以廣東話為母語的香港人在運用英語時很容易犯上一些錯誤,就是把想表達的語句根據廣東話的意思或句子結構來決定要採用的英文生字及編排句字,並忽略了檢查某些英文生字是否符合文法的使用法則,形成所謂“Cantonese
English”(廣東話式的英語)。你有否犯上這類毛病?請嘗試以下的小測驗!從每題中選出正確的英文句子
(可選多過一項):
1. 街頭市場內的貨品價錢便宜。
a. Prices are low in a street market.
b. Prices are cheap in a street market.
2. 你最好想想將來如何。
a. You had better think about the future.
b. You better think about the future.
c. You had better to think about the future.
1.
我因為工作繁忙而未能跟他見面。
a. Because I had a lot of wok, I couldn’t
see him.
b. Because I was busy, I couldn’t see him.
c. Because of my busy work, I couldn’t see
him.
4. 因為天氣寒冷,所以他穿上一件毛衣。
a. As it was quite cold, so he was wearing
a sweater.
b. As it was quite cold, he was wearing a
sweater.
c.
It was quite cold, so he was wearing a sweater.
5.
對不起!我們今早剛開始辦公,黃小姐未返。
a. I'm sorry,
the office has only just opened for this morning. Ms Wong hasn't
come in yet.
b.
I'm sorry, the office has only just opened for this morning.
Ms Wong hasn't come back yet.
答案:
1. a “expensive ”(昂貴)及
“cheap”(便宜)可用以形容
“goods” (貨品),但
“prices” (價錢)只用
“high” (高)或
“low” (低)來形容。
2.
a, c
“better” 並不是動詞,但可與
“had” 許用及另一沒有 “to” 連接之動詞。
3.
a, b
“busy”是用來形容人或時間,但不會形容工作。
4.
b, c “as”,
“since”, “because” 等字(意即因為)不會與 “so” 同時使用。
5
a 雖然廣東話常用返工/返學來表示上班/上學,但英語是用“go
to work”或
“go
to school”; “come back”或 “go back”只會在人因休假或病假後返回工作岡位,或返回學校上課時用。
資料來源:
David Bunton (1999) “Common English Errors in Hong Kong”, Longman
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