第一节

qcsjwssy

Reader: qcsjwssy
Reading time: 2025.4.10-12
Reading task: Unnecessary Nouns and Verbs
Summary of the Content
Joan Pinkham highlights that redundant nouns and verbs are common in Chinglish, adding clutter and ambiguity without enhancing clarity. The core principle: omit all functionally empty words.  
1. Unnecessary Nouns  
Redundant modifiers: eg, "living standards for the people" (删去 "for the people" since "standards" inherently apply to people).  
Category nouns: Eg, "the cause of peaceful reunification" → "peaceful reunification."  
Abstract noun piles: Eg, "the prolongation of the existence of this temple" → "This temple has endured."  
2. Unnecessary Verbs:  
Weak verb + noun structures: Eg, "make an improvement" → "improve"; "conduct an examination" → "examine."  
Empty verb phrases: Eg, "achieve the objective of clarity" → "be clear."  
Redundancy in passive voice: Eg, "approval should be given" → "approve."  

Evaluation  
Strengths
Evidence-based approach: Contrasts abundant Chinglish examples (e.g., government documents) with concise English, reinforcing clarity.  
Practical methodology: Proposes a "deletion test"—if removing a word doesn’t alter meaning, it’s redundant.  
Limitations:  
Oversimplification: Ignores contexts where redundancy adds emphasis or cohesion (e.g., legal texts).  
Cultural blind spots: Fails to address how Chinese rhetorical habits (e.g., repetition for emphasis) clash with English concision.  

Reflection
Pinkham’s critique transcends grammar—it demands a mindset shift: from noun-driven to verb-driven expressions, from "safe redundancy" to targeted concision. In global communication, this principle is not just translational but foundational to cross-cultural efficacy.