很多人认为,使用没有性别区分的语言对于商务合同文书写作来说似乎是没有必要的,但是如果一概使用男性化的代名词则会带来很多麻烦。 基于经验得来的重要方法就是避免使用具有性别特征的用语;只是在必须使用名词才能完成句子的情况下,可以使用"他或她"("he or she")作为替代。多数情况下可以重写一个句子避免使用具有性别特征的名词。下面将介绍三种方法。第一种是最理想的。不要使用“他们”代替他和她,“他们”应该只是在指称复数的情况下才使用。这里的每一个规则都提供了一个避免使用具有性别特征用语的方法。
1、重写一个句子避免使用任何名词。通常可以用"the" 或"a"代替该名词。 Incorrect: A good judge takes their job very seriously. Undesirable:A good judge takes his or her job very seriously. Better: A good judge takes the job very seriously.
A good judge takes judging very seriously. Incorrect: A defendant should not be required to sacrifice their constitutional right to a fair trial for the sole benefit of allowing televised coverage of their trial. Better: A defendant should not be required to sacrifice his or her constitutional right to a fair trial for the sole benefit of allowing televised coverage of his or her trial. Best: A defendant should not be required to sacrifice the constitutional right to a fair trial for the sole benefit of allowing televised coverage of the trial.
2、如果必要的话,使用"one"代替"he or she"或"his or her"。但是,如果可能的话,也应该避免使用这一表达,因为"one"这个词用起来并不容易。 不理想的: A person who masters the basic rules of grammar, punctuation, and good writing is likely to impress his or her supervisors. 较理想的: One who masters the basic rules of grammar, punctuation, and good writing is likely to impress one’’s supervisors.
Incorrect: A teacher must communicate clearly with their students. Also Incorrect: A teacher must communicate clearly with her students. Better: A teacher must communicate clearly with his or her students. Best: Teachers must communicate clearly with their students.
4、避免使用"s/he"作为名词正确的替代。有人提议采用"s/he"代替"he or she.",但是"s/he"并非一个单词,而且也不容易读。(能将之读为"she"或"s 斜线he"吗?哪个读音可取?) Incorrect: The successful lawyer will shepardize all cases cited in a memo. S/he also will avoid quoting from headnotes. Correct: Successful lawyers will shepardize all cases cited in a memo. They also will avoid quoting from headnotes.
不好的: Mrs. Hillary Clinton. Mrs. Clinton. Ms. Clinton 更不好的: Mrs. William J. Clinton 较好的表达: Hillary Rodham Clinton. Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Ms. Rodham Clinton