1、【英语】高级英语上册修辞. Study of the Figures of Speech in Lesson 9 & Lesson 10:1. Irony Irony is the expression of actual intent (意图；意思) in words that carry the opposite meaning. It is an effective literary device because it gives the impression of great restraint (抑制). Irony spring from a perception or aware
2、ness of discrepancy (差异) ans incongruity (不一致) between words and their meaning, or between actions and their results, or between appearance and clarity. In all cases, there may be an element of the absurd and the paradoxical (反論的).1) This hard-working boy seldom reads more than an hour per week.2) R
3、obbing a widow of her savings was certainly a noble act.3) I fear I wrong the nonorable men whose daggers have stabbed Caesar. (Shakespeare)4) You are as eloquent as an oyster.2. EuphemismEuphemism is a figure of speech in which less exact but milder or less blunt (生硬的)words or phrases are used in p
4、lace of disagreeable (令人不快的)or unpleasant expression. It is a substitution of an inoffensive (不冒犯人的)expression for one that may be disagreeable. 1) Euphemisms for “mad”Many of the expressions are funny, so as to dispell the unpleasantness of being mad.E. g. He is queer (odd; crazy; unhinged; off his
5、 head; out of his head; unsound in the mind; not of sound mind; unbalanced; unsettled in his mind; touched in the head; out of his mind; of unsound mind; soft in mind; not all there; far-gone; not in his right mind; simple-minded; brain-sick; all possessed鬼魂附体; not right; off in his upper story; not
6、 quite right upstairs; nuts; nutty; dafty, dotty, goofy; loomy; lunatic; buggy; cuckoo; feeble-minded; innocent; simple; off his chump; off his nut, off his base, off his trolley; off the truck, off his rocker; metally ill, touched, etc.)2) Euphemisms for “die”:a) He is gone (to his rest, to to glor
7、y).b) He ceased to be.c) He is no more.d) He passed away.e) He is departed from me.f) He closed his life.g) He checked out.h) He took leave of life and bowed himself to the will of Heaven.i) He kicked the bucket. (or: He kicked off.)3) Euphemisms for “drunk”a) He is fuddled.b) He is merry (or: jolly
8、 or happy or gay).c) He is groggy. (grog 酒)d) He is in his cups.e) He is smelling of the cork.f) He has had a drop too much.g) He is top-heavy.h) He is full of Dutch courage. (酒后之勇)i) He is glorious.j) He is reeling. (旋转)k) He is far-gone. (He is far-gone in drink.)l) He is tanked up.4) Euphemisms f
9、or War and politics:strike (罢工) _ industrial action debt _ cash advance economic crisis _ recession poor people _ the underpriviledged, the needy peopleattack _ active defence retreat _ strategic withdrawal (战略转移)concentration camp (集中营)_ strategic village （战略村）Othersold people _ senior citizens asy
10、lum _ mental homepregnant _ in the family way, in an interesting conditionfree love (非法同居) _ trial marriage (试婚)pornographic movies (色情影片) _ adult films; X-rated films; blue filmsvagina or penis _ private parts3. OxymoronOxymoron is a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms are comb
11、ined to produce an epigrammic警句的 effect.(Longman Modern English Dictionary)Oxymoron is a kind of paradox or antithesis that links together two sharply contrasting terms, as “cheerful pessimist”, “clever fool”, “eloquent silence”, “freezing fires”. (英语反义词的一种灵活运用)1) adj. + n.a. She is a clever fool.b.
