中文导读 牛津大学官方文风指南提醒教职工在书面沟通中慎用「learn the ropes」「find your feet」等习语，以免国际读者感到困惑。校方称指南为建议性质；也有批评者认为这削弱了接触地道英语的机会。相关报道见于2026年10月13日前后。
正文 Oxford University has asked staff to think twice before using everyday idioms in written messages . Its style guide on inclusive communication says writers should prefer plain English : ordinary words , short sentences , and familiar constructions . It also warns staff to be careful with idioms that readers from other countries may not know , or that may rely on stereotypes .
本段译文 牛津大学提醒教职工，在书面信息中使用日常习语前要三思。其“包容性沟通”文风指南主张使用简明英语：普通用词、短句和读者熟悉的结构，并提醒注意来自其他国家的读者可能不熟悉、或可能依赖刻板印象的习语。
The guide offers clear alternatives . In place of “learn the ropes ,” it suggests “learn how to do that .” In place of “find your feet ,” it suggests “get used to your new environment .” In place of “blindspots ,” it suggests gaps in our knowledge Nearby notes also urge writers to avoid unexplained jargon and gendered titles such as “chairwoman ,” preferring words like “chair .”
本段译文 指南给出了清楚的替换说法。不要写“learn the ropes”，可写“learn how to do that”；不要写“find your feet”，可写“get used to your new environment”；不要写“blindspots”，可写“gaps in our knowledge”。附近条目还敦促作者避免未解释的行话，以及“chairwoman”一类带性别色彩的头衔，建议改用“chair”等词。
The campus setting helps explain the focus . Recent reporting said international students make up about 46 percent of Oxford’s total population including roughly 23 percent of undergraduates and 65 percent of graduate students . Many official documents therefore reach a diverse audience that learned English in different ways . The guide , last refreshed in May 2026, aims to make university pages and emails easier to follow without forcing one tone on every conversation .
本段译文 校园背景有助于理解这一重点。近期报道称，国际学生约占牛津总人数的46%，其中包括约23%的本科生和65%的研究生。因此，许多官方文件会送达以不同方式学习英语的多元读者。该指南最近一次更新于2026年5月，目标是让大学网页与邮件更易读懂，而不是强迫每一次对话都用同一种语气。
Not everyone welcomes the change . Critics argue that people who study abroad often want to master colloquial English and local habits , not only simplified campus prose . The Free Speech Union called the approach mad “ and compared it to language policing . In that view , cutting idioms also cuts a chance to practice how English works outside formal classes and application forms
本段译文 并非所有人都欢迎这一变化。批评者认为，出国学习者常常希望掌握口语化英语与当地习惯，而不只是简化后的校园文体。自由言论联盟称这种做法“疯狂”，并将其比作语言管控。在他们看来，删减习语也删减了在正式课堂与申请表格之外练习真实英语的机会。
Oxford’s reply was careful . A university spokesman said many large organizations keep style guides so staff can write clearly and consistently for a wide audience . He stressed that the guidance is advisory . It supports staff as they use their own judgement about language and readers ; it is not a hard ban on idioms in daily talk , lectures , or social life on campus
本段译文 牛津的回应较为克制。校方发言人表示，许多大型机构都有文风指南，以便员工面向广泛读者清楚、一致地写作。他强调指导意见是建议性的：它支持员工自行判断用词与读者对象，而不是硬性禁止在日常谈话、讲座或校园社交中使用习语。
The debate stretches beyond one university Institutions that recruit heavily from overseas must balance clarity with authenticity . Plain English can reduce confusion in policy notes safety messages , and service emails where misunderstanding carries a real cost . At the same time , idioms remain part of life in Britain , and Oxford still asks graduate applicants to show strong English proficiency . For learners , a practical lesson may be this : notice when a phrase is figurative , when a simpler sentence serves the reader better , and when both forms are worth knowing .
本段译文 争论超出一所大学的范围。大量招收海外学生的院校必须在清晰与真实之间取得平衡。在政策说明、安全提示与服务邮件中，简明英语可以减少误解，因为误解可能带来实际代价。与此同时，习语仍是英国生活的一部分，牛津也仍要求研究生申请者展示扎实的英语能力。对学习者而言，实用启示或许是：留意一个短语何时是比喻义，何时更简单的句子对读者更好，以及何时两种形式都值得掌握。
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