[English Note] （连载中）The Elements of Style 文体要素 12L更新

As Chineses students, we tend to ignore those details when we are writing.

Thanks for your kind reminder.

It.s so  useful

Introduction 简介

This book is intended for use in English courses in which the practice of composition is combined with the study of literature. It aims to give in a brief space the principal requirements of plain English style. It aims to lighten the task of instructor and student by concentrating attention (in Chapters II and III) on a few essentials, the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated. The numbers of the sections may be used as references in correcting manuscript.
本书是为了英语语言课程编写，并将写作练习和文学研究相结合的教材。本书致力于呈现简洁清晰英语文法要求，通过集中讲解一些经常出现的语法错误（第二章和第三章）来减轻教师和学生的负担。 章节号可以作为修订手稿的参考出处。
The book covers only a small portion of the field of English style, but the experience of its writer has been that once past the essentials, students profit most by individual instruction based on the problems of their own work, and that each instructor has his own body of theory, which he prefers to that offered by any textbook.
这本书仅仅涵盖英语文法的一小部分，作者的经验表明，一旦掌握了这些基本要点，学生们在修改自己作品的的过程中收获颇丰；每一位教师都有他自己的理论习惯，这些可能来自于任何一本教材。

The writer's colleagues in the Department of English in Cornell University have greatly helped him in the preparation of his manuscript. Mr. George McLane Wood has kindly consented to the inclusion under Rule 11 of some material from his Suggestions to Authors.
作者在康奈尔大学英语部门的同事们为底稿提供的很大的帮助。George McLane Wood允许在第十一条下使用他《给作者们的建议》中的内容。


The following books are recommended for reference or further study: in connection with Chapters II and IV:
这些书可以作为第二章和第四章深入学习的参考：

F. Howard Collins, Author and Printer (Henry Frowde);

Chicago University Press, Manual of Style;

T. L. De Vinne Correct Composition (The Century Company);

Horace Hart, Rules for Compositors and Printers (Oxford University Press);

George McLane Wood, Extracts from the Style-Book of the Government Printing Office (United States Geological Survey);

In connection with Chapters III and V:
第三章和第五章：

[tr]John Leslie Hall, English Usage (Scott, Foresman and Co.);[td]

Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, The Art of Writing (Putnams), especially the chapter, Interlude on Jargon;

George McLane Wood, Suggestions to Authors (United States Geological Survey);

James P. Kelly, Workmanship in Words (Little, Brown and Co.).

It is an old observation that the best writers sometimes disregard the rules of rhetoric. When they do so, however, the reader will usually find in the sentence some compensating merit, attained at the cost of the violation. Unless he is certain of doing as well, he will probably do best to follow the rules. After he has learned, by their guidance, to write plain English adequate for everyday uses, let him look, for the secrets of style, to the study of the masters of literature.
很早就有人观察到优秀的作者们有时候也违反修辞学的原则。然而，作为违背的代价，读者们通常发现这些句子有些瑕疵。 除非他确信违背的句子更好，他在遵循原则的时候通常能做的最好。在人们学习如何写出适当而简明的日常用语时，就能发现修辞的秘诀和精通文学的方法。

1. Form the possessive singular of nouns with 's.
单数名词后用’s 形成所有格
Follow this rule whatever the final consonant. Thus write,
这个规则适用于所有辅音结尾的词，写作：

Charles's friend
Burns's poems
the witch's malice

This is the usage of the United States Government Printing Office and of the Oxford University Press.
这是美国政府印刷办公室和牛津大学出版社的用法。


Exceptions are the possessives of ancient proper names in -es and -is, the possessive Jesus' , and such forms as for conscience' sake, for righteousness' sake. But such forms as Achilles' heel,Moses' laws, Isis' temple are commonly replaced by
一些例外出现在古代的特指名词以-es 和-is 结尾， 例如所有格Jesus’, for conscience' sake, for righteousness' sake。 但这种形式在阿基里斯之踵，摩西律法和伊希斯神庙中完全被of的形式所取代。

the heel of Achilles
the laws of Moses
the temple of Isis

The pronominal possessives hers, its, theirs, yours, and oneself have no apostrophe.
而代词性所有格形容词her, its, theirs, yours 和oneself没有’s。


2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last.
一系列多于两个的并列词组出现时，除了最后一组，都使用逗号。

Thus write,
由此，有：

red, white, and blue
honest, energetic, but headstrong
He opened the letter, read it, and made a note of its contents.

