Name: 大師講堂：專業與非專業英語的差別 (BBC Masterclass: Formal and informal English)
Uploaded: 2017-03-25T20:59:51.000Z
Duration: 4 min 8 s

Hi, Sian here for BBC Learning English. In this Masterclass we're going to look at some

你好，我是BBC學習英語的Sian。在這個大師班中，我們要看一些關於

differences between formal and informal English.

正式英語和非正式英語的區別；

Hey, how's it going? Good afternoon, how are you?

嘿，你好嗎？下午好，你好嗎？

Sometimes formal and informal can seem like two different languages. In the same

有時候，正式和非正式似乎是兩種不同的語言。在同一

way you wouldn't normally wear shorts and a t-shirt to a job interview, if you use language

你通常不會穿短褲和T恤去面試，如果你用語言表達的話

that's too formal or too informal, you can give a bad impression. Let's look at some

太正式或太不正式，都會給人留下不好的印象。讓我們來看看一些

differences between formal and informal English. Now, I received an email this morning. Have

正式和非正式英語之間的差異。現在，我今天早上收到一封郵件。有

a look at this email - do you think the language is formal or informal - and why?

看看這封郵件--你認為它的語言是正式的還是非正式的--為什麼？

I'm writing to find out whether you have any jobs in your company this summer.

我寫信是想了解一下貴公司今年暑假有沒有工作。

I have been working part-time in a shop and recently they promoted me to the role of manager.

我一直在一家店鋪打工，最近他們提拔我做了經理。

I am enthusiastic. I work hard. I pay attention to detail.

我很熱情。我努力工作。我注重細節。

Ok, so that email used informal language and it's too informal for this style of letter.

好吧，所以那封郵件使用了非正式的語言，對於這種風格的信件來說，它太不正式了。

We're going to look at four features that make this informal and we're going to change

我們要看一下四個特徵，使之成為非正式的，我們要改變的是

Number one: choice of vocabulary. In informal English we use more common words and more

第一：詞彙的選擇。在非正式的英語中，我們使用的常用詞比較多，而且多是

phrasal verbs. For example here we have a phrasal verb: find out. It would be better

短語動詞。比如這裡我們有一個短語動詞：找出。這將是更好的

to use a more formal equivalent like enquire. Same with jobs, this is quite informal, so

用一個更正式的對應詞，如enquire。工作也是一樣，這是很不正式的，所以要用

instead let's use vacancies here. Instead we have "I'm writing to enquire whether you

而不是讓我們在這裡使用空缺。而不是用 "我寫信來詢問你是否

Number two: It's more common in informal language to use abbreviations, contractions, shortened

第二條：在非正式語言中，比較常見的是使用縮略語、縮略語、簡稱

forms of verbs. Let's have a look. So, here we have at the mo, which is short for at the

動詞的形式。讓我們來看看。所以，在這裡，我們有at the mo，這是簡稱為at the

moment. This is OK when you're speaking, but not when you're writing. Here, we could use

的時刻。這在你說話的時候是可以的，但在你寫作的時候就不行了。這裡，我們可以用

currently which is even more formal. Same here, uni is short for university, so don't

目前，這是更正式的。在這裡也一樣，uni是大學的簡稱，所以不要。

use this short form in a letter. "Currently, I am studying Economics at university."

在信中使用這種簡短的形式。"目前，我在大學學習經濟學"

Quite often in formal language we choose passive structures over active. Let's have a look

不少時候，在形式語言中，我們選擇被動結構而不是主動結構。我們來看看

here. The active sentences they promoted me is quite informal - it'd be much better to

在這裡。他們提拔我的主動句子很不正規--如果是這樣就更好了。

use a passive form here to make it more formal: I was promoted. So, "Recently I was promoted

這裡用一個被動形式，使之更正式：我被提拔了。所以，"最近我被提拔了

to the role of manager." This doesn't mean don't use active structures in a formal letter,

到經理的角色。"這並不意味著不要在正式信中使用主動結構。

but have a think about whether a passive one is more appropriate.

但要想一想，被動的是否更合適。

Finally, in informal English, short, simple sentences are much more common. Whereas in

最後，在非正式英語中，短句、簡單句更為常見。而在非正式英語中，短句、簡單句更為常見。

formal English, we use more complex structures. Take a look at this one. Here

正式的英語，我們使用更復雜的結構。看看這個。這裡的

we have three short, simple sentences and this is fine in informal English, but in formal

我們有三個簡單的短句，這在非正式英語中是可以的，但在正式的

English it's better to use a complex structure. We can do this by adding relative pronouns

英語最好使用複雜的結構。我們可以通過添加相對代詞來實現這一點

or linkers. For example, "I am an enthusiastic person who works hard and pays attention to detail.

或鏈接器。如："我是一個熱心腸的人，工作認真，注重細節。

So, would you kindly visit our website... ah, we're friends, that's too formal. Go to

所以，請您好心訪問我們的網站，啊，我們是朋友，這太正式了。請到

our website bbclearningenglish.com for more information about this and to practise formal

我們的網站bbclearningenglish.com提供更多的資訊，並練習正式的。

and informal English. See you soon - goodbye!