rhetoricdevices.doc

Figures of speechnWords used in their original meaning are used literally, while words used in extended meanings for the purpose of making comparisons or calling up pictures in the readers or listeners mind are used figuratively.1.similenit is a comparison between distinctly different things and the comparison is indicated by the word as or like. e.g.:nn 1). O my loves like a red, red rose.(by Burns).nn2). That man cant be trusted. Hes as slippery as an eel.nn3). The old mans hair is as white as snow.n 4). as clear as crystal清如水晶 n 5). Chaplin sits down at the table and eats the shoes with a knife and fork, enjoying every mouthful. He makes it seem as if this is one of the most delicious meals that he has ever enjoyed.n卓别林坐在餐桌前，一口一口地吃得津津有味，把吃皮鞋的情景演得就像他吃过的最美味的一顿饭似的。n6) .He looked as if he had just stepped out of my book of fairytales and had passed me like a spirit. n他看上去好像刚从我的童话故事书中走出来，像幽灵一样从我身旁走过去。n7). It has long leaves that sway in the wind like slim fingers reaching to touch something.n它那长长的叶子在风中摆动，好像伸出纤细的手指去触摸什么东西似的。2. MetaphornIt is the use of a word which originally denotes one thing to refer to another with a similar quality. nIt is also a comparison, but the comparison is implied, not expressed with the word as or like. e. g. n1). O my love is a red, red rose.n 2). He is the soul of the team.n3). Irrigation is the lifeblood of agriculture.n 4). The picture of those poor people lives was carved so sharply in his heart that he could never forget it.n5). All his former joy was drowned in the embarrassment and confusions he was feeling at the moment.n6). He often prefaced his remarks by “I cant help thinking”n7). Argument is war .n8). He has a heart of stone.n他铁石心肠n9). To me, the pageant of seasons is a thrilling and unending drama.n对于我来说，四季的奇妙变幻犹 如一出动人心弦永不完结的戏. n10). to teach fish to swimn班门弄斧 n11). to plough the sand白费力气n 12). a square peg in a round holen不适宜担任某一职务的人n13).between the devil and the deep-sean进退两难”的境界 n14). Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.n有些书可供品尝，有些书可供吞食，还有一些少量的书可供咀嚼和消化。n14). German guns and German planes rained down bombs, shells and bullets.n德国人的枪炮和飞机将炸弹、炮弹和子弹像暴雨一样倾泻下来。n15). The diamond department was the heart and center of the store. n钻石部是商店的心脏和核心。 3.personificationnIt is to treat a thing or an idea as if it were human or had human qualities. e.g.n 1). Youth is hot and bold,n Age is weak and cold,n Youth is wild, n and Age is tame . -William Shakespeare. n2). The match will soon be over and defeat is staring us in the face.n3). This time fate was smiling to him.n4). Thunder roared and a pouring rain started.n5). Necessity is the mother of invention.n需要乃是发明之母。 n6)She is the favorite child of Fortunen她是幸运之宠儿。n 7). Dusk came stealthily.n8). The storm was raging and an angry sea was continuously tossing their boat.n9). My only worry was that January would find me hunting for a job again.n我唯一担心的是，到了一月份我又得去找工作。4. MetonymynIt was substituting the name of one thing for that of another with which it is closely associated. Thus the crown can stand for a king, and the White House for the American government, the bottle for wine or alcohol. e.g.n1). Sword and cross in hand, the European conquerors fell upon the Americans.n 2). When the war was over, he laid down the sword and took up the pen.n3). His purse would not allow him that luxury.n5). The buses in America are on strike now.n美国的公共汽车司机正在罢工 n6). The pen is mightier than the sword.n文人胜于武士 n7). Mrs. Smith is nice but her husband is such a bear that nobody likes him.n史密斯夫人和蔼可亲， 但她丈夫为人粗鲁，脾气暴躁，谁都不喜欢他 n9). She is a social butterfly.n她是一个交际花（以虫喻人） n10). Several years later, words came that Napoleon himself was coming to inspect them.n几年以后，他们听说拿破仑要亲自来视察他们。