为什么写作比口语难学？

苗淑华

For many English learners， learning to write well in English is much more difficult than learning to speak well. Even for high level learners， written communications can come much more slowly in English than spoken communications. There are a number of reasons for this：

对于很多英语学习者而言，学习用英语流畅地写作比学习流利的口语要困难很多。即使是高水平的学习者，学习英文书面交流也比学习口语交流要慢得多。这有以下几个原因：

Written Communication Is More Formal

书面交流更正式

Writing in English needs to follow rules of grammar much more closely than in spoken English.

英语写作比口语更需要遵守语法规则。

For example， if someone says “Please borrow me your pen” in conversation， its clear from the context that the speaker intended to say“Please lend me your pen”. In written communication， words are even more important because they lack visual context. Especially if you are working in a business place， making mistakes can cause miscommunication which might lead to problems. In conversation， you can smile and make a good impression. With writing， all you have are your words.

例如，如果有人在对话中说“请借我你的笔”，从上下文就能明白说话者想说的是“请把你的笔借给我”。在书面交流中，因为缺少可视的语境，单词则更加重要。尤其是如果你在一个商业环境工作的时候，犯错会引起沟通的障碍，可能导致很多问题。在对话中，你可以微笑，给对方一个好印象。而写作的时候，你只能靠写出的词语了。

Spoken Communication Allows for More “Mistakes”

口頭交流允许出现更多的“错误”

Imagine if youre at a party. You might have a conversation with someone and only understand a few words. However， because youre in the context of a party， you can make all the mistakes you want. It doesnt matter. Everyone is having fun. When it comes to writing， theres not so much room for error.

想象此刻你正身处一个派对。你可能和某人交谈，而且只听懂了几个词。然而，因为在派对这样的语境下，你可以随意犯错。没关系，大家都是来玩的。但是在写作的时候，就没多少犯错的余地了。

Expectations Are Much Higher for Formal Written English

人们对正式文体的期望会高很多

We expect more of what we read. We expect it to be true， entertaining or informative. When theres expectation， theres pressure to perform well. With speaking， with the possible exception of giving a presentation， theres not nearly so much pressure—unless youre closing a business deal.

我们会对阅读的东西有更多的期待。我们期待真实的、有娱乐性的或者有教育意义的内容。当有了期望，就有压力好好写。而口语中，除了需要作现场报告之类的可能发生的例外情况之外，就几乎不会有这种压力——除非你正在完成一项商业交易。

It is important when learning written English skills—especially for business English—to realize the challenges that you will face when learning to function in a written English environment.

在学习英语写作技巧，尤其是商务英语时，意识到你在学习书面英语环境下的运用时将会碰到挑战，这点是很重要的。

Formal and Informal English Are Very Different

正式与非正式的英语有不小区别

Formal and informal English differ in word choice， word usage， and grammatical structures. Informal writing may sound more like conversation while formal writing may be more polished. An informal style may make listeners feel more comfortable when you are speaking， but a formal writing style can make a good impression.

正式英语与非正式英语主要在单词的选择、用法还有语法结构等方面存在差别。非正式的写作可能听起来更像是对话，而正式的写作需要更多的修饰。非正式的写作风格可能在讲话时让听众觉得更舒服，但是正式的写作风格则会给人留下一个好印象。

We use formal language in situations that are serious or that involve people we dont know well. Informal language is more commonly used in situations that are more relaxed and involve people we know well.

我们是在严肃的场合下，或者是在涉及到我们不太熟悉的人的情况下运用正式语言。而非正式语言则通常在更轻松的氛围下及和我们熟悉的人相关时使用。

Formal language is more common when we write； informal language is more common when we speak. Formal language and informal language are connected with the choices of grammar and vocabulary. Using formal language doesnt mean that you have to sound boring， you can still use words imaginatively in formal writing. There are some news reports using formal language， but the words are rich and stimulating to keep the audience interested.

正式語言在书写的时候使用得比较多，非正式语言在口头运用得比较多。正式和非正式语言与语法及词汇的选用有关系。使用正式语言并不意味着要听起来很乏味。你可以发挥想象力运用词汇在正式书面语中。有些新闻报道中也运用了正式语，但是其词汇量丰富而风趣，也能让人们兴趣持续不减。

Finding Right Word—The Hardest Trick in Writng

找到对的词——最难掌握的写作窍门

Another reason some individuals might find it difficult or impossible to write， is that written language takes on many different registers depending on the functions of the written words. Often， these functions are totally foreign to spoken language and then can be considered“not real” to the speakers. These functions are often only used in written speech and are even more abstract to some individuals.

另外一个有些人发现写作难或写不出来的原因是，书面语有自己的运用领域，这取决于该书面词语的功能。这些功能通常和口语不相干，对于说话者来说“不太真实”。这些功能通常只用于书面语言，对有些人而言太抽象了。