Characteristics of English for Science and Technology

English for Science and Technology, as an important English style, contains a large number of specialized words related to science and technology, with the characteristics of many meanings, long sentences, many passive sentences, many part-of-speech transformations, many non-predicate verbs and strong professionalism. Next, I will sort out the characteristics of English for Science and Technology for you, hoping to help you!

First, the widespread use of nominalized structures.

When discussing EST, Contemporary Grammar holds that nominalization is one of the characteristics of EST. Because scientific and technological style requires concise writing, objective expression, accurate content and large amount of information, emphasizing existing facts. Not a show.

Archimedes first discovered the principle of solid drainage.

Archimedes first developed the principle of solid drainage.

The sentence of replacing water with solid is a nominal structure, which simplifies appositive clauses on the one hand and emphasizes the fact of replacement on the other.

The rotation of the earth around its own axis leads to the change of day and night.

The earth rotates around its axis, which leads to the change of day and night.

The nominalized structure "The Earth rotates on its own axis" simplifies complex sentences into simple ones, making the concept expressed more precise and rigorous.

If you use refractory bricks around the boiler, the heat will be reduced. Can be greatly reduced.

The use of refractory bricks in furnace walls can greatly reduce heat consumption.

English for science and technology expresses objective laws, so we should try our best to avoid using the first and second person names. In addition, the main information should be placed at the beginning of the sentence.

Television transmits and receives images of moving objects through radio waves.

Television transmits and receives images of moving objects by radio waves.

Nominalization structure emphasizes objective facts by transmitting and receiving images of moving objects through radio waves, while predicate verbs emphasize their ability to transmit and receive.

Second, the extensive use of passive sentences.

According to John Swales of Leeds University, at least one third of predicates in EST are passive. This is because scientific and technological articles pay attention to narrative reasoning and emphasize objectivity and accuracy. First, two people said that using too much would produce a subjective impression. So try to use the third person as much as possible and use the passive voice, for example, be sure to pay attention to the working temperature of the machine. Pay attention to the working temperature of the machine. And rarely say: you must pay attention to the working temperature of the machine. You must pay attention to the working temperature of the machine. In addition, as mentioned above, scientific and technological articles put the main information in front of the theme. This is also the main reason why passivity is widely used. Try to observe and compare the themes in the following two paragraphs.

We can store electric energy in two metal plates separated by an insulating medium. We call this device a capacitor, and its ability to store electric energy is called a capacitor. It is measured in farads.

Electric energy can be stored in two metal plates separated by an insulating medium. Such a device is called a capacitor, and its ability to store electric energy is called a capacitor. Capacitance is measured in farads.

The subject of each sentence in this article is:

electric energy

This kind of device

Its ability to store electrical energy

electric capacity

They all contain more information, and they are at the beginning of the sentence, which is very eye-catching. The four subjects are completely different, avoiding monotonous repetition and being coherent and natural. This shows that the passive structure can be concise and objective.

Third, non-finite verbs.

As mentioned above, scientific and technological articles require concise text and compact structure, so participle phrases are often used instead of attributive clauses or adverbial clauses; Replace adverbial clauses or coordinate clauses with participle independent structures; Replace various clauses with infinitive phrases; Preposition ten gerund phrases replace attributive clauses or adverbial clauses. This can shorten the sentence and make it more eye-catching. Compare the following sentences.

Direct current is current that always flows in the same direction.

Direct current is a current that always flows in the same direction.

Heat radiates from the earth, causing the airflow to rise.

When heat radiates from the earth, it makes the air flow rise.

If there is no reason to change the motion, an object can move in a straight line at a uniform speed.

If there is no reason to change the motion of an object, then the object will move in a straight line at a uniform speed.

Vibrating objects produce sound waves, and each vibration produces one sound wave.

Vibrating objects will produce sound waves, and each vibration will produce a sound wave.

In communication, the problem of electronics is how to transmit information from one place to another.

In the communication system, the problem to be solved by electronics is how to transmit information from one place to another.

The materials used for structural purposes are selected to be elastic under environmental conditions.

The choice of structural materials should make it elastic under external conditions.

There are different ways to change energy from one form to another.

There are different ways to change energy from one form to another.

By making radio waves correspond to each sound in turn, information is transmitted from the broadcasting station to the receiver.

When radio waves make corresponding changes to each sound in turn, information is transmitted from the broadcasting station to the receiver.