BOOKMAN BILINGUAL 雙語書林：Chinglish or Natural English? 中式英語或道地英語？

The Dos and Don’ts of English
英語的對與錯

1. 我們修改計畫以節省時間。

ˇ We made some changes in our plan with a view to saving time.

χ We made some changes in our plan with a view to save time.

Photo: AdobeStock l 照片：AdobeStock

註：慣用語 with a view to 中的 to 是介詞，通常作「為了……」、「希望能……」解，後面一般接動名詞，間或接不定詞，但不合習慣。

2. 我沒有能力獨自完成這項任務。

Photo: AdobeStock l 照片：Adobe Stock

ˇ I am incapable of completing this job by myself.

ˇ I am unable to complete this job by myself.

χ I am incapable to complete this job by myself.

註：capable 和 incapable 後面接 of ＋名詞或動名詞，不能接不定詞；able 和 unable 接不定詞。

capable 指有特殊能力，有資格；able 指一般的智力或體力。試比較：

The baby is able to walk already.

He is capable of giving brilliant lectures.

He was unable to come, as he was too busy.

She seemed incapable of undertaking such a task.

3.「你可以把我折磨死，但是你不能逼我承認。」湯姆回答說。

ˇ You may torture me to death, but you can’t force me to confess,” replied Tom.

χ “You may torture me to die, but you can’t force me to confess,” replied Tom.

註：這裡 to death 是介詞片語，用作副詞，表示折磨的過程。torture 後面不可以接受詞＋不定詞補語，但可以接受詞＋目的副詞，例如可以說 The fascists tortured the doctor to make him talk.（……為了逼他開口而折磨……），不可以說 * The fascists tortured the doctor to talk.。

4. 你必須遵照醫生的勸告。

ˇ You must follow your physician’s advice.

ˇ You must take your physician’s advice.

χ You must according to your physician’s advice.

註：according to 是複合介詞，不是動詞，作「依據」、「依照」解。例如：

There will be heavy rains according to today’s weather report.

According to his experience, knowing a foreign language is a huge asset in many fields.

to act according to circumstances（隨機應變）

5. 他走過橋，不久到了小屋前。

ˇ He crossed (walked across) the bridge and soon came to a small house.

χ He walked acrossed the bridge and soon came to a small house.

註：across 是介詞，如 to run across a street, to walk across the corridor, to swim across the river。cross 是動詞，如 The troops crossed the river.。

Exercises:

A. 每年都有數千人參與泳渡日月潭活動。

Every year thousands of people swim __________ Sun Moon Lake during the Swimming Carnival.

1. cross

2. across

3. over

4. To

B. 兇手承認勒斃死者。

The murderer has admitted that he strangled the victim to __________ .

1. died

2. die

3. death

4. dead

Answers: A. 2 B. 3

文章由書林出版公司提供：

www.bookman.com.tw

蘇正隆 — 台灣翻譯學學會前理事長、師大翻譯研究所兼任副教授; 編著《走讀自然.花言樹語》，《英語的對與錯》，《世紀病毒：必讀防疫英文知識與詞彙》…等。國家教育研究院中英雙語詞彙審議委員；研究領域為翻譯、術語及詞典編譯，從事植物與人文導覽數十年，亦曾應邀遠赴國外大學做植物人文導覽。