本章旨在讨论中国人撰写英文科技论文时,失常误用的字词及片语。
可以用一次词表达清楚的,绝不用多个词,不管是动词介词都是这样,一个简练。
1 a lot of是口语,因此在正式论文中应该避免使用,而应改用many, much, a great deal of.
2 abvoe 的用法
ex: we can now apply the above technique... (如果刚提及该技术,则是正确的写法,否则就该用一下的写法。)
we can now apply the technique introduced in section 2...
we can now apply the technique introduced earlier...
3 and 一般而言,英文句子不应以and开头
4 一般不用anymore,将句子改成 no longer.
5 apparently有“显然”之意,但是也有“似乎为真”之意,因此要表示显然这一层意思时,要用obviously或者clearly,避免歧义。
6 Appendix (要大写,不管是否是在句首)
当只有一个附录时,应该用the Appendix,而当有多个附录时,应该用Appendix A, Appendix B。
wrong ex: the proof of Theorem I is stated in detail in Appendix.
right ex: the proof of Theorem I is stated in detail in the Appendix.
right ex: the proof of Theorem I is stated in detail in Appendix A.
7 approach V 接近,后面不用接to,比如接近0, approach zero。
8 As follows/the following/as shown below
9
As mentioned above/as mentioned previously
As mentioned above 指的是刚刚才提过的读者还印象鲜明的内容,意思类似于as just mentioned
as mentioned previously 指的是前几段提到的
最好用清楚的指代,比如as mentioned in Section 2
10
As you know 科技论文中不要出现这个词
Basically 人们常常滥用这个词,最好不要用
11
As well as:与and的用法不同,主要用于强调前者;
Ex:john as well as mary is coming. 这里强调的是john,读者知道本来mary要来,但是不知道john也要来
12
Assume 后面不应该接as正确的写法应该是assume to be/that
Wrong ex: the parameters of the price indices can be assumed as constants.
Right ex: the parameters of the price indices can be assumed to be constants.
Right ex: we assume that the parameters of the price indices are constants.
13
Based on 放于句首是错误的,应使用on the basic of/according to来取代,我在这里的误区是认为on the basic of/according to后面要跟从句,这是错误的。
Wrong ex: based on the conventional method, the closed form solution can be written as follows.
Right ex: according to the conventional method, the closed form solution can be written as follows.
14
Because of the fact that这是个冗长的短语,只要用because即可。
Bad ex:because of the fact that the system is intended for real-time processing, a faster algorithm is needed.
Good ex: because the system is intended for real-time processing, a faster algorithm is needed.
15
Besides 在正式的英文文章中,不应以besides作为连接副词来表达“此外”之意。应该使用 in addition, moreover或furthermore来表达。
Bad ex: besides, the following problem arises when we consider the effects of friction.
Good ex: in addition, the following problem arises when we consider the effects of friction.
16
Better是一个普遍的赞美词,但是语义模糊,所以尽量用准确的形容词。
模糊ex:our algorithm is better than the conventional one.
准确ex:our algorithm is faster than the conventional one.
准确ex:our algorithm is more accurate than the conventional one.
17
Build,在科技论文中用construct比用build更合适
18
But,与and一样,句子一般不用but开头,可以用however取代
By this way是错误的短语,正确是in this way.
Wrong ex: by this way, we can obtain the solution to equation(7).
Right ex: in this way, we can obtain the solution to equation(7).
19
Call 后面不能加as,refer to后面加as
Wrong ex: we shall call this this algorithm as the new GA.
Right ex: we shall call this this algorithm the new GA.
Right ex: we shall refer to this this algorithm as the new GA.
20
Can 在英文中,can常常是累赘而应加以省略的字词,没必要出现时就省略。
Bad ex: our method can find the optimal solution quickly.
Good ex: our method finds the optimal solution quickly.
21
Cannot 在英文写作中,我们通常把cannot看做一个词,而不是当做两个,并且在正式文章中,一般不用缩写。
22
Case 后面的关系代词,必须使用in which 或when,不能使用that。
Wrong ex: let us now examine the case that q is greater than 0.
Right ex: let us now examine the case in which q is greater than 0.
23
Classical, traditional, conventional
Classical 指的是经典的方法
Traditional 指的是已经用了很久的方法,或许已经有人又提出新的方法了
Conventional 如果作者用这个词,一般意味着他提出了一个新的方法
24
Data 在正式的文章中,data应该当做复数
25
Demonstrate与illustrate, depict和present不一样
The figure 5 illustrates / depicts / presents …,此时动词不能用demonstrate
26
Especially/particularly 放在句首是错误的用法,应该用in particular
Wrong ex:our algorithm performs fast, especially/particularly, algorithm 3 is nearly twice as fast as the conventional method.
Right ex: our algorithm performs fast, in particular, algorithm 3 is nearly twice as fast as the conventional method.
27
In other words 换句话说,in a word 是简单的说,很少出现在科技文中
Namely 即,很多时候是不必要的可以省略
28
Owing to the fact that, 冗长的句子,应该用because或者since代替
The reason for this is that 冗长,直接用this is because
29
Research on, research用的介词是on
30
Reveal 指揭露被掩盖的事实,所以用indicate或者show比较恰当
31
Then, 用法要注意
Wrong ex: the samples were dipped into the solution, then they were washed with water.
Right ex: the samples were dipped into the solution, and then they were washed with water.
Right ex: the samples were dipped into the solution. Then they were washed with water.
32
Totally是“完全”的意思,而不能表示“总共”的意思,“总共”要用 a total of/altogether
Wrong ex: there are totally three solutions.
Right ex: there are a total of three solutions.
Right ex: there are three solutions altogether.
33
Until now, 到目前为止,在科技论文中,最好用to date
Bad ex: until now, however, the effect of boron on the reaction has not been examined.
Good ex: to date, however, the effect of boron on the reaction has not been examined.
34
Whether or not, or not一般要省略,比较简洁