Navigating “Chinglish” Errors in Academic English Writing

Introduction¹

Written communication is an indispensable skill for scholars. For Chinese researchers, however, writing in English poses a unique set of challenges, often leading to avoidable mistakes that can result in obscure the clarity of their work. In this article, we delve into these problems and what you could do to bring clarity and a professional touch to your English manuscript, as a Chinese author.  

Remove unnecessary words¹

Chinglish, or English written by Chinese authors, often includes unnecessary words or phrases. It is quite common to see redundant nouns and verbs, as in: 

• A steady growth in GDP is necessary for attainment of economic prosperity.

Here, ‘attainment’ is an unnecessary noun that can be avoided. A better way to write this sentence is: 

• A steady growth in GDP is necessary for economic prosperity.

Another class of unnecessary words is what Joan Pinkham, author of “The Translator’s Guide to Chinglish”, calls “Redundant Twins”. These are two words with almost identical meaning used in conjunction.  

• Border collies can be easily trained to help and assist livestock farmers.

Here, ‘help’ and ‘assist’ mean the same thing. A better way to write this sentence is: 

• Border collies can be easily trained to help livestock farmers.

OR 

• Border collies can be easily trained to assist livestock farmers.

Misuse of pronouns¹

Correct use of pronouns like ‘I,’ ‘He,’ ‘She,’ ‘They,’ ‘Them,’ etc. is important for smoothness in language. It can also be a great tool to avoid repetition. Here is an example: 

• Old people often suffer from muscle weakness, and it can be helpful if old people have external help at home.

Here, repeating ‘old people’ is not a great way to structure the sentence. A better way to write this is to simply use the appropriate pronoun: 

• Old people often suffer from muscle weakness, and it can be helpful if they have external help at home.

Incorrect phrasing¹

Incorrect phrasing in English is the result of arranging words in the wrong order and the failure to follow language conventions. Incorrect phrasing can be a simple case of two words having swapped places, as in: 

• He arrived for his shift work early on Monday.

Here, the phrase ‘shift work’ may convey the idea. But since the sentence does not follow language conventions, it is incorrect. A better way to structure this sentence is: 

• He arrived for his work shift early on Monday.

Dangling modifiers¹

A dangling modifier is a grammatical error where a word or phrase does not modify the intended noun. This creates confusion and often communicates the wrong idea.  

• Labelled a traitor by the tribe, his journey took him to a new country.

Here, the phrase ‘Labelled a traitor by the tribe’ is a dangling modifier because it is not clear who was labeled a traitor. It seems to suggest that his journey was labeled a traitor by the tribe, which is not the intended meaning. The sentence can be rewritten correctly as: 

• Labelled a traitor by the tribe, he journeyed to a new country.

Conclusion¹

Addressing the common mistakes outlined in this article can help Chinese researchers elevate the clarity and impact of their English writing. Researchers can ensure that their contributions to a research study are effectively communicated to readers. Elsevier Language Services can help you as well! We have native English language speakers who can edit your manuscript. Click here to learn more! 

References: 

1. Pinkham, J. (2013). The Translator’s Guide to Chinglish. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.