毕业论文：A Brief Study on How to Learn Parallelism of English Major Students.doc

A Brief Study on How to Learn Parallelism of English Major Students Abstract: Parallelism is one of the most frequently used rhetorical devices in English and finds wide applications in different discourses, such as in prose, political speeches and many other sub-literary uses of language, such as proverbs, folk songs, slogans, etc. and it is also used in writing practice and testing. In this thesis the author is going to make compressive study and quantitative analysis of its definition, classification, application and effect when it is applied in English and how to learn to use parallelism for English major students.Key words：Parallelism, discourse, definition, classification, application, effect， learn， English内容摘要： 平行结构是英语当中使用频率比较高的一种修辞，在各类写作文体中也应用的非常广泛，比如说，在散文、政治演讲以及一些其它小的语言文学使用中，如，谚语、民谣、标语等等，同时在写作实践以及测验中也有使用。本文作者主要从平行结构的定义，分类，运用及其所产生的效果，以及英语专业学生如何学习使用平行结构等方面作一个全面而定量的分析和研究。关键词： 平行结构 文体 定义 分类 运用 效果 学习 英语Chapter1Introduction1.1 A Brief Introduction to research statusDear friends, do you like reading a great deal? If so, you will find parallelism is one of the most frequently used rhetorical devices in English and widely used in all kinds of types of writing. Ideas are mainly embodied in language. Great idea such as the one given by Abraham Lincoln” that government of the people, by the people, and for the people” is quiet familiar to english learners. Since not every great idea is well remembered as this one, there must be something that helps to imprint the idea on peoples mind. It is no doubt that, the parallelism or the parallel structure that has made this statement particularly impressive and easy to remember. A study on this kind of rhetoric devices since the end of 19 century in world, which has been a fruitful, various journals related to a considerable number of papers and some monographs will also include the study of sections of Parallelism in English, such as the Journal of South China Normal University (Social Science Edition) ,In 2003 third issue, “English Rhetoric Form and Effect of Parallelism”（Cai Guohua，College of Arts of Shenzhen University）；Math enthusiasts (Academic), in 2009 fifth issue, “Research on Parallel Structure in English Discourse Rhetorical Function”（Zhou Anhui）. At the same time, there are some researches about this kind of rhetoric devices in English teaching or learning,such as College English, in 1997 third issue, “Talking about Parallelism in College English”(Lu Lin) and in 2000 first issue, “Talking about Parallelism in College English again”(Wang Shuilian). 1.2 A Brief Introduction to Significance of research.In English, parallelism is not only rich, but also a wide range of applications such as famous speech and literature. There are so many fruitful research results, but the study on how to learn parallelism for English major students is small in number, so this paper has its own research significance for the simple reason that, by the research, we can learn the effects and characters of parallel structure, we can make our point of view more inspiring and persuasive when we know how to use parallelism in practical life and writing, in a word, it plays extremely important role in completely understanding a context which use a lot of parallel structures. Besides, it is necessary for us to study parallel structures in English, in order to make us learn charm of language. The author hopes that the thorough description and the quantitative analysis will help English learners to know it, and will contribute to English learning and research. Chapter2. A General Discussion on Parallelism2.1 The definition of parallelismWe talk so much about parallelism, here is a question. What is parallelism on earth? As far as the definition of parallelism is concerned, different scholars define it in different ways.The definition of parallelism in A Dictionary of Literary Terms is explained as: It consists of phrases or sentences of similar construction and meaning placed side by side, balancing each other. New Oxford English Dictionary defines it as : The use of successive verbal constructions in poetry or prose which correspond in grammatical structure, sound ,meter, meaning, etc.Wikipedia, encyclopedia explains it like this: In grammar, parallelism is a balance of two or more similar words, phrases, or clauses.Robert G. Bander, in his American English Rhetoric, points out :“The general principle of parallelism is this: similar ideas are expressed by similar grammatical forms parallelism.”Feng Cuihua, in English Rhetorical Options, points out: in parallel construction it is necessary to balance word for word (noun with noun, verb with verb, adjective with adjective, etc.), phrase with phrase, clause with clause, sentence with sentence. Parallelism is regularly employed in listing of facts, ideas, events, etc. and the parallel elements may range from a minimum of two to any number required. To make the parallelism clear, it is essential to repeat, as the case demands, the marker of the parallelism, such as an article, a preposition, the to of an infinitive, or the introductory word of a main subordinate clause.From above definitions of parallelism, we can find some common points they share: the similarity in structure; the correlation in meaning.2.2 Classification of parallelismIn Practical English Rhetoric,Lv xu, according to the corresponding degree of grammatical components, divides parallelism into two broad categories: strict-type parallelism and wide-type parallelism. 