12、 Parting is such a sweet sorrow. 离别就是这样一种既甜蜜又忧伤的事。c. I like a smuggler. He is the only honest thief. 我喜欢走私者，他是唯一诚实的贼。d. he was puzzled at her cruel kindness.e. I despise its very vastness and power. It has the poorest millionaires, the littlest great men, the haughtiest beggars, the plainest beautie
13、s, the lowest skyscapers, the doleullest pleasures of any town I ever saw. (O. Henry)这座城市（纽约）里有的是心灵最空虚的百万富翁，人格最渺小的伟人，最目空一切的草包，最使人上眼的美女，最卑鄙龌龊的摩天大楼。2) adj. + adj. a. Those bitter-sweet memories can never be forgotten. 苦甜参半的往事b. poor rich gugs 可怜的有钱人c. a miserable, merry Christmas 又悲又喜的圣诞节3) v-ing + ad
14、j.a. a living death 半死不活 b. loving hate 爱中有恨4) adv. + adj.a. dully bright sky 阴沉暗淡的晴空 b. a mercifully fatal blow 仁慈为怀的致命打击c. a wisely stupid idea 自作聪明的糊涂的人5) v. + adv. a. The moon shone darkly. 月亮暗淡地发光。 b. At last they hastened slowly. 最后他慢慢地快起来。6) adv. + v-inga. deliciously aching即令人愉快，又令人头疼 b. cha
15、nglessly changing 即始终如一，又变化多端7) n. + n.a. They have a love-hate relationship. 他们的关系是爱中有恨，恨中有爱。b. Thats a life-death struggle. 那是一场生死的搏斗。Study of the Figures of Speech Lesson Two: （1 period）1. IronyIrony is a figure of speech that achieves emphasis by saying the opposite of what is meant, the intende
16、d meaning of the words being the opposite of their usual sense. This form of irony is called verbal irony， and differs from the stylistic device of dramatic irony. It is an effective literary device because it gives the impression of great restraint ristreint（抑制）。Irony springs from a perception or a
17、wareness of discrepancy（差异）and incongruity（不一致）betweenwords and their meaning, or between actions and their results, or between appearance and reality. In all cases there may be an element of the absurd and the paradoxical（反语的）。In everyday life we often hear people using irony in their speech, thoug
18、h they may not be conscious of it. For instance, they may call a very thin boy “fatty”, or a very fat one “skinny”. Similarly we may hear people saying, “Oh, how I love queuing up” when in fact they hate it.However, not all verbal irony is of this light and humorous type. More often it is used to ve
19、il feelings in a subtle way, using words of praise where condemnation is meant, and vice versa; such irony can be light or heavy, depending on the circumstances.Examples:This hard-working boy seldom reads more than an hour per week.Robbing a widow of her savings was certainly a noble act.I fear I wr
20、ong the honorable men whose daggers have stabbed Caesar. (Shakespeare)You are as eloquent as an oyster.“Generally speaking,”said Miss Murdstone. “I dont like boys. How dye do, boy?”Under these encouraging circumstances, I replied that I was very well, and that I hoped she was the same, with such ind
21、ifferent grace that Miss Murdstone disposed of me in two words, “wants manner!” (C.Dickens David Copperfield)(Here the word encouraging is used ironically, for the circumstances were not encouraging at all they were, in fact, discouraging, for Miss Murdstone had said she didnt like boys.)2. Sarcasm
22、/ SatireWhile Innuendo is a mild form of irony, Sarcasm is just the opposite. It attacks in an taunting and bitter manner, and its aim is to disparage（毁谤），ridicule and wound the feelings of the subject attacked.Sarcasm 与Innuendo 含沙射影的温和语气不同，它常常使用尖刻的语句揭露与讽刺某人、某事或某些错误、愚蠢、丑恶等。讥讽是尖刻的，不友善的，常常是技巧的谈话或写作的方式
23、。Sarcasm 常出现在文娱节目或文学作品里，目的是激起人们对所讥讽的人、事的抗议和批评。许多著名作家都是运用Sarcasm的行家。Examples:Fool（傻瓜）Fools had neer less grace in a year, For wise men are grown foolish, And know not how their wits to wear, Their manners are so apish. (ape-like) (Shakespeare: King Lear)（这年头的傻瓜供过于求，）（聪明人个个变了糊涂，）（顶着个没有思想的头脑，）（只会跟着人依样画
