Academic English revision

Fixing Chinglish and Grammatical Calques in Engineering Technical Writing

Eliminate translationese in technical writing by replacing direct Chinese verb-phrase calques with precise, natural English structures.

Many international engineering students notice that their lab reports feel awkward despite using correct technical terminology. This issue often stems from 'grammatical calques,' where Chinese syntax is directly mapped onto English. The most common culprit is the literal translation of two-character verb phrases. For instance, translating '做实验' as 'do the experiment' or '对材料进行测试' as 'carry out a test on materials' results in sentences that sound informal and imprecise. While acceptable in casual conversation, these phrases lack the rigor expected in technical documentation.

Chinese syntax frequently relies on verb-object structures or prepositional phrases placed before the main clause, whereas English technical writing prefers nominalization and tight subject-verb chains. When writers retain Chinese thinking patterns, they often produce redundant passive constructions like 'The experiment was done by us.' In engineering contexts, the methodology and data are paramount. The first step in revision is identifying these redundant verb phrases and converting them into more sophisticated nominal forms or precise collocations. For example, 'We conducted the experiments' implies systematicity and purpose, making it far superior to 'We did the experiments.'

Preposition errors are another major area for technical writers, particularly when describing equipment and processes. Chinese often uses a single character like '在' or '对' that can map to multiple English prepositions such as in, on, at, or with. For example, 'testing under high pressure' is the correct technical phrasing; using 'in high pressure' is a common calque that signals non-native writing. Tools like easydue can help flag these subtle preposition mismatches, allowing you to pinpoint where the grammar feels 'off' without altering your core technical meaning.

Adjective and adverb placement also suffer from direct translation. Chinese places long modifiers before the noun, but English favors post-nominal modification for complex descriptions. A literal translation of 'a high-temperature-resistant special alloy blade' is cumbersome. The natural English structure is: 'A blade made of a special alloy that can withstand high temperatures.' By adjusting where modifiers attach, you significantly improve readability and professional tone. This structural shift is essential for moving away from translationese.

Finally, avoid mechanically translating logical connectors. Chinese often uses explicit conjunctions like 'because... therefore...' or 'although... but,' while English technical writing often implies relationships through sentence order and context. Overusing because, therefore, or however can make the text feel choppy. Try merging short sentences into complex compound structures or letting the context imply causality. This creates a smoother flow that mirrors native technical prose.

Refining your writing from Chinglish to natural English is an iterative process. After drafting, perform a dedicated pass focusing specifically on verb phrases and preposition choices. Don't rely solely on machine translation; instead, target sentences that feel rhythmically awkward. By continuously building a library of preferred collocations and structural patterns, your technical writing will evolve from merely understandable to genuinely professional and clear.