用英文写作计算机博客

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介绍下用英文写作计算机博客的一些经验。

常见的表达

避免直接翻译汉语词

少用汉语式的名词化表达，例如“执行 xx 行动”，“处理 xx 过程”。

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the lock is released

===>

the release of the lock is performed

不要自以为是去形容词化。如下，adaptive 的意思是自适应的，和我们实际要指代的“适配代码的行为”是不对应的。

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We need to **adapt** the code to the new behavior. However, this **adaptive** work is not easy.

===>

... However, the adaptation work is not easy.

实词虚化、具体词抽象化

汉语中，很多虚词功能是通过复用实词来的。但是在英语中，如果有对应的虚词，就不要直接翻译汉语中的实词了。

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Based on this reason, ...

===>

As a result, ...
For this reason, ...

又例如下面的“带来麻烦”，这里的带来没必要用 bring 这个实词

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brings lots of trouble to investigate ...

===>

made the issue difficult to investigate ...
// Or
significantly complicated the investigation to ...

又例如下面的“定位到问题”

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The problem is located by ...

===>

The problem was also detected by ...

虚词实化

但是，一些汉语中的虚词，在英语中要实化。例如，“这会导致难以理解的代码”，就是

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It could result in confusing codes.

===>

It could generate confusing codes.

这个原则甚至不限于词，对于任何表达都是这样。This may cause problems，建议直接具体一点说是什么 problems。如

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This behavior can cause a deadlock when two tasks hold the mutex across an await point.
// Or
This design is problematic in terms of concurrency safety, because it allows a task to hold a mutex across an await point.

需要调整句子结构

尽量避免使用形式主语 It is 或者 there is 等来拖长表达

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It is hard to inspect the state.

===>

Inspecting the state is difficult.

但注意，非形式主语是可以用 it 的，如下所示，这好过说 “I think” 等

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It indicates ...
This implies ...
The result shows ...

从下面的例子中，能感觉到动名词前置的用法，更干练

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I don't think the service itself should persist the updated configuration to the config file. Instead, this should be handled by the operator.

===>

Persisting the updated configuration should be the responsibility of the operator, not the service itself.

语序

副词顺序应该稳定在动词后。

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We must immediately do this.

===>

We must do this immediately.

其他

下面的表达，相比更能体现出不仅不能做之前说的，也不能做现在说的。而 Also 显得更像一个连接。

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Also, A can't do sth.

===>

Moreover, A can not do sth either.
We can't ..., nor can we ... .

使用更恰当的单词

使用更精确的词

避免使用

possible -> feasible

使用恰当的搭配

动名词搭配。

辩证具体含义的差别

如：

宏观写法

先给结论，再给解释（Top-down writing）。

特定场景的表达

偏向数据分析

表达“A使用的内存占A的调用者的比重，相比B使用的内存占B调用者的比重是相近了”，从书面到口语。

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// 这里的 footprint 更专业术语一点。
A’s memory footprint relative to its callers is similar to B’s.

A and B exhibit similar memory-to-caller ratios.

The proportion of memory used by A relative to its callers is similar to that of B.

A and B have similar memory usage ratios with respect to their callers.