● 同义词冗余
这一点也跟我们使用中文的习惯有关。比如我们在写正式的文章时会用到诸如“失败和挫折”、“缺点和不足”等等短语,二者并没有太大的区别,这样的写法放在英文里就是重复。
Category 1 (meaning the same)
Nouns:
discussions and deliberations
skills and abilities
setbacks and defeats
errors and mistakes
practices and customs
troubles and problems
trials and tests
paths and routes
divisions and splits
functions and responsibilities
shortcomings and weaknesses
consciousness and awareness
forecasts and predictions
shrinkage or decrease
steps and measures
instructions and commands
plots and intrigues
complaints and dissatisfactions
disputes and dissension
restrictions and shackles
Verbs:
consider and study
endorse and support
introduce and put into effect (measures)
(dikes) give way and collapse
triumph and overcome
defeat and overthrow
flee and retreat
unmasked and revealed
absorbing and incorporating
following and putting into effect (advice)
Adjectives:
strong and solid
weak and faint
firm and staunch
upright and honest
experienced and seasoned
irresolute and hesitant
major and important
trivial and insignificant
accurate or precise (statistics)
short and brief
Adverbs:
correctly and properly
wholly and completely
conscientiously and painstakingly
vividly and dramatically
earnestly and sincerely
Category 2 (meaning contained or implied)
accusations and attacks
corruption and degeneration
wise and sensible
appropriate and advisable
firm and unshakable
precious and useful
necessary and imperative
unprecedented and unique
forward-looking and far-sighted
mentally and ideologically (confused)
Category 3 (meaning vague or general)
the situation and circumstances
the conditions and situation
advances and developments
enhance and improve
healthy and sound
虽然这个list很长,我还是决定把它列出来,因为即使你不会犯这样的错误,也可以把里面的词积累起来,用来做同义词替换。
不过也不是所有重复都是冗余,作者也提到,英语国家的人也会犯这样的错误,有些错误太常见,经过一段时间的积累,也变成了正确的了,有点像汉语里“空穴来风”用法的演变。在实际生活中,遇到同义词的并列,也要加入自己的判断。举例如下: