The Elements of Style 阅读笔记

文章写作基本准则

本文是阅读写作领域经典《The Elements of Style》的写作相关章节之后，做出的总结笔记。下面将依次分析文中提出的准则。

准则 9

将段落作为文章的单元，每个段落一个主题。
该准则强调每个段落都要有一个主题，并围绕段落主题行文。段落主题是由文章主题分化而来。例如要写一篇历史事件的分析文章，可以分为以下三个主题：事件起因；事件经过；事件结果。这样全文一共三个段落，每个段落围绕对应主题，对文章主题叙述层层递进。这样做可以使得读者更加易于理解文章。另外，划分文章主题时，如果文章主题比较小，那么可以不必划分。如果文章主题比较大，那么可以将文章主题划分为多个小主题。

准则 10

每个段落起始一个主题句，段落结尾与主题句呼应。
该准则的目的是使用起始主题句帮助读者理解该段落的叙述目的。并在结尾处，重新回顾段落目的。
常用的段落格式如下：（1） 主题句放在段落开头或附近。（2） 随后的句子解释，构建和进一步阐述主题句。（3） 最后的句子强调主题的思想或者陈述一些重要的结果。

另外，尤其要避免用离题或者不重要的细节来结尾。另外，段落作为文章或者章节的一部分，我们需要描述它与前面段落及其他部分的关系。这些关系可以通过一些词，或短语来实现，例如again, therefore, for the same reson。如果需要多个句子描述上述关系，可以将这些句子单独成段。

准则 11

使用主动语态。
该准则认为通常主动语态通常比被动语态更加直接和有力。例如下面的例子，第一个句子比第二个句子更加直接，简洁。

1. I shall always remember my first visit to Boston.
2. My first visit to Boston will always be remembered by me.

但是，并不是说强制使用被动语态，完全抛弃主动语态。主动与被动的使用要基于实际情况，通常由主语决定。如下面两个句子。第一个句子适合出现在叙述dramatist的段落中，而第二个句子适合叙述读者品味的段落。

1. The dramatists of the Restoration are little esteemed today.
2. Modern readers have little esteem for the dramatists ofthe Restoration.

使用及物动词的主动语态替换掉敷衍的表述,例如there is, could be heard等,可以使得部分句子表述更加生动。

1. There were a great number of dead leaves lying on the ground. -> Dead leaves covered the ground.
2. The sound of the falls could still be heard. -> The sound of the falls still reached our ears.

同样也有一些错误需要避免。

（1）避免使用相互依赖的被动语态。

Gold was not allowed to be exported. -> It was forbidden to export gold (The export of gold was prohibited).

（2）避免在被动语态中使用没有实际意义而仅仅是用来完善被动语态结构的词语。

A survey of this region was made in 1900. -> This region was surveyed in 1900.

Mobilization of the army was rapidly carried out. -> The army was rapidly mobilized.

Confirmation of these reports cannot be obtained. ->These reports cannot be confirmed.

准则 12

使用肯定形式陈述。
该准则认为写作时应当使用明确语句，避免使用平淡，苍白，迟疑和含糊的语句。
使用 not 表达否定或对立的思想，而不是一种规避事实的方法。例如下面的句子使用not来间接表达一种事实。
He was not very ofetn on time. -> He usually came late.

He did not think that studying Latin was much use. -> He thought the study of Latin useless.

读者希望被告知的是 what is ，而不是 what is not。所以，将负面信息以正面方式告知是一种更好的方式。

1. not honest -> dishonest
2. not important -> trifling
3. did not remember -> forgot
4. did not pay any attention to -> ignored

另外， negative 和 positive 的对立可以使得表达更加强烈。

1. Not charity, but simple justice.
2. Not that I loved Caesar less, but Rome the more.

有趣的是书中认为除了not,其他的否定词表达都是足够简单直接的。

• The sun never sets upon the British flag.

准则 13

忽略无效的词。
该准则认为: 句子不应含无效的词，段落不应含无效的句子，正如绘画不含无效的线条，机器不含无效的零件。

该准则并不是说句子应该比较短，叙述一个主题时忽略细节。而是说每个词都应该表达一些有效的信息。

1. there is no doubt but that -> no doubt(doubtless)
2. used for fuel purposes -> used for fuel
3. he is a man who -> he
4. in a hasty manner -> hastily
5. this is a subject which -> this subject
6. His story is strange one -> His story is strange
7. owing to the fact that -> since(because)
8. in spite of the fact that -> though(although)

who is, which was 通常也是冗余的。

1. His brother, who is a member of the same firm. -> His brother, a member of the same firm.
2. Trafalgar, which was Nelson's last battle -> Trafalgar, Nelson's last battle.

另外就是像规则11和12所言：正面的句子通常比负面的句子更加简洁；主动形式比被动形式简洁。

另外一种经常违背简洁原则的情况是：使用一系列句子一步一步地陈述一个非常复杂的想法。通常可以将这些句子归并起来，达到简洁的目的。

• Macbeth was very ambitious. This led him to wish tobecome king of Scotland. The witches told him that this wish of his would come true. The king of Scotland at this time was Duncan. Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth murdered Duncan. He was thus enabled to succeed Duncan as king. (55 words.) -> Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth achieved his ambition and realized the prediction of the witches by murdering Duncan and becoming king of Scotland in his place. (26 words.)

