在一个多元种族、多元语文的社会里，人民的互动，文化的交流，是理所当然的事。在这种情况下，语言的运用，就难免互相影响，甚至产生不良的干扰作用。例如街头巷尾，不难听到这样的问句：

① They want to go where?

② She wants to do what?

这样的问话，偶尔开开玩笑还可以，如果习以为常，以讹传讹，就不好了。

①和②正确的句法如下：

③ Where do they want to go ?

④ What does she want to do ?

诸如此类中文式的英语句子很多。下列是些常见的例子：

⑤ Wenmin’s body is very tall. / Wenmin is a high man.(文明身体很高。/文明是个高佬。)

⑤里“body”的这种用法，可能被误解为“尸体”。正确的用法是：“Wenmin is very tall.”或“Wenmin has a tall body.”

⑥ How much is the price of your new watch?(你新表的价钱多少?)

英语可用“How much……”或“What is the price of……?”两个句式不可融合为一，因此要这样问：“How much is your new watch?”/“What is the price of your new watch?”/“What price is your new watch?”/“How much does your new watch cost?”

⑦ Peter hurried to go to the post office.

(彼得匆匆忙忙到邮政局去。)

在英语里，⑦的正确用法是：“Peter hurried to the post office.”/“Peter went to the post office in a hurry.”

⑧ Some of our people are easy to catch cold.(有些人容易伤风。)

像这种意思的句子，英语有几种说法，但没有一种是像⑧里所写的。例如：(a) Some of our people catch cold easily. (b) Some of our people are liable to catch cold. (c) Some of our people are susceptible to cold. (d) It is easy for some of our people to catch cold.

⑨ -Do you like this fruit juice?

-Yes, I like.

这个答语既不是个完整句，也不是个省略句。如果是前者，应该是：“Yes, I like this fruit juice.”或“Yes, I like it.”如果是后者，应该用代替词“do”:Yes, I do.

⑩ -Pat isn’t a lecturer, is she?

-Yes, she isn’t.

中文的“yes”不一定和肯定句连用，而“no”也不必和否定句挂钩，所以才有中式的“Yes, she isn’t (a lecturer).”或甚至“ No, she is (a lecturer).”的回应。

反之，英语就不如此。英语的“yes”要用肯定句(positive statement)：“no”后面是否定句(negative statement)。因此，⑩里的逻辑答语是：“No, she isn’t.”