日常要處理許多信件電郵,因而運用英語上不得不留神,以下有一些個人意見,也參考了一些書本,希望大家有所得益。
A. 文法上
1.切忌主客不分或模糊. 例子: Deciding to rescind the earlier estimate, our report was updated to include $40,000 for new equipment.” 應改爲 Deciding to rescind our earlier estimate, we have updated our report to include $40,000 for new equipment. (We決定呀, 不是report.)
2.句子不要凌碎. 例子: He decided not to audit the last ten contracts. Because of our previous objections about compliance. 應該連在一起.
3.結構對稱,令人容易理解. 例子: The owner questioned the occupant's lease intentions and the fact that the contract had been altered with ink markings. 應改爲: The owner questioned the occupant's lease intentions and ink alterations of the contract.
4.單衆數不要搞亂,不然會好刺眼,看不舒服. 例如: An authorized person must show that they have security clearance.
5.動詞主詞要呼應. 想想這兩個分別: is one of the public-relations functions that is underbudgeted. This is one of the public-relations functions, which are underbudgeted.
6.時態和語氣不要轉變太多.看商務英語已經是苦事,不要浪費人家的精力啊.
7.標點要準確. 例如: He did not make repairs, however, he continued to monitor the equipment. 改爲: He did not make repairs; however, he continued to monitor the equipment.
8.選詞正確. 好像affect和effect, operative和operational等等就要弄清楚纔好用啦.
9.拼字正確. 有電腦拼字檢查功能後,就更加不能偷懶.
10.大小寫要注意.非必要不要整個字都是大寫,除非要罵人,:,例如: MUST change to OS immediately. 外國人就覺得不禮貌和喝令人一樣. 要強調的話,用底線,斜字,粗體就可以了.
B. 文體
1.可讀性.對象是大學程度的話,用高中的'英文就行,不要以爲人人都是語言大師.多用短句(15-20字吧), 技術性的字,就更加要簡單易明.
2.注意段落的開頭.一般來說,重要或強調的事情都放在信件或段落的開頭,而句子就放在最尾. 例如: use he was unable to attend the meeting person