes, academic writers must be substantive, but they should try to delight their readers.
其實我滿欣賞你教授的用字，「誘人」的意思是「讓人非常開心、愉快」。難道學術文章天生就不該讓人讀了開心、愉快嗎？我可不認為。有些學者為了累積學術地位，榨乾了精力，已經與歡笑絕緣了。我們應該接受讓人讀來愉快的文章，並且開開心心地讀。學術寫作確實必須有份量、內涵，但也應盡可能讓人讀來愉快。
A writer charms readers by pleasantly surprising them. It is true that academic writing seriously examines important topics, so it is not a place for frivolous composition. Papers are straight-line writing projects without room for detours, even pleasant ones. Yet fresh expression of ideas through imagery and imaginative word choice doesn’t sidetrack a paper. Subtle wit that is pertinent is not a defect. Writing a paper so that the eventual reader might actually enjoy it is not a perverse impulse. Remember, academic writers are two people in one: academics, and writers.
文章要吸引讀者，必須帶給讀者驚喜。誠然，學術文章必須認真檢視重要的主題，不能太輕浮；必須直截了當，沒有拐彎抹角的空間，即使這種拐彎很有趣也一樣。不過，如果文章用字能充滿意象與想像力，用耳目一新的方式表達想法，也不算是走偏了路。微妙的機智用得貼切就不算缺陷，想寫篇讓人全心全意樂於欣賞的文章也很正常。別忘了，學術作者既是學者，也應該是作家。
