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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 am working hard to master use of English in my academic writing, but I find it very difficult not to write what I call “Chinese English.” Are there any sure methods to learning English composition that is acceptable to a native English writer?
寫學術文章時，我很努力要把英文寫好，但往往寫出中式英文。學習英文寫作時，有沒有什麼可靠的方法，能寫出英文母語者認為合格的文章？
Let me stipulate that the struggle you are having is an admirable one: You want to master a foreign language. The only people who fail in life are those who strive to learn and grow as individuals. It is certain that a person who is content to be fluent in his native language is never going to be embarrassed by his attempts to learn a second one. So, congratulations to you for being willing to risk failure in order to improve yourself. This progressive mindset is sure to help you as an academic as you explore the intellectual edges of current thought and assumptions.
我認為，儘管你現在遇到困難，你想學習一門外語的努力卻值得敬佩。人惟有自己努力學習、成長時才會遇到困難，如果安於說流利的母語、不去學第二種語言，就永遠不會受挫。所以，恭喜你願意冒險以提升自我，這種勇於追求進步的態度，在你推展現有思想與假設時，一定能在學術上讓你獲益良多。
But as a practical matter, it is frustrating to methodically translate a thought into another language and then learn that you have expressed yourself awkwardly or in a way that distracts from the thought being expressed. So-called “chinglish” is the result, the merging of Chinese and English into something puzzling to a native English speaker. Some of the problem is linguistics. The nuances of the English language, such as the forms a takes in varying usages, trip up even experienced Chinese-English translators. English is not an easy language to learn.
但就實務上來說，你按部就班要將想法翻譯成另一種語言，卻發現表達不自然，或表達後與原本的想法不同，確實會讓人沮喪。混合了中文與英文的中式英語就是這樣來的，這種中式英語常令英語母語者摸不著頭腦。有些是文法問題，英語有些細微差異，例如一般動詞在不同用法中有不同形式，即使翻譯經驗豐富的中英譯者也可能出差錯。英文這種語言不容易學習。
But Mandarin and Cantonese are not easy, so learning English is doable. I will suggest two ways to master composition in the English language (recognizing that British English and American English are not in perfect harmony). First, study English-speaking culture as much as English words. Language draws upon cultural assumptions. The more you understand the framework of a language, the more easily you can frame your thoughts compatibly. Second, have your papers critiqued by a native English speaker. Better that he, rather than a professor, embarrasses you.
話說回來，漢語或粵語也不容易，所以英文還是可以學的。要掌握英文寫作（注意英式英文與美式英文略有不同），我有兩項建議。第一，除了學英文單字，也要學英語文化，語言運用了文化概念，愈能了解一種語言的架構，就愈容易適當組織想法。第二，讓英文母語人士修改你的文章，在這些人面前出醜，總比在教授面前出醜好。
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 am working hard to master use of English in my academic writing, but I find it very difficult not to write what I call “Chinese English.” Are there any sure methods to learning English composition that is acceptable to a native English writer?
寫學術文章時，我很努力要把英文寫好，但往往寫出中式英文。學習英文寫作時，有沒有什麼可靠的方法，能寫出英文母語者認為合格的文章？
Let me stipulate that the struggle you are having is an admirable one: You want to master a foreign language. The only people who fail in life are those who strive to learn and grow as individuals. It is certain that a person who is content to be fluent in his native language is never going to be embarrassed by his attempts to learn a second one. So, congratulations to you for being willing to risk failure in order to improve yourself. This progressive mindset is sure to help you as an academic as you explore the intellectual edges of current thought and assumptions.
我認為，儘管你現在遇到困難，你想學習一門外語的努力卻值得敬佩。人惟有自己努力學習、成長時才會遇到困難，如果安於說流利的母語、不去學第二種語言，就永遠不會受挫。所以，恭喜你願意冒險以提升自我，這種勇於追求進步的態度，在你推展現有思想與假設時，一定能在學術上讓你獲益良多。
But as a practical matter, it is frustrating to methodically translate a thought into another language and then learn that you have expressed yourself awkwardly or in a way that distracts from the thought being expressed. So-called “chinglish” is the result, the merging of Chinese and English into something puzzling to a native English speaker. Some of the problem is linguistics. The nuances of the English language, such as the forms a takes in varying usages, trip up even experienced Chinese-English translators. English is not an easy language to learn.
但就實務上來說，你按部就班要將想法翻譯成另一種語言，卻發現表達不自然，或表達後與原本的想法不同，確實會讓人沮喪。混合了中文與英文的中式英語就是這樣來的，這種中式英語常令英語母語者摸不著頭腦。有些是文法問題，英語有些細微差異，例如一般動詞在不同用法中有不同形式，即使翻譯經驗豐富的中英譯者也可能出差錯。英文這種語言不容易學習。
But Mandarin and Cantonese are not easy, so learning English is doable. I will suggest two ways to master composition in the English language (recognizing that British English and American English are not in perfect harmony). First, study English-speaking culture as much as English words. Language draws upon cultural assumptions. The more you understand the framework of a language, the more easily you can frame your thoughts compatibly. Second, have your papers critiqued by a native English speaker. Better that he, rather than a professor, embarrasses you.
話說回來，漢語或粵語也不容易，所以英文還是可以學的。要掌握英文寫作（注意英式英文與美式英文略有不同），我有兩項建議。第一，除了學英文單字，也要學英語文化，語言運用了文化概念，愈能了解一種語言的架構，就愈容易適當組織想法。第二，讓英文母語人士修改你的文章，在這些人面前出醜，總比在教授面前出醜好。
