在漢英筆譯和英語(yǔ)寫作中,經(jīng)常會(huì)遇到數(shù)字；哪些場(chǎng)合用單詞表示,哪些場(chǎng)合用阿拉伯?dāng)?shù)字表示,往往使人難以確定,現(xiàn)行語(yǔ)法書中也極少涉及此類問(wèn)題.實(shí)際上,以英語(yǔ)為母語(yǔ)的國(guó)家,在書寫數(shù)字時(shí)已形成幾條約定俗成的規(guī)則,現(xiàn)總結(jié)如下供讀者參考.（1）英美等國(guó)的出版社在排版時(shí)遵循一條原則,即1 至10 用單詞表示,10 以上的數(shù)目用阿拉伯?dāng)?shù)字（也有的以100 為界限）,這條原則值得我們行文時(shí)借鑒.如：That table measures ten feet by five.那個(gè)工作臺(tái)長(zhǎng)10 英尺,寬5 英尺.The traditional pattern of classroom experience at the college level brings the professor and a group of 20 to 30 s tudents together for a 45-to-50-minute class session two or three times a week.由一個(gè)教授和十名學(xué)生每周會(huì)晤兩三次,每次授課時(shí)間45 到50 分鐘,是大學(xué)程度課堂教學(xué)的傳統(tǒng)方式.（2）人數(shù)目用阿技伯?dāng)?shù)字表示顯得更簡(jiǎn)潔明了,但不定數(shù)量、近似值用單詞表示較恰當(dāng).如：There are 203817 voters on the electoral rolls.選舉名單上有203817 個(gè)投票人.Nearly thirty thousand voters took part in this election.近3 萬(wàn)個(gè)投票人參加了這次選舉.（3）遇到日期、百分比、帶單位的特殊數(shù)字,通常用阿拉伯?dāng)?shù)字.如：Maximum swivel of table is l20.工作臺(tái)的最大回轉(zhuǎn)角度是120 度.又如：①3rd March l991 或3 March l991； a discount of 5 percent（5%的折扣）； ②purchased 7 yards of carpet（買7 碼地毯）； ③ordered 2 pounds of minced steak （訂購(gòu)2 磅剁碎的肉）.如果涉及的數(shù)目和單位是不定數(shù),可用單詞表示,如：① about five miles per hour（每小時(shí)大約5 英里）,②at least ten yards away（至少有10 碼遠(yuǎn)）,③hesitated for a moment or two（猶豫了片刻）,④I have warned you a hundred times（我已經(jīng)警告你多少遍了）.（4）在科技文章中,數(shù)字頻繁出現(xiàn),用阿拉伯?dāng)?shù)字比用單詞陳述更有利,如：The new engine has a capacity of 4.3 litres and a power out-put of 153 kilowatts at 4400 revolutions per minute.這臺(tái)新發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)的容積為4.3 升,轉(zhuǎn)速為每分鐘4400 轉(zhuǎn)時(shí)輸出功率是153 千瓦.We know that the weight of a cubic foot of air at 0 ℃,and 76cm ,pressure is 0.08l pound,or 12 cubic feet of air weigh a pound.我們知道,1 立方英尺的空氣在0 攝氏度和760 毫米汞柱壓力下,重量是0.81 磅,也就是說(shuō)12 立方英尺空氣的重量是1 磅.(5)句首不用阿拉伯?dāng)?shù)字,句末要盡量避免用阿拉伯?dāng)?shù)字,4th July is an important date in American history.應(yīng)該寫成The fourth of July...19 couples took part in the ballroom dancing competition.19 對(duì)選手參加了交際舞比賽.應(yīng)改寫成：Nineteen couples took… 60％profit was a reported．據(jù)報(bào)道有60％的利潤(rùn).應(yīng)改寫成：Sixty per cent profit… 1345 kilograms force was applied at the center point of the bar,試驗(yàn)時(shí)在桿的中點(diǎn)加1345 公斤力.可改成When tested,a force of l345 kg was applied… （6）遇到分?jǐn)?shù),可用帶連字符號(hào)的單詞表示,如：At 1east two-thirds of the class have had colds.這個(gè)班至少有三分之二的學(xué)生患重感冒.