英文使用说明书的文体风格
摘要
随着社会的不断发展，为了满足人们日益提高的物质文化生活，各类新兴产品迅猛涌现。随之也就带来了不计其数的使用说明书。为了让产品迅速被消费者接受、使用，高质量的使用说明书起着非常重要的作用。说明书可能用多种语言写就，而英语成为了世界上最通用的语言。所以本文锁定英文使用说明书为对象，系统研究英文使用说明的文体风格。古今中外，对于使用说明书的文体风格早有研究，国内有秦秀白，王左良，胡欣，胡正奎等人把使用说明书归类为科技文章，并对其文体风格做了简要评述，但都不深入具体，而对于英文使用说明书文体风格的研究，就我所从文献资料室和各网站上的搜索结果看，还没有人仔细研究过。国外的有Laura Wright和Jonathan Hope在其著作Stylistics:A Practical Course book对英文说明书的文体风格进行了简要论述，C'ecile Paris在与人合著的文章Stylistic Variation in multilingual Instructions中探讨了作者的写作态度对于使用说明书文体风格的影响。另外Judy Delin在Expressing Procedural Relationships in Multilingual Instructions一文中分析了连续性动作在多种语言的使用说明书中的不同表现形式。对英文使用说明书的文体风格的研究还是一个被冷落的角落。因此，本文的研究不仅可以填补文体学领域这一空缺，而且还对英文使用说明书的理解，翻译和写作有重要的指导意义和参考价值。
为了尽量使本项研究详尽细致，50篇各类地道英文使用说明书被收集，并被分成三大类：一、机器，设备，工具类。二、药物保健品。三、烹饪指导类。然后应用比较法和数据统计的方法，结合使用说明书的写作目的依次从词汇学，句法学和篇章学的角度对英文使用说明书的文体风格进行了分析。
不同的语言表现形式产生不同的效果，所以为了达到语言使用的目的，就应采用合适的语言表现形式。使用说明书的功能是说明、指示、要求、或警告等。因此，其基本表现形式就应该是简洁明白、准确无误、详细而不繁琐、直接而不矫饰。使用说明书的词汇选择有如下特点：能用简单的就不用复杂的，
肇
硕士学位论文
MAS任R’5 Tll卫515
用常规的、标准的词汇而不用非标准的词汇如理语、行话、方言及过时用语。
在语意选择方面也有其特点，既多用字面意义而少用比喻意义或引申意义，用
指示意义而少用联想意义。为了简洁，许多缩略词被用在使用说明书中。为了
准确，大量数据被运用。为了说明某种过程，像首先、其次、然后、最后、第
一、第二等表示序列的词时有出现。说明书中的动词多为动态动词，静态动词
使用不多。作为一种科技文体，由于科技的不断发展，一些新词自然会出现在
使用说明书中。
从句法学角度上看，使用说明书中句型结构简短易懂，多为简单句和并列
句:简单句中各成分成常规排序，祈使句运用最为频繁;而复合句又以由“if’，
引导的条件状语从句和由“when”引导的时间状语从句最为典型;为了简洁，
短语常常代替从句或句子、多种省略经常出现。在本章中，还对英文使用说明
书中的连续性动作的表现形式，沿用Alvin Goldman对连续性动作关系所划分
的产生关系 Generation Relation和促成关系Enablement Relation的概念进行了
分析。
从篇章学的角度看，首先分析了频繁的分节和分段的特点。接着提到为了
达到说明效果而频繁举例的现象。然后还分析了使用说明书中的图画，特殊符
号等非文字表现手法。最后在简要分析了使用说明书的内容和结构后，着重讨
论了两大类型的使用说明书的基本结构和内容。一类是机器、设备和工具的使
用说明书，另一类是药品和化妆品的使用说明书。
结论部分，根据使用说明书的作用，结合本文研究的各项特点，提出了英
文使用说明书的几个基本写作原则，即明确性原则、简洁性原则、完整原则、
重点突出原则和得体性原则。并简要解释了各项原则的基本含义。最后，指
出了本项研究不够完善的地方及其他有待进一步研究的问题。
With the development of society, in order to meet people's ever increasing demands of their material and spiritual life, new products of great variety spring up daily along with numerous instructions for them. Instructions play a great role in popularizing the products and helping customers accept and use them. Instructions may be written in various languages. Since English is the most widely used language in the world, this article focuses on English instructions as its object of study and analyzes their stylistic features systematically. Some Chinese linguists classified instruction into the genre of technical writing and touched upon their stylistic features. As for the stylistic features of English instructions, according to what I can obtain from the library and internet, there aren't any Chinese studying it in great detail. Some foreigners such as Laura Wright and Jonathan Hope, C'ecile Paris and Judy Delin talked a little about the stylistic features of English instructions from limited aspects. So fa
r as I know, there isn't anybody studying the stylistic features of English instructions systematically. Thus this article can not only fill up the vacancy in stylistics, but can also provide guidance and referential materials for the understanding, translating and writing of English instructions.
