【英文编辑技巧】用动词，用动词，用动词

作为英文文档工程师，日常工作之一是为同事们提供英文文档的编辑与校审工作。感受之一便是：无论是中国还是德国同事，写技术文档时都偏爱用“名词”。

之前，我的编辑原则通常是：对于《操作手册》，尽量保证使用动词表达形式，且用主动态。但在编辑概述性文档如System Overview时，就没有大刀阔斧地严格遵照动词优先的原则进行修改。究其原因，是自己没有在哪一本权威书籍里看到相关的理论支持，不敢贸然进行修改。

近来在读《中式英语之鉴》一书，感觉找到了理论支持--简明英语是基于动词的语言：Plain English is a language based on verbs. It is simple, concise, vigorous and, above all, clear. Chinglish is a language based on nouns -- vague, general, abstract nouns. It's complicated, long-winded, ponderous, and obscure.

Prefer the concrete word to the abstract. Follow that advice and you will see your prose gain in lucidity and force. Unnecessary abstraction is one of the worst faults of modern writing -- the string of nouns held together by prepositions and relying on the passive voice to convey the enfeebled sense.

书中给出了修改名词为动词的三种方法（例句均来自该书）：

• Replacing the noun with a verb
  A: Otherwise, there can be no achievements in our work.
  B: Otherwise, we can achieve nothing.
  A: Such behavior on the part of leading cadres will encourage extravagance.
  B: If leading cadres behave that way, they will encourage extravagance.

• Replacing the noun with a gerund
  A: We shall transform the national economy through cooperation with it.
  B: We shall transform the national economy by cooperating with it.
  A: We have to concentrate our efforts on agriculture reinforcement.
  B: We have to concentrate on strengthening agriculture.

• Replacing the noun with an adjective or a adverb
  A: Silk undershirts are rich in elasticity.
  A: We must guard against blindness in action.
  B: We must guard against acting blindly.
  A: Facts will prove the correctness of these policies
  B: Facts will prove that these policies are correct.
  B: Silk undershirts are highly elastic.