语言与文风2020words.fromoldbooks.org
来自古书里的词语
Words from Old Books
导读
帖子介绍一个收录古籍词汇与释义的网站，评论者由此聊到《布鲁尔短语与寓言词典》这类可以当闲书读的老辞典，以及比安布罗斯·比尔斯更早的政治讽刺词典。对写作者来说，这是把旧词典当素材库和文体范本的好入口。
可以直接用的写作要点
- 01
把旧词典当随笔而非工具书来读，睡前随手翻，能积累有质感、有年代感的词与短语。
- 02
学 18 世纪政治词典的写法：用一两条“定义”藏立场、抖机灵，讽刺不必靠长篇议论。
- 03
查行话、黑话类旧词典（canting dictionary），可为人物找到只属于其阶层的词汇。
- 04
引用旧词前先确认原义与语境，让古语为文字增色，而不是变成堆砌的装饰。
HN 评论精选
旧词典可以当闲书通读，是写作者的词汇与典故资源。
《布鲁尔短语与寓言词典》是我很熟悉的一本参考书。小时候我床底下总放着一本，睡不着就拿出来当闲书读。对写作者来说这是极好的资源。
wyclif查看英文原文
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable is a reference I'm very familiar with. I used to keep a copy under my bed as a kid and if I wasn't sleepy I'd pick it up and read it in bed as if it was not a reference book. A great resource to have if you're a writer.
用词典定义的体裁写讽刺由来已久，定义本身就是一种修辞武器。
评论引用了皮戈特《政治词典》里几条讽刺定义："暴君——例子请查历史，哪个国家都行"；"荒谬——皮茨先生的余款、国王的民事清单，以及各国君主联手在法国复辟僧侣、贵族与君主制"。可见比安布罗斯·比尔斯的讽刺定义并非首创。不过作者对当时的"新潮发展"倒是很乐观："美国——一切在异国枷锁下呻吟的殖民地的光辉不朽榜样"；"共和国——每个部门的花费只有君主制国家的十分之一甚至二十分之一，几乎不存在统治者腐败这回事。"
Apocryphon查看英文原文
> Absurdity.—Mr. Pitts’s surplus fund, his Majesty’s civil list, and the combination of kings, to restore priesthood, aristocracy, and monarchy in France. > Constitution,—a code of laws, founded in principles of equal rights, and general happiness, such as Kenyon and Ashurst define that of England, but which their practice proves directly the reverse. > Knight,—a strange sort of an animal into which the king sometimes transforms a man; thus Sir Watkin Lewes, Sir James Saunderson, Sir Jeffrey Dunstan, and Sir Sidney Smith, are knights. > Tyrant.—For examples look into history, no matter of what country! Pigott’s Political Dictionary shows that Ambrose Bierce wasn't the first with his shtick. Though the author seemed quite optimistic on cutting-edge developments! > America,—a bright and immortal example to all colonies groaning under a foreign yoke, proving the invincible energy and virtue of Freedom, and enjoying a state of prosperity, since she has thrown off her depedence on Great Britain, hitherto unknown in the nations of Europe. > Republic,—a government which is conducted with a tenth or twentieth part the expence, throughout every department, that it costs a monarchial one. There is scarce such a thing known as corruption of rulers; and the rulers being stationary, have no occasion of attempting such ruinous schemes to rob their fellow-citizens of their rights, as in such case they would destroy their own. In truth, a Representative Republic must be the best government, as it appears the most rational.
同类还值得读
像说话一样写作
Write like you talk
这篇短文主张写作应像说话一样自然、清晰，避免装腔作势的书面腔。
语言与文风2015 · 647 分 · 272 评4 条写作要点编辑精选法律语言难懂源于写作不佳，而非专业概念
Poor writing, not specialized concepts, drives difficulty with legal language
这是一项认知科学研究：法律文本难懂，主要不是因为充斥专业术语，而是因为写作者把句子写得又长又绕、修饰语层层嵌套、回指距离过远。
语言与文风2022 · 559 分 · 322 评5 条写作要点编辑精选写得简单
Write Simply
保罗·格拉汉姆在这篇短文里主张：好文章应该写得简单——用日常词汇、短句、直白的结构，不为显得聪明而堆砌复杂表达。
语言与文风2021 · 484 分 · 330 评4 条写作要点编辑精选Tortured phrases：科学写作中出现的一种可疑文风
Tortured phrases: A dubious writing style emerging in science
《自然》新闻报道了一种在科学论文中蔓延的怪现象：原本标准的术语被同义替换软件改写成了古怪说法，比如把 "cloud computing" 写成 "haze figuring"。
语言与文风2021 · 329 分 · 256 评4 条写作要点编辑精选乔治·奥威尔 1940 年对《我的奋斗》的书评
George Orwell's review of Mein Kampf (1940)
这是奥威尔1940年对《我的奋斗》的书评。
语言与文风2014 · 305 分 · 240 评4 条写作要点编辑精选