【英語島封面故事】英文信要留白

中英文寫信的方式大不同。以內容來說，中文的書信內容通常像是故事，有起承轉合，習慣把重點放在結尾，而英文則是開門見山，強調內文越簡單越好；就結構來說，中文書信習慣把所有事寫成一大段，一氣呵成，不過外國人讀起來就像沒得喘息。英文書信強調適時空行，創造出段落之間的空間感，每一個段落差不多1-3個句子就會結束。

中式寫法

缺少分段、空行，一段內容負荷資訊量過多，難以消化。
Subject - Visit and meeting next month

Hi Craig,

Good news! I'll be in Melbourne in the first week of next month. Will you have time to meet and give me an update on your progress on our joint project? Could you please send me the latest data too? I'll be staying at a hotel near your office. If you’re free, do you want me to make a booking for lunch nearby? By the way, say hello to Kelly for me!

Best regards,
Justin

英式寫法

分段和空行，留白處讓內容可以一目了然，創造喘息空間，清楚的架構，好懂易讀。
Subject - Visit and meeting next month

Hi Craig,

Good news! I'll be in Melbourne in the first week of next month.
Will you have time to meet and give me an update on your progress on our joint project? Could you please send me the latest data too?
I'll be staying at a hotel near your office. If you're free, do you want me to make a booking for lunch nearby?

By the way, say hello to Kelly for me!

Best regards,
Justin

*本文收錄於英語島English Island 2019年4月號