24、葫芦。）（朱生豪译）嘲讽了那种没有思想、亦步亦趋的傻瓜Laws are like cobwebs（蜘蛛网）， which may catch small flies, but let wasps（黄蜂） and hornets（大黄蜂） break through.Quite right. The laws are turnpikes, only made to stop people who walk on foot, and not to interrupt those who drive through them in their coaches.太对了。法律是关卡，设立它只是阻拦步行者
25、，并不是妨碍乘四轮大马车过关地达官显贵人。“Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own chidren in such a way. You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.”“You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration thes
26、e twenty years at least.” (J.Austin: Pride & Prejudice)3. Anti-climax（渐降）Anti-climax is a figure of speech in which successive words, phrases, clauses or sentences are arranged insuch a way that the content becomes less interesting or important as it proceeds. It is a common literary device used to
27、achieve humor, surprise, satire and comic in effect.具体地讲，就是按着由强到弱，又达到小，由远到近等格式排列语气成分，使语势递减，其目的是为了制造讥讽或幽默的气氛。Examples: He lost his empire, his family and his fountain pen. 他失出了帝国，失出了家庭，失出了钢笔。 The duties of a soldier are to protect his country and peel potatoes. 战士的职责是保卫祖国和剥土豆皮。 Simon is a great state
28、sman, a great warrior, a great poet, and a skilled performer on the harp. 西蒙是一个伟大的政治家，一个伟大的战士，一个伟大的诗人，一个老练的竖琴演奏者。 I love my motherland, I love my people, I love my wife and my son and daughter, I also love my pretty little dog. 我爱我的祖国, 我爱我的人民，我爱我的妻室儿女，我也爱我那可爱的小狗。 She fears thunder and lightening, sh
29、e fears dogs and cats, she fears moths and caterpillars. 他怕雷声和闪电，怕狗和猫，怕蛾和毛虫。Anti-climax, as used in the text, states ones thoughts in a describing order of significance or intensity from strong to weak, from weighty to light. It has achieved a humorous or surprised or even a sarcastic effect when th
30、e mayor was introducing his city to his visitors, who were expecting his answer to havesomething to do with the atom bomb, but who ironically heard “Oysters” in the end. 渐降在重要性和强烈程度上以一种降序排列的方式陈述。当市长向游客介绍他的城市时没有按人们期待的介绍有关的原子弹的情况，反而说到“牡蛎”，这个渐降的使用取得了非常幽默、令人惊奇甚至讽刺的效果。4. Climax （层进）Climax is a figure of
31、speech in which phrases or sentences are arranged in ascending order of importance.结构上一系列词的并列，意义由轻到重，由弱到强，依次递进，使说话的感情渐趋强烈，最后达到顶点的修辞方法，叫做层进。英语的层进辞格常从语义上按下列方式排列：A. 程度由浅到深，语气由轻到重。E.g. I was born an American; I live an American; I shall die an American. 我生来是一个美国人，我活着是一个美国人；我死时也还是一个美国人。 The audience smil
32、ed, chuckled, and finally howled. 观众们继而微笑，继而窃笑，终于捧腹大笑起来。 Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. (Bacon)书有可浅尝者，有可吞食者，少数则需咀嚼消化。B. 按时间先后的顺序：E.g. I came, I saw, I conquered. (Julius Caesar) 我来了，我扫视一切，征服一切。 The prisoner was first questioned, then tort
33、ured, and finally shot. 囚犯先受审，然后遭拷打，最后被枪杀。C. 按范围大小的顺序。E.g. We could find pigeons here, there, everywhere. He gazed upon the pretty houses, green hills and the broad Pacific, his heart was filled with awe.他凝视着美丽的房子，绿色的山岗和辽阔的太平洋；敬畏之情油然而生。层进修辞格的使用，使语言凝炼，不累赘、罗嗦。程度渐次加强，语义逐渐强化。5. Alliteration （头韵）Allitera
34、tion is a figure of speech in which consonants especially at the beginning of words or stressed syllables are repeated. It is a very old device used indeed in English verse (older than rhyme 韵脚). It is also commonly used in other occasions. E.g. They are fighting for their hearth and home. Lets lear
35、n the lesson by heart. Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden. (John F. Kennedy) We felt strong, smug, secure. He never forgives nor forgets.In proverbs: No pain, no palm. pa:m victory, glory (胜利，荣誉) No thorns, no throne. No gall, no glo
36、ry. No cross, no crown. Many a man, many a mind. A miss is as good as a mile. A fair face may hide a foul heart. Men may meet but mountain never. 人生何处不相逢。 Dumb dogs are dangerous. 哑巴狗最危险。 The work shows the workmen. 什么匠人出什么活。 Plenty is no plague. 多多益善。 Practice what you preach.说到做到。 bag and baggage全
