Question

如何写出比较地道的英语？

Answer 1

英语国家的人用英语表达都很地道，具体有哪些表现呢？什么的表达更显得地道一点？

以下这封邮件是以前一个澳大利亚客户写给我的。所用的单词都不算难，应该都是四六级范围难度。但是我觉得人家写得很好，很自然地道。现在我原原本本的copy进来，和大家分析学习一下。

Hello Higher,

I've been given your details from my colleague Travis who you are currently working with to produce the display stands.

I also have a job I would like you to look at for me.This is quite urgent as we have been let down by another supplier and are now running out of time.

Attached is a technical drawing of what we were originally looking at. However the twisted side panels are turning out to be too difficult to produce.We are now thinking of adding more structure support to the middle with a pole and then have our hooks attached to the pole.

Could you please review with your team and come back to me if this is something you could help with?

Best Regards,

Michael

大家看完了吧？觉得难不难呢？相信大家基本都读得懂。关于原文，我就不逐字句的翻译了，我把大概意思说一下就好。

Michael的大概意思就是说，他同事Travis把我推荐给他.现在他手头有一个订单, 这个单子很急，之前他们的供应商做的产品样板不合格，让他们很失望. 现在时间很急，他们的时间要耗光了，所以请求我们帮忙一下。然后就是给我们提供产品图纸，同时还有具体的要求... 希望我可以和团队商量一下，帮他解决这个问题。

简单的邮件里面告诉了我们：

怎么找到了我（方式）

为什么找我 （原因）

找我具体做什么 （要求）

现在重点来看一下，他所运用的英语：

I've been given your details  from  my colleague Travis who you are currently working with  to produce the display stands.

have been given  sth 用了现在完成时的被动语态；

用who 引导了一个定语从句，用来具体说明他的同事。

currently 当前，最近，运用得很到位。

I also  have a job  I would like you to look at for me.

have a job 在这里不是有一份工作的意思，而是有点事，有个订单 的意思，类似 we have an order, have a project.

I would like you ..... 这个句子在整句话中是定语从句，用来说明是什么样的job.

This is quite urgent as we  have been let down by  another supplier and  are now running out of time .

在这里用了个短语 let sb down 让某人失望，他选择了被动语态，而且是现在完成时的被动语态。

run out of sth 这个是我们高中常考词组，是用完耗光了的意思，他选择了现在进行时。

Attached  is a technical drawing of what  we were originally looking at . However the twisted side panels  are turning out to be too difficult to  produce.

attached 在这里类似名词 attachment 附件

originally 最初，原本

turn out to be 证明是.....

too.. to 太......而不能 。客户说那个弯曲的板被证明是不好生产的。

Can you please review with your team and  come back to  me if this is something you could  help with ?

come back to 回复

help with 帮助

以上是对客户邮件的具体英文的分析。同样的意思，我让几个过了四六级的同学写一下，写得还算可以的如下：

Hi Higher

I got your informaition from my colleague Travis.  He is working with you on the other order.

We have an order in hand. Now we are in trouble, we need your help.

Our Suppiler can't make the sample well for us, and what is worse, we don't have time enough to do it now.

Please see the attachment, it is a drawing of the product . We can't make the twisted panels. They are really difficult for our supplier to make.We consider adding more structure support to the middle with a pole and then let our hooks attach to the pole.

Could you please consult with your team and reply us soon ?

Best Regards,

Michael.

大家对比一下之前native speaker Michael写的邮件。我们的同学写的意思也表达得很完整，语法词汇也没有什么明显错误，可以说是四平八稳。但是和之前的比起来，是不是缺少一点英语本土的味道呢？原来的那邮件用上了定语从句，恰当的副词，常用的短语，还有一些口语化的表达。我们的同学写得就比较直白，短语用得比较少,也不敢尝试运用定语从句之类的。相比起来，水平立刻见高下。当然，对于一般同学，能达到后面这样的情况也算是挺好了，毕竟 在能力不足的时候，首先要保证意思表达清晰完整 ，后面那封邮件已经做到了，还是应该鼓励一下。如果想对自己有高一点的要求，还是有必要学习一下本土人士地道的表达。

希望本文能够给同学们一点启发： 在平时的学习运用英语当中，我们要大胆的尝试一些固定表达，简单的从句，恰当的副词。只有敢尝试，敢犯错，英语水平才会不断提高。地道自然的英语真的不是通过高深的单词来表现出来的。