□呂吉爾

（寧波市北侖中學(xué)，浙江寧波 315800）

概要是一種特殊的文體，其突出特點(diǎn)就是簡(jiǎn)練。概要寫(xiě)作不僅是用較少的詞語(yǔ)把同一件事再說(shuō)一遍，而且是用盡可能少的詞語(yǔ)呈現(xiàn)原文的要旨。因此，概要寫(xiě)作要言簡(jiǎn)意賅，以最少的筆墨寫(xiě)出最好的表達(dá)。概要寫(xiě)作要實(shí)現(xiàn)語(yǔ)言簡(jiǎn)練的目的，訣竅就在于恰當(dāng)?shù)剡\(yùn)用以下一些策略。

一、單詞取代短語(yǔ)

（一）實(shí)義動(dòng)詞取代虛義動(dòng)詞短語(yǔ)

英語(yǔ)中有些高頻動(dòng)詞，因詞匯語(yǔ)義弱化而被稱(chēng)為“虛義動(dòng)詞”[1]，如 do,get,give,have,make,put等。在這類(lèi)虛義動(dòng)詞組成的動(dòng)詞短語(yǔ)中，虛義動(dòng)詞本身只表達(dá)語(yǔ)法意義，具體的詞匯意義則由與其搭配的名詞表達(dá)，此類(lèi)虛義動(dòng)詞短語(yǔ)可由短語(yǔ)中表意義的名詞相對(duì)應(yīng)的實(shí)義動(dòng)詞來(lái)代替。表1中左欄為虛義動(dòng)詞短語(yǔ)，右欄為可以替換的實(shí)義動(dòng)詞。

表1

續(xù)表

在寫(xiě)作概要時(shí)，用與此類(lèi)短語(yǔ)中名詞相對(duì)應(yīng)的實(shí)義動(dòng)詞取代整個(gè)短語(yǔ)，即可在不失句子原意的前提下精簡(jiǎn)句子，更符合語(yǔ)言簡(jiǎn)練的要求[2]136。如（例句括號(hào)中的內(nèi)容為畫(huà)線(xiàn)內(nèi)容的替代詞語(yǔ)，下同）：

① Hegaveusanexplanationof（explained）what we were expected to do.

② Some schools lay great emphasis on（emphasize）language study.

③Quickly take a shower（shower）and go!

（二）特定名詞取代偏正短語(yǔ)

用一個(gè)強(qiáng)有力的名詞取代多個(gè)虛浮的詞語(yǔ)[2]130，即用表示個(gè)別、具體概念的特定名詞取代一般概念名詞與其修飾語(yǔ)構(gòu)成的短語(yǔ)，同樣可使句子簡(jiǎn)練而又不失原意，且令人印象更加深刻。如：

④Billy,your paper is a true work of art（masterpiece）!

⑤Turn right at the small,wooden house（cabin）.

⑥Robert is an extremely smart boy（genius）.

（三）單詞取代同義疊用短語(yǔ)

意思相同或相近的詞或詞組重疊使用，稱(chēng)為同義疊用。作為一種修辭手法，同義疊用可使意思更加全面，或起加強(qiáng)語(yǔ)氣的作用，但表達(dá)必然累贅。如each and every,basic and fundamental,full and complete,feelings and opinions,and so on and so forth等，前后兩詞或短語(yǔ)意思相同，在寫(xiě)概要時(shí)用其中一個(gè)即可，以免造成句子冗長(zhǎng)而句意未添的弊端。如：

⑦He talked about how much we owed to our parents,our duty to our country and so on and so forth（and so on/etc）.

⑧The supervisor sets aside time to dialogue with each and every（every）person in the department once a week.

另有一種現(xiàn)象，雖然不是同義詞的直觀(guān)復(fù)現(xiàn)，但實(shí)際上語(yǔ)義是重復(fù)的，如few(in number)，large(in size)，period(in time)，visible(to the eye)，(future)plans，(important)essential，(successful)achievements，(in a)fast(manner)等，均有意義重復(fù)之嫌，在寫(xiě)概要時(shí)完全可省去括號(hào)中的內(nèi)容。如：

⑨A new comet is now expected to become visible to the unaided eye（visible） later this month.

