括号的使用要点
原创 立文悉通主编 立文悉通 2021-12-26 14:33
本文是立文悉通论文英语表达小贴士第158条，如果已关注立文悉通，请点击菜单栏“经验分享”>最顶端的英语表达要点汇总，查阅历史信息。
常见的括号有三种
小括号：parenthesis或round bracket
中括号：bracket或square bracket
大括号：brace或curly bracket
从英文可以看出，狭义的bracket是中括号，广义的bracket包括了小括号（round bracket）、中括号（square bracket）和大括号（curly bracket）。
括号的使用有以下几点需要注意。
如果需要嵌套，应该是中括号嵌套在小括号里。
✗ Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with concurrent smoking (odds ratio (OR) = 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.0-1.4).
✓ Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with concurrent smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0-1.4).
没错，就是中括号嵌套在小括号里，这跟很多人的认知相违背。
在大多数人的印象中，应该小括号嵌套在中括号里，中括号嵌套在大括号里，但实际上这仅限于数学式子里，在文字内容中应该是中括号嵌套在小括号里。
2. 两个括号不要并列放在一起。
可以把两个括号里的内容放在一个括号里，用分号连接。
✗ Gender differences may reflect underlying continuous attributes, such as personality (e.g., communion and agency) (Spence & Helmreich, 1978).
✓ Gender differences may reflect underlying continuous attributes, such as personality (e.g., communion and agency; Spence & Helmreich, 1978).
也可以通过改写句子避免这种情况的发生。
✗ Nikifor Grigoriev (c. 1885–1919) (also known as Matviy Hryhoriyiv) was a Ukrainian insurgent leader.
✓ Nikifor Grigoriev (c. 1885–1919), also known as Matviy Hryhoriyiv, was a Ukrainian insurgent leader.
3. 在数学式子里，小括号嵌套在中括号里，中括号嵌套在大括号里。
✗ Participants were asked to solve the following math problem for x after completing the priming measures: 6(x + 3[x + 1]) = 96
✓ Participants were asked to solve the following math problem for x after completing the priming measures: 6[x + 3(x + 1)] = 96
可见括号的嵌套规则在数学式子和文字内容里是不一样的。
4. 对于统计学表达，避免括号嵌套。
可以使用逗号将统计学表达与文字内容隔开。
✗ The results were statistically significant (F[1, 32] = 4.37, p = 0.045).
✗ The results were statistically significant [F(1, 32) = 4.37, p = 0.045].
✓ The results were statistically significant, F(1, 32) = 4.37, p = 0.045.
限于这种情况下，既避免中括号嵌套在小括号里，也避免小括号嵌套在中括号里。
参考：
/e/grammar/parentheses/
/apastyle/2013/05/punctuation-junction-parentheses-and-brackets.html
/IT/3065-2962/Wikipedia:Manual-of-Style_22575_p2k-unkris.html
发布评论