370W Chapter 10 "Writing Correct and Effective Sentences"

Preparing Text for Translation

- use short sentences - use the active voice - use simple words - include a glossary - use words with only one meaning - use pronouns carefully - avoid jokes, puns, culture-bound references

Writing Grammatically Correct Sentences

- avoid sentence fragments (missing verb or independent clause) - avoid comma splices (two independent clauses joined by a comma) - avoid run-on sentences - avoid ambiguous pronoun references - compare items clearly - use adjectives clearly - maintain subject-verb agreement - maintain pronoun-antecedent agreement - use tenses correctly

Structuring Effective Sentences

- emphasize new and important information - choose an appropriate sentence length (15-20 words) - focus on the "real" subject - focus on the "real" verb - use parallel structure - use modifiers effectively

Choosing the Right Words/Phrases

- select an appropriate level of formality (think about audience, subject, purpose for level and tone) - be clear and specific (avoid unnecessary jargon, use positive constructions, avoid long noun strings, avoid clichés, avoid euphemisms) - be concise - avoid filler, avoid wordy phrases and fancy words - use inoffensive language

Modifiers

- words, phrases, and clauses that describe other elements in the sentence - Restrictive modifier - restricts the meaning of its antecedent, and is crucial to understanding the sentence - Nonrestrictive modifier - does not restrict the meaning of its antecedent. If you omit it, the basic sentence retains its primary meaning - Misplaced modifiers - appear to modify the wrong antecedent - Squinting modifier - falls ambiguously between two possible antecedents, so the reader can't tell which one is being modified - Avoid dangling modifiers - has no antecedent in the sentence and can therefore be unclear