准则14

避免使用一系列松散的句子
该准则认为，将松散的句子放在紧凑句子之间可以达到一种平衡，使得读者或者较好的阅读体验。
部分语调轻松的文章也常常使用松散的句子。但是如果松散的句子在一段中出现过于频繁，将会导致糟糕的阅读体验。例如使用and, but等并列词，或者who, which,when构成的非限定定语从句，常常会导致上述问题。该准则说的有些抽象，没太明白。应该是说，在叙述时要避免过于平铺直叙，机械罗列事实，要通过按照思想脉络组织语言。

准则15

用相似的形式表达一致的思想
该准则认为表达相似思想的句子应该具有相似的结构（并行结构）。句子结构的相似性能够使得读者易于感知到句子之间思想的相似性。
书中提到，部分写作者常常认为频繁的改变句子的格式是一种更好的表达形式。也许部分情况下为了强调，需要改变句子的格式。但是多数情况下，应该遵循并行结构。如下所示，左侧句子给人一种缺乏自信，优柔寡断的感觉。但是，右侧句子具有并行结构，给人一种果决的印象。

• Formerly, science was taught by the textbook method, while now the laboratory method is employed.
  -> Formerly, science was taught by the textbook method; now it is taught by the laboratory method.

另外，当冠词，介词应用到多个成员时，要么仅应用在第一个成员, 要么应用到所有成员。

• The French, the Italians, Spanish, and Portuguese -> The French, the Italians, the Spanish, and the Portuguese
• In spring, summer, or in winter > In spring, summer, or winter (In spring, in summer, or in winter)

对于关联表达式，例如both, and; not, but;not only, but also; eithor, or; first, second, third;等等，应当使用并行结构。

• A time not for words, but action > A time not for words, but for action
• It was both a long ceremony and very tedious. -> The ceremony was both long and tedious
• Either you must grant his request or incur his ill will. -> You must either grant his request or incur his ill will.

对于大量相似idea的句子，例如二十多个，使用并行结构不太现实。但是这种问题是可以规避的。规避方法如下。

• 可以通过分组，并对组内少量idea使用并行结构。
• 可以使用表格的方式避免该问题。

准则16

将相关的词组织在一起
该准则认为，词在句中的位置表示了他们之间的关系。因此，应将表达思想有关联的词放在一起。

首先，若句子的主语与主要动词之前放入了插入语，应尽量将短语提前。

• Wordsworth, in the fifth book of The Excursion, gives a minute description of this church. -> In the fifth book of The Excursion, Wordsworth gives a minute description of this church.

如果插入短语只是同位语或关系从句时，不必遵守该准则。另外如果是在为了制造悬念的 periodic sentence（指通过有意构造，主要信息在句尾的句子。）。那么也不必遵守该准则。

关系代词应当与先行词紧密联系在一起。如下，look 和 bode 放置在一起更为合适。

• There was a look in his eye that boded mischief. -> In his eye was a look that boded mischief.

如果先行词由一组词构成，那么关系代词应当在词组的末尾。当然，如果这样做会造成误解，那么应当避免。

• A proposal to amend the Sherman Act, which has been variously judged -> A proposal, which has been variously judged, to amend the Sherman Act.
• The grandson of William Henry Harrison, who -> William Henry Harrison's grandson, Benjamin Harrison, who

同位词可以在先行词和关系代词之间使用。这样使用也不会造成误解。

• The Duke of York, his brother, who was regarded with hostility by the Whigs.

修饰词（Modifier)应尽量当放在被修饰词之前。如果存在多个修饰词，应该通过适当安排避免歧义。

• All the members were not present. -> Not all the members were present
• He only found two mistakes. -> He found only two mistakes.

准则17

写概要时保持一种时态
该准则认为写概要需要保持一种时态。同时也指出了概要的其他写作要点。

1. 一开始就表明这是对他人文字的概述，不要在后续内容中，重复的说 he said, he stated, the speaker added等。
2. 在写作品评述时，不要以写成评论的总结，而是写一篇有根有据，有条有理的讨论。
3. 当有多个作品需要讨论时，不要按照时间顺序陈述，而是在开始给出结论。

准则18

将强调的词放在句子末尾
该准则认为应该将需要强调的词或词组放在句尾。上述这段话比较重要的是描述钢的用途，所以将 making razors 放在结尾。放在末尾的通常是逻辑上的谓词（表达有效信息，或者未知信息的词）。

• This steel is principally used for making razors, because of its hardness. -> Because of its hardness, this steel is principally used in making razors

另外，将词放到句子开头也将起到强调作用。例如：

• Deceit or treachery he could never forgive.

若主语需要特别强调，也可以放到句子的末尾。例如：

• Through the middle of the valley flowed a winding stream.

当然，该准则也可以推广到更高的层面。句子重要的单词放到末尾；段落重要的句子放在末尾；文章重要的段落放在末尾。