欧洲委员会写作手册是欧洲委员会翻译司(Directorate-General for Translation, European Commission)在The Plain English Guide 和 Style: Toward Clarity and Grace 的基础上,针对欧洲委员会的文件起草和翻译活动,编写了Fight the Fog: How to Write Clearly,对于汉英翻译工作有重要的指导意义,精炼地概括了翻译和写作中应当注意的事项,实质内容,就是提倡简明英语(Plain English)。
Hint 1: Think before you write ............................................................................................................................ page 3Hint 2: Focus on the reader — be direct and interesting ............................................................................. page 4
Hint 3: Get your document into shape ............................................................................................................ page 5
Hint 4: KISS: Keep It Short and Simple ............................................................................................................... page 6
Hint 5: Make sense — structure your sentences ............................................................................................. page 7
Hint 6: Cut out excess nouns – verb forms are livelier .................................................................................. page 8
Hint 7: Be concrete, not abstract ....................................................................................................................... page 9
Hint 8: Prefer active verbs to passive — and name the agent ...............................................................page 10
Hint 9: Beware of false friends, jargon and abbreviations ....................................................................page 11
Hint 10: Revise and check ...................................................................................................................................page 14
Online EU drafting aids ......................................................................................................................................page 15