考研英语:正式文体与非正式文体的区别
老师在批改学生作文时,普遍有一种感觉:学生的作文大多用词简单、结构松散,从语体角度分析,正式程度都较低,呈口语化的倾向。很多同学在写作时都忽略了大作文对正式文体的要求。正式文体与非正式文体的区别表现在用词、语法上。
以2009年的大作文为例,该作文为图画作文,图画是一张蜘蛛网上有很多人上网。图画中的中文提示词为:互联网的“远与近”,题目给出的要求是考生简要描述图画,阐明其含义,并发表评论。下面特意选择了考生大作文中普遍存在的非正式用语,并给出相应的正式用语进行比较。
两种文体在语言特征上的主要差异首先表现在用词上,体现在以下几个方面:
1. 正式文体常使用正式用语,非正式文体则常使用非正式用语,这两类不同的用语是在长期的使用过程中被约定俗成地固定下来的。比如以下非正式用语一栏中的词汇在考生大作文中普遍存在,可修改为右栏正式用语中的表达:
非正式用语 | 正式用语 |
crime | offense |
people | individuals |
cut down | reduce |
serious | severe/grave |
harm | damage(or destroy/undermine/jeopardise) |
job | position |
We should investigate the root cause of the problem.
We should look into the root cause of the problem.
Investigate源于拉丁语,属正式文体用语,而look into是古英语词汇成分,属非正式文体用语。
2. 现代英语中的缩略词及缩约词多用于非正式文体,其相应的非缩略或非缩约形式则常出现在正式文体中。很多考生都忽略了这一区别,以下非正式用语栏中的表达都是从考生大作文中选出的,可修改为右栏正式用语中的表达。
缩略词 | 正式用语 | 缩约词 | 正式用语 |
ad | advertisement | shouldn’t | should not |
phone | telephone | won’t | will not |
TV | television | there’s | there is |
e.g。 | for example | don’t | do not |
paper | newspaper | I’ve | I have |
PC | personal computer | they’re | they are |
Informl: People can’t put up with the alienation brought by the Internet.3. 很多考生使用了很多短语动词,而这正是非正式文体的一大特征,正式文体则常用与之同义的单个动词。试比较:
Formal: Individuals cannot tolerate the alienation brought by the Internet.
Informal: In this day and age, many people can make use of the Internet via computers or mobile phones.
Formal: In this day and age, many individuals can utilise the Internet via computers or mobile phones.
两种文体在语言特征上的第二类主要差异体现在语法上,具体包括以下几个方面:
1. 在构成比较句型时,很多考生选择使用了人称代词的宾格形式,其实使用人称代词的主格形式要显得更正式些。
Informal: He spent more time playing computer games than me.
Formal: He spent more time playing computer games than I.
2. 在表达“让步”概念时,很多考生选择使用的but, anyway, all the same, though, although等为非正式文体常用词语表达。正式文体则常使用yet, however, nevertheless, in spite of (despite), notwithstanding等词语,
Informal: He tried to overcome his addiction to the Internet, but he failed.
Formal: He endeavoured to overcome his addiction to the Internet; however, it turned out to be a failure.
3. 在构成“方式状语”时,很多考生偏爱使用副词,而这正是非正式文体常用的表达方式,正式文体则常用介词和与该副词同根的词构成的介词短语:
Informal: It’s very important to….
Formal: It is of great importance to….
4. 在表达“原因”、“后果”等概念时,很多考生由于水平所限,总是使用非正式文体常用的so, because或其他形式的表示原因的从句,正式文体则常用 on account of, accordingly, thus, hence, consequently, owing to (the fact that…)等词或词组,且比较经常地运用分词短语、独立主格结构等。
Informal: Since computers had proliferated, many people become addicted to the Internet.
Formal: Computers having proliferated, many people become addicted to the Internet.
5. 在构成表示“目的”的状语时,很多考生使用具有非正式文体色彩的so as to;其实,用in order that引导的目的状语从句常出现于正式文体中:
Informal: We should do more outdoor activities so as to enrich our life.
Formal: We should do more outdoor activities in order that our life gets enriched.
6. 很多考生不会使用由引导词it引导的句子(如it is said that…),实际上,这一结构多见于正式文体,不用这一结构而表达同一意义的句子多见于非正式文体:
Informal: The number of students in the classroom has been going down.
Formal: It has been noted with concern that the number of students attending class has been declining alarmingly.
7. 很多考生省略关系代词、连词、介词,这些情况多见于非正式文体。
Informal: He flunked many courses. He had been expelled from the college.
Formal: He flunked so many courses that he had been expelled from the college.
Informal: He dealt with the problem the way his classmates does.
Formal: He dealt with the problem in the way his classmates does.
Informal: We should prevent it going from bad to worse.
Formal: We should prevent it from going from bad to worse.
8. 在表达“请求某人做某事时”,很多考生选择使用具有非正式文体色彩的主动语态句式,而没有使用具有正式文体色彩的被动语态句式。
Informal: Please communicate more with your friends and family.
Formal: More communication with your friends and family is needed.
9. 很多考生未能正确使用某些不定代词、动名词的复合结构,不太注意句子的主谓一致,未能体现文章的正式文体风。
Informal: Everybody should look after themselves.
Formal: Everybody should look after himself.
Informal: Everyone should do their best.
Formal: Everyone should do his best.
Informal: I’m not surprised at him failing the course.Formal: I am not surprised at his failing the course.
考生应该在注意把握信息点,注意信件的种类(即正式文体和非正式文体)。如果应用文考题是写给公司单位就要采用正式文体,如果考题是给朋友的话,就应当用非正式的普通用语考研英语阅读材料。对于正式文体,我们可以背诵有关投诉信,询问信,请求信,道歉信,感谢信,建议信,求职信,辞职信,邀请信的一些惯用表达。而非正式文体我们同样要注意词句方面不要写错,要准确多样。
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