在各个英语学习论坛上,经常可以看到有关Chinglish(中式英语)的文章,但一般都是中国人写的。不过我看到过一篇长文,也是有关Chinglish的,但却是美国人写的,很有意思。
这篇长文的标题是Chinglish 2 English(从中式英语到标准英语),作者是浙江大学的美国外教Chuck Allanson,内容则是Chuck在中国五年任教期间所听到、所看到的各种Chinglish说法。 比如Chuck第一次来中国,下飞机后,负责接待他的东北某大学英语系陈老师说:您刚到,我们吃点饭吧。我们要点Chinese dumpling(饺子)和Chinese beancurd(豆腐),您看可以吗? Chuck以前从未听说过这两种东西,但出于好奇,就说可以,结果饭菜端上来一看,原来就是ravioli(饺子,来自意大利语)和tofu(豆腐,来自日语)。 Chuck当时心里暗想,这两种东西,国际上早已经有通用的说法(ravioli和tofu),他们中国人为什么还要用那种生僻的说法呢? 以后Chuck跟陈先生混熟了,就问他,当初你为什么不说ravioli和tofu呢?陈先生听了大吃一惊,连忙解释说,我真的不知道这两个词,而且我们的《英汉词典》上也没有这两个词。 于是Chuck开始意识到,中国的英语教师、英语课本、甚至英语词典肯定存在问题,否则不可能发生这种事情。 在中国五年的任教期间,Chuck收集了大量的Chinglish说法,从中挑选出一组最常见的,编写了上面提到的那篇长文。
下面就是这些Chinglish说法,其中每行第一部分是汉语说法,第二部分是Chinglish说法,第三部分则是英语的标准说法。
①欢迎你到... ② welcome you to ... ③ welcome to ... ①永远记住你② remember you forever ③ always remember you(没有人能活到forever) ①祝你有个... ② wish you have a ... ③ I wish you a ... ①给你② give you ③ here you are ①很喜欢... ② very like ... ③ like ... very much ①黄头发② yellow hair ③ blond/blonde(西方人没有yellow hair的说法) ①厕所② WC ③ men's room/women's room/restroom ①真遗憾② it's a pity ③ that's too bad/it's a shame(it's a pity说法太老) ①裤子② trousers ③ pants/slacks/jeans ①修理② mend ③ fix/repair ①入口② way in ③ entrance ①出口② way out ③ exit(way out在口语中是crazy的意思) ①勤奋② diligent ③ hardworking/studious/conscientious ①应该② should ③ must/shall ①火锅② chafing dish ③ hot pot ①大厦② mansion ③ center/plaza ①马马虎虎② so-so ③ average/fair/all right/not too bad/OK(西方人很少使用so-so) ①好吃② delicious ③ good/nice/tasty/appetizing(delicious在中国被滥用) ①尽我最大努力② try my best ③ try/strive(try的本意就是try my best) ①有名② famous ③ well-known/renowned/legendary/popular(famous在中国被滥用) ①滑稽② humorous ③ funny/witty/amusing/entertaining ①欺骗② to cheat ③ to trick/to play a joke on/to con/to deceive/to rip off ①车门② the door of the car ③ the car's door ①怎么拼? ② how to spell? ③how do you spell? ①再见② bye-bye ③ bye/see you/see you later/later(bye-bye有些孩子气) ①玩② play ③ go to/do(play在中国被滥用) ①面条② noodles ③ pasta(noodles有些孩子气) ①据说② it is said ③ I heard/I read/I was told ①等等② and so on ③ etc. etcetera ①直到现在② till now ③ recently/lately/thus far ①农民② peasant ③ farmer ①宣传② propaganda ③ information
英语中12个典型的中国式错误
1.这个价格对我挺合适的。误:The price is very suitable for me. 正:The price is right. 提示:suitable(合适的、相配的)最常见的用法是以否定的形式出现在告示或通知上,如:下列节目儿童不宜。The following programme is not suitable for children. 这句话用后面的说法会更合适。
2.你是做什么工作的呢?误:What's your job? 正:Are you working at the moment? What kind of work are you? 提示:what's your job这种说法难道也有毛病吗? 是的。因为如果您的谈话对象刚刚失业,如此直接的问法会让对方有失面子,所以您要问:目前您是在上班吗?Are you working at the moment?接下来您才问:目前您在哪儿工作呢?Where are you working these days?或者您从事哪个行业呢?What line of work are you in?