This is also the usage of the Government Printing Office and of the Oxford University Press.
这也是美国政府印刷办公室和牛津大学出版社的用法。

In the names of business firms the last comma is omitted, as
在公司的名字名列的时候，最后的逗号省略：
Brown, Shipley and Company
The abbreviation etc., even if only a single term comes before it, is always preceded by a comma.
对于缩写， etc. 即使前面只有一个名词，也必须跟在逗号后面。


3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas.
插入语两边使用逗号。

The best way to see a country, unless you are pressed for time, is to travel on foot.
This rule is difficult to apply; it is frequently hard to decide whether a single word, such as however, or a brief phrase, is or is not parenthetic. If the interruption to the flow of the sentence is but slight, the writer may safely omit the commas. But whether the interruption be slight or considerable, he must never omit one comma and leave the other. Such punctuation as
这条的应用较难；我们经常难以决定像一个单词（如however）或者一个简单的短语，是不是一个插入语。如果这个词或者词组的终端之在句子中做了一个微小的中断，作者可以安心的省略逗号。然而，不论这个中断是否微小，作者不能只省略其中一个逗号而留下另外一边，见例子：

Marjorie's husband, Colonel Nelson paid us a visit yesterday,
Or 或
My brother you will be pleased to hear, is now in perfect health,

is indefensible.（只省略一个逗号）是不合理的。

Non-restrictive relative clauses are, in accordance with this rule, set off by commas.
非限定名词性从句，在这个规则下，由。号分隔：

The audience, which had at first been indifferent, became more and more interested.
一开始漫不经心的观众们，变得越来越投入。


Similar clauses introduced by where and when are similarly punctuated.
由where 和when 引导的从句也遵循类似的标点。

In 1769, when Napoleon was born, Corsica had but recently been acquired by France.
1769年，当拿破仑出生时，科西嘉岛才刚刚成为法国领土。
Nether Stowey, where Coleridge wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, is a few miles from Bridgewater.
Nether Stowey, Coleridge写《古舟子咏》的地方，离Bridgewater只有几英里。

In these sentences the clauses introduced by which, when, and where are non-restrictive; they do not limit the application of the words on which they depend, but add, parenthetically, statements supplementing those in the principal clauses. Each sentence is a combination of two statements which might have been made independently.
这些句子里，非限定性从句由which, when, where引导。他们不限定被修饰词的用途，只是作为插入语对主句作补充说明。每个句子由两个独立的陈述句组成。

【下列例句与上面的意思想同，但是分为两个简单句。】
The audience was at first indifferent. Later it became more and more interested.
Napoleon was born in 1769. At that time Corsica had but recently been acquired by France.
Coleridge wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner at Nether Stowey. Nether Stowey is only a few miles from Bridgewater.

Restrictive relative clauses are not set off by commas.
限定性从句不能用逗号引导。
The candidate who best meets these requirements will obtain the place.
最符合条件的候选人能够获得席位。

In this sentence the relative clause restricts the application of the word candidate to a single person. Unlike those above, the sentence cannot be split into two independent statements.
这句话中，限定性从句相知了被修饰词——候选人（candidate）为一个人。和上面的例子不同，这个句子不能被分割为两个不同的句子。

The abbreviations etc. and jr. are always preceded by a comma, and except at the end of a sentence, followed by one.
缩写，etc.和jr. 一直都需要加逗号，只有在句末才只需要一个句号。


Similar in principle to the enclosing of parenthetic expressions between commas is the setting off by commas of phrases or dependent clauses preceding or following the main clause of a sentence. The sentences quoted in this section and under Rules 4, 5, 6, 7, 16, and 18 should afford sufficient guidance.
与插入语需要用逗号隔开的原理相似的是用逗号隔开非独立从句，这个段落中4，5，6，7，16，18中出现的例句都可以为这点提供充分的证明。

If a parenthetic expression is preceded by a conjunction, place the first comma before the conjunction, not after it.
如果插入语跟在一个连词后面，逗号应该放在连词前，而非连词后。
He saw us coming, and unaware that we had learned of his treachery, greeted us with a smile.