Trying to make the study exhaustive and specific, 50 native English instructions of various products are collected through many channels. These instructions are roughly classified into three types according to the products concerned, namely instructions for machines, instructions for medicines and instructions for food recipes. Then by way of comparison and statistic analysis, on the basis of the purposes of instructions, the stylistic features of English instructions are analyzed respectively on lexical level, syntactic level and discourse level.
Different language choices produce different effects, so in order to fulfill the intended purposes of the instruction writers, appropriate language forms should be
adopted. The aims of instructions are to explain, instruct, require or warn people. Accordingly, they should be succinct, accurate and unmistakable, detailed yet not redundant, direct and not flashy. The choice of vocabulary in English instructions bears the following characteristics: avoiding complicated words if simple words can do; using common and standard words rather than non-standard words such as slang, jargon, dialects or obsolete words. There are also meaning preference of words in English instructions, namely, mostly using the literal meaning rather than figurative meaning or extended meaning, using denotative meaning rather than associative meaning. For the sake of succinctness, many abbreviations are used; for the sake of accuracy, lots of figures appear; in order to make clear the sequence of some operating steps, many words indicating order are used in English instructions. Verbs in instructions are mostly dynamic verbs, stative verbs used rarely. As a kind of scientific writing, owing to the development of science and technology, new words naturally enter into instructions.
Seen on syntactic level, sentences in English instructions are usually short and easy to understand. Most of them are simple and compound sentences. The components in simple sentences are often in regular order. Imperative sentences are most frequently used. Most typical complex sentence structures are those with adverbial clause indicating condition introduced by "if and adverbial clause indicating time introduced by "when". In order to be terse, phrases are often used in place of clauses or sentences and many kinds of omissions may occur. Based on Goldman's division of the relationship of sequential verbs into Generation and Enablement, the structure for expressing the sequential actions in English instructions are analyzed.
Seen on the discoursed level, the frequent segmentation of English instructions is first expounded. It is pointed out that a lot of examples are given to help explain some difficult and c
为了尽量使本项研究详尽细致，50篇各类地道英文使用说明书被收集，并被分成三大类：一、机器，设备，工具类。二、药物保健品。三、烹饪指导类。然后应用比较法和数据统计的方法，结合使用说明书的写作目的依次从词汇学，句法学和篇章学的角度对英文使用说明书的文体风格进行了分析。
不同的语言表现形式产生不同的效果，所以为了达到语言使用的目的，就应采用合适的语言表现形式。使用说明书的功能是说明、指示、要求、或警告等。因此，其基本表现形式就应该是简洁明白、准确无误、详细而不繁琐、直接而不矫饰。使用说明书的词汇选择有如下特点：能用简单的就不用复杂的，
肇
硕士学位论文
MAS任R’5 Tll卫515
用常规的、标准的词汇而不用非标准的词汇如理语、行话、方言及过时用语。
在语意选择方面也有其特点，既多用字面意义而少用比喻意义或引申意义，用
指示意义而少用联想意义。为了简洁，许多缩略词被用在使用说明书中。为了
准确，大量数据被运用。为了说明某种过程，像首先、其次、然后、最后、第
一、第二等表示序列的词时有出现。说明书中的动词多为动态动词，静态动词
使用不多。作为一种科技文体，由于科技的不断发展，一些新词自然会出现在
使用说明书中。
从句法学角度上看，使用说明书中句型结构简短易懂，多为简单句和并列
句:简单句中各成分成常规排序，祈使句运用最为频繁;而复合句又以由“if’，
引导的条件状语从句和由“when”引导的时间状语从句最为典型;为了简洁，
短语常常代替从句或句子、多种省略经常出现。在本章中，还对英文使用说明
书中的连续性动作的表现形式，沿用Alvin Goldman对连续性动作关系所划分
的产生关系 Generation Relation和促成关系Enablement Relation的概念进行了
分析。
从篇章学的角度看，首先分析了频繁的分节和分段的特点。接着提到为了
达到说明效果而频繁举例的现象。然后还分析了使用说明书中的图画，特殊符
号等非文字表现手法。最后在简要分析了使用说明书的内容和结构后，着重讨
论了两大类型的使用说明书的基本结构和内容。一类是机器、设备和工具的使
用说明书，另一类是药品和化妆品的使用说明书。
结论部分，根据使用说明书的作用，结合本文研究的各项特点，提出了英
文使用说明书的几个基本写作原则，即明确性原则、简洁性原则、完整原则、
重点突出原则和得体性原则。并简要解释了各项原则的基本含义。最后，指
出了本项研究不够完善的地方及其他有待进一步研究的问题。