3.用英语怎么说?误:How to say?正:How do you say this in English? 提示:How to say是在中国最为泛滥成灾的中国式英语之一,这绝不是地道的英语说法。 同样的句子有:请问这个词如何拼写?How do you spell that please?请问这个单词怎么读?How do you pronounce this word?
4.明天我有事情要做。误:I have something to do tomorrow. 正:I am tied up all day tomorrow. 提示:用I have something to do来表示您很忙,这也完全是中国式的说法。因为每时每刻我们都有事情要做,躺在那里睡大觉也是事情。所以您可以说我很忙,脱不开身:I'm tied up.还有其他的说法:I can't make it at that time. I'd love to, but I can't, I have to stay at home.
5.我没有英文名。误:I haven't English name. 正:I don't have an English name. 提示:许多人讲英语犯这样的错误,从语法角度来分析,可能是语法功底欠缺,因为have在这里是实义动词,而并不是在现在完成时里面那个没有意义的助动词。 所以,这句话由肯定句变成否定句要加助动词。明白道理是一回事,习惯是另一回事,请您再说几话:我没有钱;I don't have any money.我没有兄弟姐妹;I don't have any brothers or sisters.我没有车。I don't have a car.
6.我想我不行。误:I think I can't. 正:I don't think I can. 提示:汉语里说“我想我不会”的时候,英语里面总是说“我不认为我会”。以后您在说类似的英语句子的时候,只要留心,也会习惯英语的表达习惯的。
7.我的舞也跳得不好。误:I don't dance well too. 正:I am not a very good dancer either. 提示:当我们说不擅长做什么事情的时候,英语里面通常用not good at something,英语的思维甚至直接踊跃到:我不是一个好的舞者。
8.现在几点钟了?误:What time is it now? 正:What time is it, please? 提示:What time is it now是一个直接从汉语翻译过的句子,讲英语的时候没有必要说now,因为您不可能问what time was it yesterday, 或者what time is it tommorow? 所以符合英语习惯的说法是:请问现在几点了?还有一种说法是:How are we doing for time?这句话在有时间限制的时候特别合适。
9.我的英语很糟糕。误:My English is poor. 正:I am not 100% fluent, but at least I am improving. 提示:有人开玩笑说,全中国人最擅长的一句英文是:My English is poor. 外国人遇到自己外语不好的情况,他们会说: I am still having a few problem, but I am getting better.
10.你愿意参加我们的晚会吗?误:Would you like to join our party on Friday? 正:Would you like to come to our party on Friday night? 提示:join往往是指参加俱乐部或者协会,如:join a health club;join the Communist Party.事实上,常常与party搭配的动词是come 或者go。如go a wild party,或者come to a Christmas Party。
11.我没有经验。误:I have no experience. 正:I don't know much about that. 提示:I have no experience这句话听起来古里古怪,因为您只需要说那方面我懂得不多,或者这方面我不在行,就行了。I am not really an expert in this area.
12.这个春节你回家吗?是的,我回去。 Will you be going back home for the Spring Festival? 误:Of course! 正:Sure. / Certainly. 提示:以英语为母语的人使用of course的频率要比中国的学生低得多,只有在回答一些众所周知的问题时才说of course。因为of course后面隐含的一句话是“我当然知道啦!难道我是一个傻瓜吗?” 因此,of course带有挑衅的意味。在交谈时,用sure或certainly效果会好得多。同时,of course not也具挑衅的意味。正常情况下语气温和的说法是certainly not。