中式英語是披著英語外衣的漢語。因為其表面上看都是英語單詞或單詞組成的句子,有些從語法方面看也似乎無懈可擊,但因本質上受漢語思維的影響,表達上並不符合英語的習慣,大多數時候以英語為母語的人是不能理解的。比如,在學生中比較知名的「好好學習,天天向上」被譯成「Hard hard study, Day day up」(戲謔的成分大)。這類東西學過英語的中國人很好理解。
當然,中式英語的情況比較複雜,有些個別的例子也有被英語國家人們接受的,比如另一個知名的例子Long time no see (好久不見)。
學英語,中式英語要儘量避免。要做到這點,首先就要儘可能擺脫母語思維的影響。這點本身有很大難度,特別是對年齡大些的成人來說。解決之道是通過大量接觸英語材料,逐漸掌握英語語言,並在此過程中逐漸形成用英語思維的習慣。不能操之過急。下面是一些中式英語的典型例子,後面提供了一種對應的正確表達,供了解其特點。
經典錯誤實例:
1. 現在是五點鐘。Now is five o』clock. (正確表達:It is five o』clock now.)
2. 他個子很高。His body is very tall. (正確表達:He is very tall.)
3. 這本書的價錢是多少?How much is the price of the book? (正確表達:How much is the book?)
4. 中國的藥品價錢很便宜。The price of medicines is cheap in China. (正確表達:Medicines are cheap in China.)
5. 你認為這部電影怎麼樣?How do you think of the film? (正確表達:What do you think of the film?)
6. 他不知道將怎麼辦。He did not know how he would do. (正確表達:He did not know what he would do.)
7. 他要再學一門外語。He wanted to learn a foreign language again. (正確表達:He wanted to learn another foreign language.)
8. 他急忙向河邊奔去。He hurried to run to the riverside. (正確表達:He hurried to the riverside.)
9. 在這場友誼賽中,我們能勝二班。We can win Class Two in the friendly match. (正確表達:We can win the friendly match with Class Two.)
10. 你喜歡那些圖片嗎?是的,我喜歡。Do you like those pictures? Yes, I like. (正確表達:Do you like those pictures? Yes, I do.)
11. 你可否將你的詞典借給我?好的,沒問題。Would you mind lending me your dictionary? Yes, certainly. (正確表達:Would you mind lending me your dictionary? No, not at all.)
12. 這城市有一千萬人口。The population if the city is 10,000,000 people. (正確表達:The city has a population of 10,000,000.)
13. 我們就課文相互提問。We each other ask questions on the text. (正確表達:We ask questions to each other on the text.)
14. 她因病臥床五天了。She slept in her bed for 5 days. (正確表達:She stayed in bed for 5 days.)
15. 小李容易感冒。Xiao Li is easy to catch cold. (正確表達:Xiao Li catches cold easily.)
16. 他單獨處理這項工作有困難。He is difficult to handle the job alone. (正確表達:It is difficult for him to handle the job alone.)
17. 我手臂疼。I am painful in my arm. (正確表達:I have a pain in my arm.)
18. 他叫我做這件事。He called me to do the work. (正確表達:He told/asked me to do the work.)
19. 我英語學得很差。I study English very poor. (正確表達:I am poor in English.)
20. 我們正準備去打籃球。We are preparing to play basketball. (正確表達:We are going to play basketball.)