恪誦來示、人口增加 - 古德明

                
                
問：以下句子，文法正確嗎？──Further to / In response to / As per your email dated 1 October, we would like to inform you...。
答：論文法，三個寫法都正確。不過，further to指「繼……之後」，in response to指「為回答……」，as per則指「按照」。句子假如用further to或in response to，都可譯作「十月一日電郵來示敬悉，謹此奉覆（如下）」；但假如用as per，則是說「按照十月一日電郵來示」，意思與下文不大相配。當然，你可以說：We have dispatched the goods as per your instructions（我們已按照貴公司指示，將貨物送出）。
留意as per這寫法，公函最好少用。英文用法詞書Bloomsbury Good English as per條下說：The use of the phrase "as per" in place of "according to" is widely regarded as commercialese（用as per而不用according to，一般視為商界老套語）。即使上文那一句的as per your instructions，文法、意思雖然都正確，但改為as you instructed，文句就平白自然得多。
此外，Further to / In response to your email dated 1 October這寫法，假如改為Thank you for your email of 1 October等，讀來會自然一點，也客氣一點。
問：以下寫法正不正確？──There is increased in the number of population（人口增加了）。
答：「人口增加了」英文可說There has been an increase in population或The population has increased。原句作者混淆了increase的名詞和動詞用法。