With the development of society, in order to meet people's ever increasing demands of their material and spiritual life, new products of great variety spring up daily along with numerous instructions for them. Instructions play a great role in popularizing the products and helping customers accept and use them. Instructions may be written in various languages. Since English is the most widely used language in the world, this article focuses on English instructions as its object of study and analyzes their stylistic features systematically. Some Chinese linguists classified instruction into the genre of technical writing and touched upon their stylistic features. As for the stylistic features of English instructions, according to what I can obtain from the library and internet, there aren't any Chinese studying it in great detail. Some foreigners such as Laura Wright and Jonathan Hope, C'ecile Paris and Judy Delin talked a little about the stylistic features of English instructions from limited aspects. So fa
r as I know, there isn't anybody studying the stylistic features of English instructions systematically. Thus this article can not only fill up the vacancy in stylistics, but can also provide guidance and referential materials for the understanding, translating and writing of English instructions.
Trying to make the study exhaustive and specific, 50 native English instructions of various products are collected through many channels. These instructions are roughly classified into three types according to the products concerned, namely instructions for machines, instructions for medicines and instructions for food recipes. Then by way of comparison and statistic analysis, on the basis of the purposes of instructions, the stylistic features of English instructions are analyzed respectively on lexical level, syntactic level and discourse level.
Different language choices produce different effects, so in order to fulfill the intended purposes of the instruction writers, appropriate language forms should be
adopted. The aims of instructions are to explain, instruct, require or warn people. Accordingly, they should be succinct, accurate and unmistakable, detailed yet not redundant, direct and not flashy. The choice of vocabulary in English instructions bears the following characteristics: avoiding complicated words if simple words can do; using common and standard words rather than non-standard words such as slang, jargon, dialects or obsolete words. There are also meaning preference of words in English instructions, namely, mostly using the literal meaning rather than figurative meaning or extended meaning, using denotative meaning rather than associative meaning. For the sake of succinctness, many abbreviations are used; for the sake of accuracy, lots of figures appear; in order to make clear the sequence of some operating steps, many words indicating order are used in English instructions. Verbs in instructions are mostly dynamic verbs, stative verbs used rarely. As a kind of scientific writing, owing to the development of science and technology, new words naturally enter into instructions.
Seen on syntactic level, sentences in English instructions are usually short and easy to understand. Most of them are simple and compound sentences. The components in simple sentences are often in regular order. Imperative sentences are most frequently used. Most typical complex sentence structures are those with adverbial clause indicating condition introduced by "if and adverbial clause indicating time introduced by "when". In order to be terse, phrases are often used in place of clauses or sentences and many kinds of omissions may occur. Based on Goldman's division of the relationship of sequential verbs into Generation and Enablement, the structure for expressing the sequential actions in English instructions are analyzed.
Seen on the discoursed level, the frequent segmentation of English instructions is first expounded. It is pointed out that a lot of examples are given to help explain some difficult and c
引文
C'ecile Paris, et al. Stylistic Variation in multilingual Instructions[D] Lews Road Brighton BN2 4AT, UK http://Www.itri.bton.ac.uk/～Donia. Scott//publications/paris-scottinlg94.ps.gz
Eggins,S. An Introduction to systemic-Functional linguists. [M]. 1994. London Printer
Enkvist, Linguistic Stylistics [Z] mouton, t973.
