中英之鉴 中式英语之鉴380

[误] This is one of the main characters of Shakespeare\'s sonnets.

[正] This is one of the main characteristics of Sharkespeare\'s sonnets.

注：character 是表示某一事物的总体特征(the combination of qualities which make a thing different from others)，而 characteristic 则表示事物的具体特征。由此说来，一个事物只有一个 character，但却可以有多个 characteristic。所以在上面的例句中，one of the main characters 是错误的，应该改成 one of the main characteristics。又如：A person\'s character is always formed in his early years(一个人的性格通常在小时候养成);Carelessness is one of his characteristics(粗心是他的一个特点)。