2.2.1 Strict-type ParallelismStrict-type Parallelism means: The corresponding grammatical components are completely the same in each structure.E.g. We are caught in war, wanting peace. We are torn by division, wanting unity (Inaugural Address by Nixon)E.g. Eat at pleasure, drink by pleasure. (Proverb)E.g. Nathaniel I praise God for you, sir: your reasons at dinner have been sharp and sententious: Pleasant with scurrility, witty without affection, audacious without impudency, learned without opinion , and strange without heresy.( w. Shakespeare : loves labors lost)E.g. No one can be perfectly free till all are free; no one can be perfectly moral till are moral; no one can be perfectly happy till all are happy.(Herbert Spencer: Social Statics)From above examples, we can see, formally, the corresponding characters are equal, structures are the same, sentence well-balanced; from content, tone is consistent, and meaning is related; From expressing effect , rhythm is strong, statement is very powerful. 2.2.2 Wide-type Parallelism.Wide-type Parallelism means: The corresponding grammatical components are basically similar in each structure.E.g. A money lender serves you in the present tense, lends you in the conditional mood, keeps you in the subjunctive, and ruins you in the future. (Joseph Addison) E.g. Let us learn the lessons already taught by such cruel experience. Let us re-double our exertion and strike with united strength while life and power remain.E.g. No one likes to listen to a speaker who talks too much and says too little, and no reader likes to cut at a path through a tangle of useless words or constructions to get a relatively simple idea.From above examples, we can look from the whole, the corresponding parts parallel each other , but the internal structures has a few differences, the characters are not equal , give a person with symmetry and the aesthetic feeling of change, giving an impression of being well-balanced and changed. Chapter 3. The Syntactic Expression Formof ParallelismLooking from language level, we can find that language units constituting parallel structure can be the words, phrases and clauses, sentences, or even paragraphs.3.1 A series of wordsThe parallel arrangement of word, namely, it is the parallelism that consists of several nouns, adjectives, adverbs or verbs and so on.E.g. But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendlyE.g. Women were running out to the line of march, crying and laughing and kissing the men good-bye.E.g. The mail-coach lumbered, jolted, rattled and bumped upon its tedious way.E.g. The young actor was tall, dark , and handsome.3.2. A group of phrasesThe parallel arrangement of phrase, namely, it is the parallelism that consists of some phrases. E.g. and the government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth. (Abraham Lincoln)E.g. Einstein was a fair amateur violinist, a great mathematician, and a deeply philosophical man. E.g. Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. (Francis Bacon: Of Studies)E.g. It is the same old story of not being grateful for what we have until we lose it, of not being conscious of health until we are ill.(Helen Keller)3.3. A row of clausesThe parallel arrangement of clause, namely, it is the parallelism that consists of several clauses.E.g. The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and that they should do some warm-up exercises before the game.E.g. they vanish from a world where they were of no consequence; where they achieved nothing; where they were a mistake and failure and a foolishness; where they have left no sign that they had existed.(Noel Grove)E.g. Is there anything difficult for us to do in the world? If we do it, the difficult thing will become easy; if we dont, the easy thing will become difficult.E.g. The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labors, had it been early, had been kind; but it had been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary, and cannot impart it; till I am known, and do not want it.3.4. A series of sentencesThe parallel arrangement of sentence, namely, it is the parallelism that consists of several sentences, in other words, it becomes a sentence group.E.g. We shall fight him (Hitler) by land, we shall fight him by sea, we shall fight him in the air, until, with gods help, we have rid the earth of his shadow and liberated its peoples from his yoke.E.g. A womans whole life is a history of the affections. The heart is her world: it is there her ambition strives for empire; it is there her avarice seeks for hidden treasures.( Washington Irving: The Sketch Book) E.g. I am very fond of the company of ladies; I like their beauty, I like their delicacy, I like their vivacity, and I like their silence. (S. Johnson)E.g. There is no reason for us to be enemies. Neither of us seeks the territory of the other; neither of us seeks domination over the other; neither of us seeks to stretch out our hands and rule the world. (A Toast by President Nixon on his First Visit to China in 1972)3.5. A group of paragraphsParallel arrangement of sentence, namely, it is the parallelism that consists of two or several paragraph with similar structures, and close content.E.g. I shot an arrow into the air,It fell to earth, I knew not whereI breathed a song into the air,It fell to earth, I knew not where.