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英语写作中应当避免性别歧视

2014-5-10 21:20:57

近四十年来,尽管非性别歧视语还没有达到非不可的程度,但它毕竟已进人日常会话和写作的主流之中。随便翻开一张英美的报纸,或瞧一下五花八门的宣传广告,就会发现supervisor(工头,领班)替代了原来的foreman, workman‘s compensation(工人赔偿金)变成了worker‘s compensation; sales rep, sales associate或seller(推销员)取代了常用词salesman等。为此,笔者将有关资料整理如下,供英语学习者参考。请注意,所选用的例句,除个别注明外,均选自rosalie maggio编写的the nonselist word finder: a dictionary of gender-free usage (maggio, 1989)。

1.尽量不用通性代词he,除了明确地指代一个男性人物时,都要设法避免使用之。可以根据语境需要,选用下列替换方式:

1)采用复数形式
sexist: when bathing a baby, never leave him unattended.
revised: when bathing babies, never leave them unattended.
给婴儿洗澡时,一定不能让他们无人照料。

2)用we/us/our改写原句
sexist: from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.
revised: from each of us according to our abilities, to each of us according to our needs.
各尽所能,按需分配。

3)改用第二人称、
sexist: no man knows his true character until he has run out of gas, purchased something on the installment plan and raised an adolescent.

revised: you don‘t know what your true character is until you have run out of gas, purchased something on the ! installment plan and raised an adolescent.
只有当汽车大的油用光了,按分规付款方式购物和抚养大一个孩子时,人的本来品性才会显露出来。

4)改用被动语态
sexist: one who, when he has the choice of two evils, chooses both.
revised: one who, when given the choice of two evils, chooses both.
一个在两种恶行之中要作出选择就两者都选的人。

5)完全省略代词
sexist: what a person thinks of after he becomes a departee?
revised: what a person thinks of after becoming a departee?
一个人离去后,会作何感想呢?

6)用冠词替代
sexist: can a critic give his opinion of an omelet without being asked to make one?
revised: can a critic give an opinion of...?
评论家议论煎蛋时难道到非要他去自己煎鸡蛋吗?