If you drink, don't drive.

這個問題十分有意思! 本人有以下數點想分享, 想提出一些 alternatives:

1) 我也認為, "If you drink, don't drive." 作為一句提醒司機不要酒後駕 駛的標語, 確是有不完美之處.

雖然讀完了 "整句" 標語後, 我們都可意會到重點是不要醉酒後駕駛, 而不是勸人戒酒. 然而, 若標語一開始便突出 if you drink, 再加上一個 comma, 第一次解讀訊息的人, 或難免有半秒鐘的疑問: "so u'd like me to quit drinking for a healthy life, ha...?" 直至讀完全句為止. 雖然只有五個字, 但中間有了 comma, 讀起來, 也似欠缺了一氣"苛"成的感覺.

因此, 或可將訊息內的文字略加調動, 以收更佳效果. 例如:

Don't drive if you drink. [個人認為, 應先強調叫要人 "停一停" (stop!), 再叫人 "想一想" 原因 (because ...), 出來的 impact 較大]

2) 若不用動詞, 而改用形容詞 "drunk" , 也可考慮. 例如:

If you're drunk, don't drive. [be drunk ~ 醉了; have drunk ~ 喝了, 但超標嗎?; drunken ~ 慣了醉酒的人, 也酒鬼也可於一刻清醒時 駕車!]

3) Don't drive after drinking. (After drinking, don't drive. 也可, 但不夠好, 理由正如上述第一點所指出.)

4) No drink-driving [UK] / drunk-driving [US]. (雖然字少, 但 "感覺" 如何呢?)

5) "Drink drive, you lose." 這是澳洲昆士蘭政府提出的反醉酒駕駛標語.

http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/Safety/Road/Campaigns/Anti_drink_driving_campaign

6) "Don't drink and drive -- Don't dr ink and die." 這是按 whatiswhat 提供的連結找到的英國政府警告. 此句雖也用 drink, 也緊接著連同 drive 一起使用, 就不易產生 "drink 是想指要我戒酒嗎?" 之類的疑問.

7) "Don't drink after taking alcohol!" 這是歐洲的反醉酒駕駛標語

因此, 問題不在於 "drink" 這個字是否 "正確" (英、澳官方標語皆用 drink), 而是本地政府使用的整句標語, 能否產生最佳效果. 個人認為 -- 有進步空間!

2008-11-13 16:51:38 補充：
For point 7) - typing mistake

Should be - Don't drive after taking alcohol.

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winsomewoo04:

did you "drink and type" so that you mistakenly wrote "idol"?

^_^

2008-11-15 11:56:51 補充：
oic

明 白你所 道 為何了! ^_^

題外話：我不是提供 gramma, 但覺 "If you drink, don't drive." or " Don't drink-driving! " 等標語都不夠力量。

The slogan in Melbourne, Australia is“ If you drink and drive, you're bloody idol！”這句才夠爽，大快人心，對於那些醉酒駕駛的人是絕對抵鬧的！

2008-11-14 12:40:03 補充：
之前打錯字：不是 idol , should be“If you drink and drive, you're bloody IDIOT！”

2008-11-15 11:54:26 補充：
Ken,

I figure I always put my super idol ( you know who he is ) in my mind, so I typed " idol ". Ha Ha ... ...

我會從communication方面說起, 宣傳標語的閱讀對象為普羅大眾, 所以要用最簡潔的字句來表達意思, 英語現在式就能解決此問題.
大部分人都了解, drink是指喝酒, drive 是指駕車, 從語言學角度分析, 語言是有語意背景的, 所謂語意背景, 是對話雙方都意識到環曉問題的週邊背景.

"If you have drunk...." 會令我多想, "If you drink...." 那足夠了

講到語法, 我會聯想到報章標題, 也是一字一字列出來, 很多時候都未能用語法解式.

2008-11-11 12:53:42 補充：
再者, 考慮發音方面, "If you drink...." 比 "If you have drunk...." 容易,
所以較為適用於標語, 大家易記, 易明.

2008-11-11 12:54:15 補充：
易上口

Hi,
In the U.K., there is something similar.
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53338742.html
If you drink 似乎不能解作酒後，<--------This is what you wrote, pal.
I totally agree with you on this.
但如果 If you drink, don't drive. 這句說話是對著一個正在飲酒的人講的話，
這句話似乎又解的通，是嗎? <----------
Well put too! You are like talking to that person who is drinking not to drive. This is so much clearer.

另，用 subjunctive mood 表示現在，動詞不是應該用過去式嗎?<---
You are right about it, but as you know. native English teachers do
use present tense in their convo while talking about past events.
(Last nite I tried to scare my little brother with a spooky toy and
he (goes) like ,"Arghhhhhhhhhhh!!"
He was scared to death. He just (covers) his eyes and( turns )
around ..............)
All I mean is that the English language is dead.We make it alive.
用動詞完形應該是表示命令 (imperative mood) 的，不是嗎? <----
Right on! I agree with you on this part as well.

"Don't drink-drive" can be used as a suggestion too, I suppose.
如用 subjunctive mood 表示過去，動詞就用過去完成式，不是嗎?<-------------
If I had left home earlier, I wouldn't have been late for work.
You can say that again, pal.
The fact is that most native English speakers don't follow the strict rules of English grammar.
I have seen it and been there.
This languages is changing so rapidly. God knows maybe one day
you know who would create something like " long time , no see." for us.
^_^
I have spoken too much.
Thanks for bringing up this cool question in this forum.
Until next time, catch you later, buddy.

解答這條問題之先，先談談假設法現在(Subjunctive Present)的用法
假設法現在，可表達「如果．．．，就．．．」，在表示「對現在或未來的不確實的想像」，其從屬子句（即if所帶出的子句）的動詞可以用原形動詞。如：
If he be old, he will be unable to do it.
或if he come tommorrow, give it to him.
但現在的英文，會寫成：
If he is old....
If he comes...
所以，我們看到，假設法現在與簡單現在式並不相同，不是指恆常之習慣。因此，警方的宣傳語If you drink, don't drive並沒有問題，其意思是”飲酒後，勿駕駛”
最後，drink-driving正如你所說是”酒後駕駛”，但你說Don't drink-driving文法是錯的，因為drink-driving是名詞，所以不用Don't 而用No，如：No smoking，而不是Don't smoking，所以若警方要簡單一點，就可以說：
No drink-driving.
希望幫到你！

有這個講法, 切 勿 酒 後 駕 駛
l thought

agree with you

how about: Don't drive after drinking alcohol