37、部家当 tit for tat针锋相对 with mighty and main尽全力 fall flat达不到预想的效果 spick and span十分整洁 hale and hearty老当益壮 Look before you leap.三思而行。 Wilful waste makes woeful want. 肆意挥霍， 家徒四壁。In Tongue Twisters: She sells sea shells on the sea shore. 她在海边买蚌壳。 Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper.笛诗彼得买了一配克泡辣椒。 Rou
38、nd and round the rugged r*d rascal ran.那个衣衫褴褛的流浪儿绕着岩石团团转。In advertisements and Titles of newspaper writings: Cut cost without cutting corners (Advertisement for cars) Bye, Bye, Balanced Budget Battle for Balanced Budget6. Rhetorical Question: A Rhetorical question (修辞疑问句) differs from an ordinary qu
39、estion in this way: when a writer asks a rhetorical question, he does not expect the reader to answer it. Instead, a rhetorical question is used for emphasis. When a reader comes upon a rhetorical question, he generally pauses and reflects intensely for a moment. The question will fix an idea more f
40、irmly in his mind than a declarative statement would. Thus you can give special force to an idea by expressing it in the form of a rhetorical question. Such a question may appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a composition. But wherever it is placed, the following points should be kept in mind
41、:1) A rhetorical question focuses and intensifies the readers interest.2) A rhetorical question should be used only to give force to the writers main ideas; it should not bewasted on minor points.3) The rhetorical question like any stylistic device should be used sparingly for best effect.A. A singl
42、e rhetorical question used for emphasis:1) Isnt it a silly question? 2) O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?(Shelley)3) Can the leopard change his spots?4) Is it possible that you cant, oughtnt, shouldnt, mustnt, and wont be tempted, this gorgeous day? (Dickens)5) Can we sit idle when
43、 all others are working like a house on fire?6) Will such a staunch（可靠的，忠实的）fighter yield to difficulties?7) Would a man like him ever let himself run short?8) Isnt it the best choice?B. A series of rhetorical questions asked and answered by the speaker showing a process of reasoning:1) Why stand we
44、 here idle? What is it that gentleman wish? What would they have？Is life so dear or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?(Patrick Henry)2) Well, its no matter; honour pricks me on. Yea, but how if honour prick me off when I came on? How then? Can honour set to a log?
45、 No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No. Honour hath no skill in surgery, then? No. What is honour? A word. What is in that word honour? Air; a trim reckoning! Who hath it? He that died o Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? No. Tis insensible, then? Yea, to the dead. B
46、ut will it not live with the living? No. Why? Detraction will not suffer it.(Shakespeare)Rhetorical question (修辞问句) 不同于语法中的问句： 语法问句是有疑而问，目的在于释疑或得到答复；而修辞问句则是无疑而问，即该问之答案对问话者来说已了然于胸，采用问句形式，其目的要么是引出给问话者答案的下文，要么是唤起读者的回响，传达问者寓于句中的强烈感情，目的是使文章生动有利。修辞问句分为两类：1. 反问：用疑问的形式表达确定的意思，不需要回答，其答案寓于问句的反面。其作用是加强语气，表达强烈的
47、感情，以引起读者或听者的深思。(1) When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman? (John Ball)(2) O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind? (Shelley)2. 设问: 为引出下文而先提问，目的在于引起读者或听众的注意。例如：Can we make it? If so, will it w* can we market it? Where can we market it cheaply?Are we going to tolerate this intrusion upon our freedom? Are we going to accept these restrictions? Are we to be intimidated by time-serving bureaucrats?反问和设问的共同点都是“明知故问”，即说话人或作者事先
