【Minimalism Writing】简简单单就好--走出技术写作的误区

某日，儿子兴冲冲地跟我聊起，英语老师教授的高分写作原则：尽量使用从句，用词要新、避免老套，云云。其实不仅中国人在写作时避简就繁，美国人也不例外 （Clutter is the disease of American writing. -- By 《On Writing Well》)

联想到，平日里研发所写技术文档，时常看到上述中国式英文教育的痕迹。在此，我摘录《On Writing Well》中有关Simplicity的精华部分，佐以平时写作或编辑工作中的修正实例，介绍英文写作中Simplicity这一基本原则。

The secrete of Good Writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components:

• Every word that serves no function, (去掉每个不必要的单词）
• Every long word that could be a short word, （有短勿用长）
• Every adverb that carries the same meaning that's already in the verb, （避免使用与verb含义重叠的adverb）
• Every passive construction that leaves the reader unsure of who is dong what. （使用主动态）

示例1：

在日常写作中，第一时间出现在脑海的往往是一个简单的常用词，但我们总喜欢绞尽脑汁，想个复杂新颖的同义词。
专家意见：
“The long word is no better than the short word.” “有短勿用长”。
实例解析：
assistance-->help numerous-->many facilitate-->ease remainder-->rest initial-->first
sufficient-->enough attempt--> try referred to as --> called
Currently or at the present time-->now or today

示例2：

我们喜欢用词组代替单词，在verb后面通过加adverb或是adjective，来増加语言的生动性。
专家意见：
Make active verbs activate your sentences, and try to avoid the kind that need an appended preposition to complete their work.
实例解析：
We face up to many problems. --> We face many problems.
We free a few minutes up . --> We free a few minutes.
We set up a business. --> We started or launched a business.
The president stepped down. --> The president resigned.

英文技术写作系列

• [技术文档工程师六大必杀技] (https://www.jianshu.com/p/c557f9aa91dc)
• 英文技术写作：中国人常犯的语法错误(Common Mistakes in Writing)
• 英文技术写作：Writing Guidelines
• Minimalism Writing: 简简单单就好--走出技术写作的误区