商务英语写作应注意无性别区分用语

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.
OR
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.

3 如果必要的话，将主语由单数改为复数。如果你所指的并非一个明确的个体而是一类个体，你可以使用一个复数的主语，这样就可以避免使用具有性别特征的名词，同时还可以避免不正确地使用“他们”（"their"）这个名词。
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.

5、如果可能的话，避免使用具有性别特征的名称
差的选择
Chairman
Congressman
Policeman
Stewardess, Steward
相对应较好的选择
Chair, chairperson, leader
Member of Congress, Representative
Officer, police officer, police official
Flight attendant

6、正确使用"Ms." 和 "Mrs."。如果你知道一个人将自己称作"Mrs." 或"Miss,"，你应该尊重别人的这种称呼。但是，如果你不知道该人的偏好，则你应使用"Ms."。不应该要求女性通过对"Mrs." 或"Miss,"的使用表明自己的婚否。同样，使用"Mr."指称一位男性时也并不表明他的婚否。虽然"Ms."实际上并非一个较长术语的缩写，但是人们已经接受了在这个术语后面加一个点。
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

7、正确使用姓氏。如果一位女性选择使用她的婚前姓氏而不是婚后姓氏，或者同时使用她的婚前姓氏和婚后姓氏（不管有无连字符），你应该尊重她的这种称呼。同时，如果一个人使用了包含父母姓氏的复姓，则你应该尊重她的这种称呼。
Justice Ruth Ginsburg; Justice Sandra O’’Connor
较好的（明智的）表达：
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Justice Sandra Day O’’Connor
不好的：
Christian Dinneen; Christian Long; Mr. Dinneen; Mr. Long
较好的表达：
Christian Dinneen-Long; Mr. Dinneen-Long