Goldman, A. I. A Theory of Human Action. [M/CD] Prentice Hall, Englewood. Cliffs, NJ. 1970
Judy Delin, Expressing Procedural Relationships in Multilingual Instructions. [D]. Lews Road Brighton BN2 4AT ,UK. email: J.L.Delin@stirling.ac.uk
Kay, H, et al. Genre. What teachers think [J] ELT Journal 1998
Laura Wright, et al, Stylistics. A PracticalCourse Book. [M]. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. Routledge. 2000
Leech, Style in fiction [M] London: Longman 1981
Paul Liresey, An Introduction to English Stylistics and Rhetoric for Chinese Learners [M] Beijing. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press 2000
Pollack, M.E. Inferring Domain Plans in Questing Answering. [D] University of Pennsylvania 1986
Radford Andrew, et al. Linguistics: An Introduction [M] Beijing. Foreign Language teaching and Research Press 2000
Short, Reading, Analyzing & Teaching Literature. [M].London and New York: Lonman Group. Uk, ltd. 1989
Sager. J.C. English Sepecial Languages. [D]. Frances Printer. London. 1980
Traugott, E.c. and Pratt M. L, Linguistics for Students of Literature. [M] New York. Harcourt Brace Jovano Vinch 1980
Ventola, E. Geberic and Register Qualities of texts and Their Realization [M] Ablex. Publication corporation 1994
胡欣．现代科技文章写作[M] 安徽 中国科技大学印刷厂 1984．4
胡正奎．实用文体写作学[M] 湖南．湖南人民出版社 2000．9
胡壮麟．Et al．语言学教程[M] 北京．北京大学出版社．1995
马迎军．英语应用文即成模式词典[M] 天津 天津科技翻译出版公司 1993
秦秀白．英语语体和文体要略．[M] 上海．上海外语教育出版社 2002
王守元．英语文体学要略[M] 山东．山东大学出版社 2000
Eggins,S. An Introduction to systemic-Functional linguists. [M]. 1994. London Printer
Enkvist, Linguistic Stylistics [Z] mouton, t973.
Goldman, A. I. A Theory of Human Action. [M/CD] Prentice Hall, Englewood. Cliffs, NJ. 1970
Judy Delin, Expressing Procedural Relationships in Multilingual Instructions. [D]. Lews Road Brighton BN2 4AT ,UK. email: J.L.Delin@stirling.ac.uk
Kay, H, et al. Genre. What teachers think [J] ELT Journal 1998
Laura Wright, et al, Stylistics. A PracticalCourse Book. [M]. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. Routledge. 2000
Leech, Style in fiction [M] London: Longman 1981
Paul Liresey, An Introduction to English Stylistics and Rhetoric for Chinese Learners [M] Beijing. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press 2000
Pollack, M.E. Inferring Domain Plans in Questing Answering. [D] University of Pennsylvania 1986
Radford Andrew, et al. Linguistics: An Introduction [M] Beijing. Foreign Language teaching and Research Press 2000
Short, Reading, Analyzing & Teaching Literature. [M].London and New York: Lonman Group. Uk, ltd. 1989
Sager. J.C. English Sepecial Languages. [D]. Frances Printer. London. 1980
Traugott, E.c. and Pratt M. L, Linguistics for Students of Literature. [M] New York. Harcourt Brace Jovano Vinch 1980
Ventola, E. Geberic and Register Qualities of texts and Their Realization [M] Ablex. Publication corporation 1994
胡欣．现代科技文章写作[M] 安徽 中国科技大学印刷厂 1984．4
胡正奎．实用文体写作学[M] 湖南．湖南人民出版社 2000．9
胡壮麟．Et al．语言学教程[M] 北京．北京大学出版社．1995
马迎军．英语应用文即成模式词典[M] 天津 天津科技翻译出版公司 1993
秦秀白．英语语体和文体要略．[M] 上海．上海外语教育出版社 2002
王守元．英语文体学要略[M] 山东．山东大学出版社 2000