Many thanks for your hard work!

Please click "Report (举报)" to inform us after the update, otherwise we may not notice it. Thanks!

My poor english.

4. Place a comma before and or but introducing an independent clause.
在独立分句中的and, or, but使用逗号。

The early records of the city have disappeared, and the story of its first years can no longer be reconstructed.

The situation is perilous, but there is still one chance of escape.

Sentences of this type, isolated from their context, may seem to be in need of rewriting. As they make complete sense when the comma is reached, the second clause has the appearance of an after-thought. Further, and, is the least specific of connectives. Used between independent clauses, it indicates only that a relation exists between them without defining that relation. In the example above, the relation is that of cause and result. The two sentences might be rewritten:
这类型的句子，不论其内容，看起来似乎需要重写。因为在逗号出现时，句子已经完成了表意，第二个分区看起来有点像补充说明。此外，and是最不精确的连接词。在两个独立分句中间使用，这表明了两个句子有联系，但是没有指明是什么联系。上文的例子中，句子之间是因果关系。因此，这两个句子可以重写为：

As the early records of the city have disappeared, the story of its first years can no longer be reconstructed.

Although the situation is perilous, there is still one chance of escape.

Or the subordinate clauses might be replaced by phrases:
或者从句可以用词组代替：

Owing to the disappearance of the early records of the city, the story of its first years can no longer be reconstructed.

In this perilous situation, there is still one chance of escape.

But a writer may err by making his sentences too uniformly compact and periodic, and an occasional loose sentence prevents the style from becoming too formal and gives the reader a certain relief. Consequently, loose sentences of the type first quoted are common in easy, unstudied writing. But a writer should be careful not to construct too many of his sentences after this pattern (see Rule 14).
但是一个作者也可能把句子写的过份紧凑，偶尔出现的一个松散句子能够让行文看起来不过分正式并让读者能松口气。因此，第一类的句子在简洁易懂的文章中相当常见。但一个作者也应该注意不要过多的使用这种结构。

Two-part sentences of which the second member is introduced by as (in the sense of because), for, or, nor, and while (in the sense of and at the same time) likewise require a comma before the conjunction.
用as（做because解释时）,for, or, nor, while（同时意义时）引导的句子在连词前也需要一个逗号。

If a dependent clause, or an introductory phrase requiring to be set off by a comma, precedes the second independent clause, no comma is needed after the conjunction.
如果一个非独立从句，或者一个引导词组需要用逗号开头，并出现在一个独立从句前，连词后不需要使用逗号。【下面的例子中，but后不需要使用逗号。】

The situation is perilous, but if we are prepared to act promptly, there is still one chance of escape.

For two-part sentences connected by an adverb, see the next section.
对于两个句子用一个副词连接的情况，参见下一节。

这一节有些地方我觉得与现行的语法不太相符，如果有同学有不同观点请指出~
5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma.
不能用逗号连接两个独立从句。
If two or more clauses, grammatically complete and not joined by a conjunction, are to form a single compound sentence, the proper mark of punctuation is a semicolon.
如果两个或多个分句，语法上完整并且没有连接词连接，但要作为一个句子时，应当使用分号。

It is of course equally correct to write the above as two sentences each, replacing the semicolons
by periods.
当然，上面的句子也可以写成两个分开的句子，把分号处改为逗号。
【考试写作文的时候，如果发现两个句子完整，但是找不到合适的连接词来表明这两个句子之间的逻辑关系时，但是这两个句子关系又比较紧密，可以使用分号，这样既能保证语法上的正确，又不需要太多的修改。同时，也可以使句子看起来长一点。（当然最好还是能学会别的写长句子的方法。）】


If a conjunction is inserted, the proper mark is a comma (Rule 4).
如果两个分句之间插入了连接词，正确的标点是逗号（第四条）