(H.W.Longfellow: The Arrow and the Song)E.g.And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.My fellow citizens of the world ask not what American will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. (J. F. Kennedy: Inaugural Address) E.g. One hundred years later，the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.One hundred years later，the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later，the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and find himself an exile in his own land. (I Have a Dream：Martin Luther King，Jr.）E.g. For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh. (Obamas Inaugural Address)Chapter4. Rhetoric Effect of Parallel Structuresin EnglishAs a stylistic technique, through well-balanced construction, parallelism gives emphasis, clarity and coherence of ideas as well as the rhythm of the language, in other words, parallelism has a magical power and can add a special effect.4.1 When describing characters，it makes description more detailed and exquisite.E.g. The child was pretty and intelligent. (Words) The sentence uses two adjectives to describe a child about his or her appearance and his wisdom, from the short and concise description; we can see a good-looking and clever child standing in front of our eyes.E.g. Einstein was a fair amateur violinist, a great mathematician, and a deeply philosophical man. (Phrases)This sentence shows versatility of Einstein, and makes us know that Einstein is not only a scientist, but also a violinist, a mathematician, a philosopher with the use of three parallel noun phrases.4.2 When describing scene，it makes description more vivid and eyes-attractive E.g. Meanwhile the mail-coach lumbered, jolted, rattled and bumped upon its tedious way. (Dickens: A Tale of Two Cities)(Words)This sentence comes from A Tale of Two Cities written by Dickens. It shows us a vivid picture of the scene on the road in France in the late 18 century by describing the way the mail-coach steers difficultly with the use of four parallel verbs.E.g. The drunkard smashed the glasses, upturned the table, and hit an old woman. (Phrases)In This sentence, the use of three verbal phrases portrays for us a drunken man and his performance vividly and shows us a lifelike picture as if it happened just now.4.3 When describing the truth, it makes description more persuasive and thorough.E.g. Some books are to be tasted, others are to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. (Francis Bacon: Of Studies)（phrases）This famous sentence extracts from Francis Bacons famous essay: Of Studies .In this essay, the writer tells us the importance of reading, and then use parallelism to tell us how to read in a persuasive way. E.g. Is there anything difficult for us to do in the world? If we do it, the difficult thing will become easy; if we dont, the easy thing will become difficult. (Clauses)This sentence is from the first paragraph of a famous writing in classical Chinese. It tells us a truth and it persuades us to have a right and an active attitude towards things. Whether we have ability to do something or not, attitude is everything. Attitude is more important than ability4.4 When describing emotion，it makes description more exuberant and abundant.E.g. I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. (Winston L.S. Churchill)(Words)This famous quotation comes from Sir Winston Churchills speech on 13th May 1940 to the UKs House of Commons. Four parallel words: blood, toil, tear, sweat, we can strongly feel Churchills love and devotion to his country.E.g. Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.(John F. Kennedy: Inaugural Address)(Phrase).From this example, we can see the use of five parallel phrases, we can know how President Kennedy persuades the American people to unite and fight for liberty. We can feel a kind of strong determination.Chapter5 How to learn to use parallelism in English study.Now that we have known what effects parallelism can bring when it is applied in different situations, and how important parallelism is in English. As English major, we should know how to learn to use parallelism in English study.5.1 By listeningFirstly, we can download some listening materials, or we can watch TV or video, especially listening extensively some famous speeches such as Martin Luther Kings famous speech I have a dream” on August 23, 1963 at Lincoln memorial in Washington and President Barrack Obamas Inaugural Address on January 20, 2009. In this way, we can feel the rhythm and power of parallelism. Here I make famous extracts from the whole speech I have a dream by Martin Luther King.Let freedom ring, from the mighty mountains of New York.Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.But not only that.Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.Let freedom ring, from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.Pattern and in rhyme, parallelism is good to read, it expresses strong feeling, and strengthens the force of language. When the listeners hear the sentences beginning with” let freedom ring”, they would feel inspired and passionate. The strong emotion of the speak can influence the listeners because they can feel it.5.2. By readingSecondly, we need to read intensively some materials among which some parallel structures are used. Such as the texts in Contemporary College English (An example in lesson 7: and so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for youask what you can do for your country.) .Furthermore, we can read some poems and literary works in detail and find out how the parallel structures are used.Here is an example “Pioneers: A View of Home” written by a famous American black female poet Nikki Giovanni.I submit that just as slavery took away our choice, so also did the over-crowed, disease-ridden cities of Europe; so also did the religious per suction; so also did the abject and all but unspeakable I