⑩Such planets or stars are few in number（few）in your creation.

?What is the recipe for successful achievement（achievement）?

（四）單詞取代多詞習(xí)語(yǔ)

英語(yǔ)中大量由多詞組成的習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)和句型結(jié)構(gòu)，也可以通過(guò)用同義單詞取而代之的方法使句子簡(jiǎn)化，以達(dá)到語(yǔ)言簡(jiǎn)練的目的。如：

? Despite the fact that（Although） acid rain is destroying Canada’s maples,few people understand the extent of the damage.

?The article made several recommendations in connection with（about） the writers’strike.

表2中左欄的多詞結(jié)構(gòu)可以由相對(duì)應(yīng)的右欄中的單詞取代。

表2

二、短語(yǔ)或單詞取代從句

從句往往會(huì)使句子變得較長(zhǎng)。因此，概要寫(xiě)作中，能不用從句時(shí)就盡量不用（當(dāng)然該用時(shí)還得用），而用短語(yǔ)甚至單詞取而代之，以達(dá)到“概而要”的目的，使概要更加名副其實(shí)。如：

?If you had not helped me,I could not have passed the physics exam.

→I would have failed in the physics exam but for your help/without your help.

?When the sun began to set in the west,we had to wave goodbye to the workers.

→With the sun setting/The sun setting,we had to wave goodbye to the workers.

三、主動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)取代被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)

被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)句的詞數(shù)往往比主動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)句多，因此概要寫(xiě)作中應(yīng)盡量避免使用被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)。被動(dòng)句還可能包含不必要的詞語(yǔ)，主動(dòng)句則可避免此種情況，從而使句子變得更簡(jiǎn)短，更生動(dòng)，更有“人情味”——因?yàn)橹鲃?dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)側(cè)重的是動(dòng)作的行為人。如：

?Two months’notice to vacate must be given by the occupant to the landlord.

→An occupant must give the landlord two months’notice to vacate.

?It should be noted that the balance of the loan may be paid off at any time.

→The borrower may pay off the balance of the loan anytime.

?The photos were loaded onto the PC by Harmony.

→Harmony loaded her photos onto the PC.

四、變換句式以精簡(jiǎn)句子

同一個(gè)意思可用不同種類(lèi)的句子（如復(fù)合句、簡(jiǎn)單句等）或不同結(jié)構(gòu)的句子（如It is…that…,Either…or…,Neither…nor…,Not only…but also…,Both…and...等）來(lái)表達(dá)，但用詞量會(huì)有所不同。一般而言，“直截了當(dāng)”表達(dá)意思的句式相對(duì)較為簡(jiǎn)約，而“拐彎抹角”表達(dá)的句式則相對(duì)較為冗長(zhǎng)。在寫(xiě)概要時(shí)，應(yīng)盡量采用用詞相對(duì)較少的句式，以使句子“瘦身”而不失原意，達(dá)到簡(jiǎn)練的目的。如：

?It is the purpose of this document to summarize the findings of the investigating committee.

→This document summarizes the findings of the investigating committee.

?Given that the volunteers are provided with food,they will survive.

→Provided with food,the volunteers will survive.

21He not only writes his own plays,but also acts in them.

→He writes his own plays and acts in them.

22There are several alternatives which should be explored.

→Several alternatives should be explored.

語(yǔ)言簡(jiǎn)練是概要寫(xiě)作的基本要求，也是確保概要結(jié)構(gòu)緊湊的必要條件。而做到語(yǔ)言簡(jiǎn)練的訣竅就在于恰當(dāng)?shù)剡\(yùn)用上述策略，用有限的詞數(shù)完整、充分、準(zhǔn)確、客觀(guān)地表達(dá)源文本的主旨和內(nèi)容要點(diǎn)?！酲?/p>