Note that if the second clause is preceded by an adverb, such as accordingly, besides, so, then, therefore, or thus, and not by a conjunction, the semicolon is still required.
注意，如果第二个句子由一个副词开头，例如：accordingly, besides, so, then, therefore或者thus，而不是一个连接词，此处仍然需要使用分号。
【这一点国内不是特别讲究的同学可以无视，国内的老师应该不太会精细到这一程度（其实国外应该也不会吧……）。这个例子比较奇怪，因为so这样子的使用实际上现在是非常常见的。可能是因为这本书是距今已经有九十几年的关系。然而，翻阅了普渡网上写作指南，发现两个独立句之间加了连词之后用但还是用分号的做法依然存在，普渡列出的词有：“therefore, moreover, thus, consequently, however, also”。这些词在词性上的确都是副词（so可以作为连接词，表示程度时是副词，可能当年的语法体系下，so还不归为连接词吧。）因此，为了保险起见，需要注意的还是注意一下。】
【顺便附赠关联词指南：
词性上是连接词的：
单独使用的：for, and nor, but or, yet, so；
一组一组使用的： either… or, not only… but also, neither… nor, both… and, whether or

词性上是副词，或者副词词组：
Accordingly, additionally, also, anyway, again, as a result, besides, certainly, comparatively, consequently, contrarily, conversely, finally, further, furthermore, elsewhere, equally, hence, henceforth, however, just as, in addition, in comparison, in contrast, in fact, incidentally, indeed, instead, likewise, meanwhile, moreover, namely, nevertheless, next, nonetheless, notably, now, otherwise, rather, similarly, subsequently, still, that is, then, thereafter, therefore, thus, undoubtedly, uniquely】




In general, however, it is best, in writing, to avoid using so in this manner; there is danger that the writer who uses it at all may use it too often. A simple correction, usually serviceable, is to omit the word so, and begin the first clause with as:
通常来说，在写作中最好避免这样使用so。因为这样使用的作者有过多使用这种结构的危险。一个通常简单可行的办法是，省略so，在第一个分句前使用as：


If the clauses are very short, and are alike in form, a comma is usually permissible:
如果两个分句都很短，逗号是可以使用的。
【这一条请忽略吧。以目前的语法来看，似乎不太合适。口语上可行，书面语上算语法错误。】

Basically I agree with your opinion.

今天去图书馆，找了一本2000年再版的the element of style，很多地方已经有改动了。特别是上次纠结的地方。接下去会基本上以新版为基准更新，因为要对照我自己原来的版本，所以速度会拖拉。抱歉。 首先，上回有很怪异的地方，新版中作出改动： 更改一： 引用 原文： Note that if the second clause is preceded by an adverb, such as accordingly, besides, so, then, therefore, or thus, and not by a conjunction, the semicolon is still required. 注意，如果第二个句子由一个副词开头，例如：accordingly, besides, so, then, therefore或者thus，而不是一个连接词，此处仍然需要使用分号。 改版后： Note that if the second clause is preceded by an adverb, such as accordingly, besides, so, then, therefore, or thus, and not by a conjunction, the semicolon is still required. 注意，如果第二个句子由一个副词开头，例如：accordingly, besides, so, then, therefore或者thus，而不是一个连接词，此处仍然需要使用分号。 同时，例句由： I had never been in the place before; so I had difficulty in finding my way about. 改为： I had never been in the place before; besides,it was dark as a tomb. 此外，最后一部分也有比较大的改动： 引用 If the clauses are very short, and are alike in form, a comma is usually permissible: 如果两个分句都很短，逗号是可以使用的。 【这一条请忽略吧。以目前的语法来看，似乎不太合适。口语上可行，书面语上算语法错误。】 Man proposes, God disposes. The gate swung apart, the bridge fell, the portcullis was drawn up. 改作： An exception to the semicolon rule is worth nothing here. A comma is preferable when the clauses are very short and alike in form, or when the tone of the sentence is easy and conversational. 分号有一个小例外。在分句非常短并且结构类似，或者据悉的语气非常轻松，类似谈话时，倾向于使用逗号而非分号。 [tr]The gates swung apart, the bridge fell, the portcullis was drown up.[td] [tr].[td]I hardly knew him, he was so changed [tr]Here today, gone tomorrow.[td] Man proposes, God disposes. ================================================ 6. Do not break sentences in two. 保持句子完整。 In other words, do not use periods for commas. 换句话说，在应该使用逗号的地方，不要使用句号。 I met them on a Cunard liner several years ago. Coming home from Liverpool to New York. He was an interesting talker. A man who had traveled all over the world, and lived in half a dozen countries. In both these examples, the first period should be replaced by a comma, and the following word begun with a small letter. 在上面的两个例句中，第一个句号应该改为逗号，并把后面的大写字母改为小写。【在这两个例句之后，第一个句号之后的部分都成了fragment。】 It is permissible to make an emphatic word or expression serves the purpose of a sentence and to punctuate it accordingly: 当需要强调句中的一个词或者词组时，这样的标点是可以接受的： Again and again he called out. No reply. The writer must, however, be certain that the emphasis is warranted, and that he will not be suspected of a mere blunder in punctuation. 然而作者必须确信这样的强调是正当的，而不会被怀疑是一个标点错误。 Rules 3, 4, 5, and 6 cover the most important principles in the punctuation of ordinary sentences; they should be so thoroughly mastered that their application becomes second nature. 第3，4，5，6节介绍了常见句子中最主要的标点原则，这些原则应该被彻底掌握，并且熟练度的运用。

