點擊本頁右上角「三個點」，可以把文章分享給朋友。歡迎關注我們，常讀外媒報導學英語。不僅糾正普通人的英文錯誤，連英國女王的英文也不放過。今天，我們就來看看，女王聖誕致辭的英文會有什麼問題呢！標準英文被稱為RP (Received Pronunciation)，能說一口標準的RP，是一件極有面子的事情。英國的貴族階層所說的英文，被稱為「Upper RP」，聽起來大概是《唐頓莊園》裡的感覺，高大上得不得了。不過，在「Upper RP」的上面，還有更高一級的英文，那就是女王英文了。理論上說，女王的英文就是英文的典範，最典範的英文就被為「Queen’s English」。高中時候，我訂過一本叫《咬文嚼字》的雜誌。雜誌從編委到作者都是一群誓死捍衛中文正確性和純潔性的「腐儒」，他們不允許任何一點漢語使用上的瑕疵。不知這本雜誌現在還有沒有。我估計是沒了，因為，所謂漢語典範在網際網路時代早被糟蹋得千瘡百孔，那本雜誌的作者們如果不是被氣死，估計早已「隨其流而揚其波，哺其糟而啜其醨」了。咬文嚼字的人不僅中國有，外國也有。這些人不僅糾正普通人的英文錯誤，連英國女王的英文也不放過。今天，我們就來看看，女王聖誕致辭的英文會有什麼問題呢！1. 在限定性定語從句中，使用「that」，不該用「which」。1.The problems which face mankind often seem to defy solution. (1964)2.It was the human conflicts and the wanton acts of crime and terror against fellow human beings which have so appalled us all. (2001)在上面的兩句話中，限制性定語從句的關係連接詞應該用「that」，而不該用」which」。
1.Frankly I do not myself feel at all like my great Tudor forebear. (1953)2.Naturally I see more such people in Britain. (1985)句子副詞從14世紀開始在英文中使用，最近一百來年越來越流行。然後，很多英文語法家對這種用法非常反感。他們認為，副詞就該行使副詞的作用，修飾形容詞，不該修飾一個整句話。英語中被經常使用的句子副詞包括：actually, apparently, basically, briefly, certainly, clearly, conceivably, confidentially, curiously, evidently, fortunately, hopefully, however, ideally, incidentally, indeed, interestingly, ironically, naturally, predictably, presumably, regrettably, seriously, surprisingly, thankfully, theoretically, therefore, truthfully, ultimately, wisely.尤其當你把一個副詞轉換成它的形容詞的形式，使用」It is … that」覺得彆扭的時候，就更不應該來使用這個句子副詞。
1.The march of history stops while we listen to each other. (1955)2.I hope we will all help each other to have a happy Christmas. (1987)語法家認為：「each other」僅僅用於兩個人之間，如果想表達一堆人之間，應該使用「one another」。
1.For my husband and myself and for our children, the year that is passing has added to our store of happy memories. (1955)2.I am sure that many of you, like myself, have been impressed by the courage they show. (1981)
女王喜歡在應該使用「among」的地方使用「between」：1.Co-operation between Commonwealth countries grows every year. (1960)2.May the New Year bring reconciliation between all people. (1976)
Some people are uncertain which star to follow, or if any star is worth following at all. (1962)1.And further north still live the Eskimos. (1970)2.So take heart from the Christmas message and be happy. (1975)3.But to look back in that way is to look down a blind alley. (1996)
1.There is nothing in heaven and earth that cannot be achieved by faith and by love and service to one’s neighbour. (1961)2.The results of their kindness will be appreciated by young people. (1977)9. 「From」怎麼沒跟著」Different」?跟著「different」的介詞該是「from」，而不是「to」，但女王用錯了：The world was a very different place to the one we live in today. (1991)10. 「Might have」 還是 「May have」?在該用「may have」的地方，女王用了「might have」。看下面這句話：Many of you might have felt a twinge of sadness as we in Britain bade them farewell. (1997)「anticipate」表示「對未來要發生的某種預測」，女王本意是「expect」，但去錯用了「anticipate」：King James may not have anticipated quite how important sport and games where to become in promoting harmony. (2010)12. 「Forcibly」 or 「Forcefully」？「forcibly」意思是「強行地」，有違法別人意志的意思；「forcefully」意思是「強有力地」，兩個詞有很大的區別。女王竟然把」forcibly」當成「forcefully」給用了。1.What struck me more forcibly than his physical courage was the fact that he made no reference to his own illness. (1992)2.In talking to the veterans, I was forcibly reminded of the detachment with which those personally unaffected by violence can view its effect on others. (1995)
Time is moving on rather quicker than we expected. (1987)Time is moving on rather more quickly than we expected.… the right of citizens to assemble, and to speak and argue. (1964)
… the freedom to travel and learn. (1998)英文語法規定：不定式永遠都不能分割，最後的一個也不能。可女王就有把最後的一個不定式的」to」個去掉的習慣。… the right of citizens to assemble, to speak, and to argue.… the freedom to travel and to learn.在正式的英文文體裡，當你並非指定任何人，只是泛談的話，最好用「one」，而非隨意用「you」來指定。1.We all need the kind of security that one gets from a happy and united family. (1958)2.It is no easy task to care for and bring up children, whatever your circumstances —whether you are famous or quite unknown.
It is no easy task to care for and bring up children, in whatever circumstances — whether one is famous or quite unknown.
看完了這些專給女王挑出的問題，你是不是出了一口氣，安慰自己說：「女王的英語都有語法錯誤，那我的那些錯誤就更可以原諒了」。這麼想當然沒錯，英國人說話，無論教育程度高低，多多少少也會犯一些語法錯誤。由此可見，語法這個東西，其實非常的難！難度不僅在於條目繁多的規則，更是因為有一幫「皓首窮經」、「尋章摘句」的孔乙己一樣的人，抱著僵死的規則，當然也包括很多中國的英語老師，專門挑人毛病。女王的聖誕致辭雖然有這樣或那樣的問題，但在我看來，每個都堪稱典範：用詞恰當而不賣弄，語氣親切又帶有君王的威嚴，每一篇都值得我們揣摩學習。給大家舉一個例子，在1965年，女王的致辭裡有「helping the poor」這樣簡單直接的表達，而在2009年，同樣表達「幫助窮人」，她用了「ease the burden of deprivation and disadvantage」。中國有「弱勢群體」一說，女王的後一句話中的」deprivation and disadvantage」不正是「弱勢群體」最恰當的英文對應嗎！據說，女王的聖誕致辭均出自她自己之手，非秘書幫忙。之所以如此，因為女王不僅是名義上的政治首腦，更是英國國教（Church of England）的領袖，在聖誕這天親自執筆並祝福她的子民，是她最為君主的責任。