News Reporting in English 英语新闻写作技巧

注意中文的文化干扰
• • • • • •
Hot water heater Mass rally Accidentally stumbled Grand total Personal friendship Invited guests
• • • • • •
Water heater Rally Stumble Total Friendship Guests
A Practical Guide for International News Reporting in English
英语对外新闻报道
第一部分 语言与文风
• • • • 第一讲 现代新闻英语浅论 第二讲 准确，准确，再准确 第三讲 设想读者对中国一无所知 第四讲 英语新闻报道中的文化趋同 和文化干扰 • 第五讲 英语新闻文风的沿革与演变
词性转换的作用
• A baby with brown eyes • The howitzer went off with a boom. • A man with a white beard • A brown-eyed baby • The howitzer boomed.
• A white-bearded man
– ---20世纪30年代美国某通讯社一实习生的消息导语
• 许多男孩和女孩过早开始工作， 工作时间过长， 熬夜时间太多，而且在危险的和其他不理想的条 件下干活。 • What problem do you think are there in the above message?
中文“美文”
• 轻快的龙舟如银河流星，瑰丽的彩船似海市蜃楼， 两岸那金碧辉煌的彩楼连成一片水晶宫。是仙境？ 是梦境？仰视彩鸽飞翔，低眸漂灯流霓；焰火怒放， 火树银花；灯舞回旋，千姿百态；气垫船腾起一片 春潮，射击手点破漫天彩球，跳伞健儿绽放空中花 蕾，枪鸭勇士谱写水上凯歌。还有雀鸟争鸣，花卉 盆景竟艳。书画、工艺展览铺出琳琅满目的画 廊……啊，（某某城市）是不夜城，龙舟会是群英 会。
彻底清除“美文”(“fine writing”)
• Many boys and girls are working at too young an age, for too long hours, too late at night, in dangerous and other undesirable conditions.
The committee concluded. The society discussed the matter. They razed the building. He will be here for three weeks. The car is red. We reached him by telephone. Mr. Johnson flew to Beijing. • The year is ending.
正确使用动词
• To arrive at (draw) a conclusion • To come to an end • To have a meeting • To have a discussion • To conclude
• To end • To meet • To discuss
• 不少英语动词在展示动词的同时展示伴随动作发生的 语义，从而省去了副词等修饰成分。如disclose, stumble, resign, officiate等动词。
用词通俗易懂
• • • • • • • • • • • With reference to Concordance In spite of Prior to Remains Destroyed by fire Urban people Obvious Pass away Appre • • • • • • • • • • About Agreement Despite Before Body Burned City people Clear Die Fear fire
避免使用低频率的词汇
• • • • • • • • • A good part of A little less than At the present time At the rear of In the immediate vicinity Once in a great while Kept under surveillance In the not too distant a future Went up in flames • • • • • • • • • Much Almost Now Behind Near Rarely Watched Eventually burned
• --1988年某地为对外宣传当地龙舟盛会而散发的“美文”
避免语法错误
• Less than 35% of the local people favor the idea. • The government gave it to Wang and I. • The committee will choose their representatives through election. • The sun shines brightly over the villages. • Fewer than 35% of the local people favor the idea. • The government gave it to Wang and me. • The committee will choose its representatives through election. • The sun shines bright over the village.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
In the event of Rendezvous Comprehend A lucrative job Following In the wake of Request Purchase Automobile Anticipate Obtain Attempt Utilize Commence the true fact is that
如何惜墨如金？
• 一、同义词语中，哪个最短就用哪个。 • 二、只要有可能，就应用更简洁、有有力 的词语。 • 三、同义词中，尽可能选择较通俗、使用 频率较高的词语。 • 四、尽可能使用简单句，少用复合句。 • 五、现代英语中的词性转换往往能够产生 强烈的修辞效果 • 六、正确使用动词，节省用词，增大语感 强度。
去掉多余的表达
• • • • • • • • • • Commute back and force Bouquet of flowers To get drowned in water Estimated at about Disclosed for the first time Concentrated his efforts on Basic fundamentals Made arrangements Made an arrest Put in his appearance at the party • • • • • • • • • • Commute Bouquet To get drowned Estimated at Disclosed Concentrated on Fundamentals Arranged Arrested Appeared at the party
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
If Meeting Understand A well-paid job After After Ask Buy Car Expect Get Try Use Start The fact is that
复合句→简单句
• All citizens who are interested should come. • He will speak at the meeting that will be held Monday. • Hu Jintao, who is president of the People’s Republic of China, will be there. • The true story of Ah Q, which was written by Lu Xun in the early 20th century, remains popular today. • All interested citizens should come. • He will speak at the meeting Monday. • Chinese President Hu Jintao will be here. • Written by Lu Xun in the early 20th century, the True Story of Ah Q remains popular.
现代新闻英语是…
• 精炼的英语，能够用有限的篇幅传达 最大量的有效信息 • 公众日常使用的英语 • 词语生命力强大，不用生僻词语 • 规范的英语 • 新闻用事实说话
惜墨如金
• 英语新闻导语的字数标准： • 二战后，美联社（Associated Press, AP) 把新闻导语从平均27个词（包括只起语 法作用的冠词、情态动词等）压缩到平 均23个词。 • 每个词的音节数从平均1.74个压缩到 1.55个。 • 国际惯例：消息导语一般不超过30个词， 每段不超过4行。
• The committee arrived at a • conclusion. • The society held a discussion on the • matter. • They did away with the building. • • He will be here for a period of three • weeks. • The color of the car is red. • • We reached him by the use of • telephone. • Mr. Jonson arrived in Beijing by air. • • The Year is drawing to an end.
第一讲 现代新闻英语浅论
• Curtis D. MacDougall • 美国最著名的新闻工作者 • 新闻教育家 • 本书为美国影响最大的新闻写作 教科书之一
第一讲 现代新闻英语浅论
• Compact, usually short sentences, each word selected and placed for maximum effect. • Short, terse paragraphs, each complete in itself and generally capable of being removed without destroying the sense of a story. • Conciseness, directness and simplicity, through elimination of superfluous words, phrases and clauses and through proper emphasis. • Factualness, without editorial opinion, puffs and boost, unwise superlatives, adjectives, nouns and other dogmatic words. • Avoidance of “fine” writing, strong verbs and nouns being preferred to trite, hackneyed and obsolete words and expressions. • Observance of the rule good grammatical and word usage. • ------ Interpretative Reporting