Well done! I appreciate your work to pursue the truth.

Also, I have learnt a lot from your discussion.

7. Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, amplification, or an illustrative quotation 在一个独立分句后使用冒号来引导一系列事实，同位语，补语（应该是吧。这个我再确认下）或者一个说明性的引用句 A colon tells the reader that what follows is closely related to the preceding clause. The colon has more effect than the comma, less power to separate than semicolon, and more formally than the dash. It usually follows an independent clause and should not separate a verb from its complement or a preposition from its object. The examples in the lefthand column, below, are wrong; they should be rewritten as in the righthand column. 冒号告诉读者冒号后的内容和原句有紧密的联系。冒号的作用比逗号多，比分号的分隔作用弱，比破折号更加正式。冒号通常跟在独立分句之后，并且不能插在动词和他的补语，或者介词和这个动词所对应的宾语之间。左边表格中的例句是不正确的，应该按照右栏的格式改写。 Your dedicated whittler requires: a knife, a piece of wood, and a back proch. Your dedicated whittler requires three props: a knife, a piece of wood, and a back proch. Understanding is that penetrating quality of knowledge that grows from: theory, practice, conviction, assertion, error, and humiliation. Understanding is that penetrating quality of knowledge that grows from theory, practice, conviction, assertion, error, and humiliation. 【第一组例句的问题是，前面的独立分句缺少宾语；第二组例句也是句子不完整的问题。】 Join two independent clause with a colon if the second interprets or amplifies the first. 当第二个独立分句解释补充第一个句子时，在两个句子之间用冒号 But even so, there was a directness and dispatch about animal burial: there was no stopever in the undertaker's  foul parlor, no wreath or spray. A colon may introduce a quotation that supports or contributes to the preceding clause. 冒号可以引导用来支持补充前面句子引文。 The squalor of the streets reminded her of a line from Oscar Wilde: "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." The colon also has certain functions of form: to follow the salutation of a formal letter, to separate hour from minute in a notation of time, and to separate the title of a work from its subtitle or Bible chapter from a verse. 冒号也有一些特定作用。在正式信件中跟在称呼语之后，在表示时间是分隔小时和分钟，在作品中分开标题和副标题，或者引用《圣经》片段时，隔开章节数和诗句数。 Dear Mr. Montague: departs at 10:48 P.M. Practical Calligraphy: An Introduction to Italic Script Nehemiah 11:7

引用

引用第12楼diligoveritas于2011-11-25 00:11发表的  :
冒号的左右比逗号多，比分号的分割作用，比破折号更加正式。
.......

There is something typed wrong in the translation.

I think it should be as follows: 冒号的作用比逗号多，比分号的分割作用弱。。。

Anyway，thanks very much for your great contribution.