Figures of speech.doc

Figure of SpeechFigures of speech (修辞)are ways of making our language figurative. When we use words in other than their ordinary or literal sense to lend force to an idea, to heighten effect, or to create suggestive imagery, we are said to be speaking or writing figuratively. Below are some common forms of figures of speech.Simile：(明喻)It is a figure of speech which makes a comparison between two unlike elements having at least one quality or characteristic (特性)in common. To make the comparison, words like as, as.as, as if and like are used to transfer the quality we associate with one to the other. For example, my love is like a red red rose. 1) Metaphor：(暗喻)It is like a simile, also makes a comparison between two unlike elements, but unlike a simile, this comparison is implied rather than stated. For example, the world is a stage.2) Analogy: (类比)It is also a form of comparison, but unlike simile or metaphor which usually uses comparison on one point of resemblance, analogy draws a parallel between two unlike things that have several common qualities or points of resemblance. For example:The cultivation of a hobby and new forms of interest is not a business that can be undertaken in a day or swiftly improved by a mere command of the will. The growth of alternative mental interests is a long process. The seeds must be carefully chosen; they must fall on a good ground; they must be sedulously tended, if the vivifying fruits are to be at hand when needed. 3) Personification: (拟人）It gives human form of feelings to animals, or life and personal attributes(赋予) to inanimate(无生命的) objects, or to ideas and abstractions(抽象). For example, the wind whistled through the trees.4) Hyperbole: (夸张） It is the deliberate use of overstatement or exaggeration to achieve emphasis. For instance, he almost died laughing.5) Understatement: (含蓄陈述) It is the opposite of hyperbole, or overstatement. It achieves its effect of emphasizing a fact by deliberately(故意地) understating it, impressing the listener or the reader more by what is merely implied or left unsaid than by bare statement. For instance, this project is nothing to be proud of. 6) Euphemism: (委婉） It is the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive(无冒犯) expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant. For instance, we refer to die as pass away.7) Metonymy (转喻） It is a figure of speech that has to do with the substitution of the mane of one thing for that of another. For instance, the pen (words) is mightier than the sword (forces).8) Synecdoche (提喻) It is involves the substitution of the part for the whole, or the whole for the part. For instance, we need ten hands. 9) Pun: (双关语） It is a play on words, or rather a play on the form and meaning of words. For instance, a cannon-ball took off his legs, so he laid down his arms. (Here arms has two meanings: a persons body; weapons carried by a soldier.)10) Syllepsis: (一语双叙) is a figure by which a word refers to two or more words in the same sentence. For example, while he was fighting , and losing limb and mind, and dying, others stayed behind to pursue education and career. (Here to losing ones limbs in literal; to lose ones mind is figurative, and means to go mad.)11) Irony: (反语） It is a figure of speech that achieves emphasis by saying the opposite of what is meant, the intended meaning of the words being the opposite of their usual sense. For instance, we are lucky, what you said makes me feel real good.12) Innuendo: (暗讽） It is a mild form of irony, hinting in a rather roundabout (曲折)way at something disparaging(不一致) or uncomplimentary(不赞美) to the person or subject mentioned. For example, the weatherman said it would be worm. He must take his readings in a bathroom.13) Sarcasm: (讽刺） It Sarcasm is a strong form of irony. It attacks in a taunting and bitter manner, and its aim is to disparage, ridicule and wound the feelings of the subject attacked. For example, laws are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies, but let wasps break through.14) Paradox: (似非而是的隽语） It is a figure of speech consisting of a statement or proposition which on the face of it seems self-contradictory, absurd or contrary to established fact or practice, but which on further thinking and study may prove to be true, well-founded, and even to contain a succinct point. For example more haste, less speed. 15) Oxymoron: (矛盾修饰） It is a compressed paradox, formed by the conjoining(结合) of two contrasting, contradictory or incongruous(不协调) terms as in bitter-sweet memories, orderly chaos(混乱) and proud humility(侮辱).16) Antithesis: (对照） It is the deliberate arrangement of contrasting words or ideas in balanced structural forms to achieve emphasis. For example, speech is silver; silence is golden.17) Climax: (渐进） It is derived from the Greek word for ladder and implies the progression of thought at a uniform or almost uniform rate of significance or intensity, like the steps of a ladder ascending evenly. For example, I came, I saw, I conquered.18) Anti-climax or bathos: (突降)It is the opposite of Climax. It involves stating ones thoughts in a descending order of significance or intensity, from strong to weak, from weighty to light or frivolous. For instance, As a serious young man, I loved Beethoven, Keats, and hot dogs. 19) Apostrophe： (顿呼） In this figure of speech, a thing, place, idea or person (dead or absent) is addressed as if present, listening and understanding what is being said. For instance, England! awake! awake! awake!20) Transferred Epithet: (转类形容词) It is a figure of speech where an epithet (an adjective or descriptive phrase) is transferred from the noun it should rightly modify(修饰) to another to which it does not really apply or belong. For instance, I spent sleepless nights on my project.21) Synesthesia (通感) from Greek words that mean blended feeling. It is the perception or interpretation of the data of one sense in terms of another. For example, I met a blind girl who thought the sky tasted like cold metal when it rained. Exercise1. How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth, stolen on his wing my three and twentieth year! (Milton)2. Heavy raindrops began pitter-pattering on the tent. 3. Twinkle, twinkle, little bat,How I wonder what youre at!Up above the world you flyLike a teatray in the sky. (Lewis Carrol)4. Every time she went to a party, the woman put on ornaments and airs. 5. Judicious praise is to children what the sun is to flowers.6. An individual human existence should be like a river- small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being. ( Bertrand Russell)7. if I could touch you my hands would begin to sing(Mary Oliver)8. Nothing disturbed it: not the owl that came rowing out at noon, soundless as fur (Amy Clampitt)9. I farm a pasture where the boulders lieAs touching as a basket ful