n11). It was the most beautiful tongue in the world.n这是世界上最美的语言.n12). He had to earn his daily bread by doing odd jobs.5. SynecdochenWhen a part is substituted for the whole or the whole is substituted for a part, synecdoche is applied. e.g.n 1). The farms were short of hands during the harvest season. n2). Germany beat Argentina 2 to 1 in this exciting football match.n3). The poor creature could no longer endure her sufferings.n5). The river is crowded with masts.n河中帆船林立 .n6). On second year we attacked Homer.n第二年我们攻读荷马的作品 n7). The Great Wall was made not only of stones and earth, but of the flesh and blood of millions of men.n长城不仅是用石头和土建造的，而且是用几百万人的血和肉建成的。 句中的“the flesh and blood”喻为“the great sacrifice”（巨大的牺牲）n8). Many eyes turned to a tall,20year black girl on the U.S.Team. n很多人将眼光投向美国队一个高高的岁的黑姑娘。6. EuphemismnIt is the substitution of a mild or vague expression for a harsh or unpleasant one. e.g.n1). to die: to pass away, to leave us; ones heart has stopped beatingn2). old people: senior citizensn3). Mad: emotionally disturbedn4). Dustman: sanitation workern5). Lavatory: bathroom, mens(womens) roomn6). Invasion, raid: military actionn7). Concentration camps: strategic hamlets7. IronynIt is the use of words which are clearly opposite to what is meant, in order to achieve a special effect.n1). as welcome as a stormn不得人心 n2). as slender in the middle as a cow in the waistn腰细如牛（实际是“腰粗如 牛”）。 n3). Well, of course, I knew that gentlemen like you carry only large notes. 啊，当然，我知道像你这样的先生只带大票子。8. HyperbolenIn hyperbole the diction exaggerates the subject to make the statement or description impressive or interesting. e.g.n1). She is dying to know what job has been assigned her.n2). On hearing that he had been admitted to that famous university, he whispered to himself, “I am the luckiest man in the world.”n3). It took a few dollars to build this indoor swimming pool.n4). The old man lived a year in a minute.n老人度日如年 n5). The wretched man became famous overnight.n这可怜人竟一夜之间出了名。n6). -I cant order these clothes, unless you can wait some time, or charge this note.n -I can wait all my life, sir. n7). I love you more than my life, more than my wife and all the world.n我爱你胜过我的生命、我的妻子和这世界上的一切n8). My blood froze.n我的血液都凝固了。n9).When I told our father about this,his heart burst.n当我将这件事告诉我们的父亲时，他的心几乎要迸出来。n10). My heart almost stopped beating when I heard my daughtersvoice on the phone.n从电话里一听到我女儿的声音，我的心几乎停止跳动。9. Transferred epithetnAn epithet is an adjective or descriptive phase that serves to characterize somebody or something. n A transferred epithet is one that is shift from the noun it logically modifiers to a word associated with that noun. e.g.n1). She was so worried about her son that she spent several sleepless nights.n2). He has had a busy day.n3). The assistant kept a respectful distance from his boss when they were walking in the corridor.n4). He said “yes” to the question in an unthinking moment.n5). The old man put a reassuring hand on my shoulder.10. oxymoronnIn oxymoron apparently contradictory terms are combined to produce a special effect. e.g:n1). The coach had to be cruel and kind to his trainees.nn2). When the news of the failure came, all his friends said that it was a victorious defeat.nn3). The president was conspicuously absent on that occasion.nn4). She read the long-awaited letter with a tearful smile.11. alliterationnIt refers to the appearance of the same initial consonant sound in two or more words, such as “proud as a peacock” and “blind as a bat”. e.g:n3). He is all fire and fight.n他从不放弃任何机会。n 4).There was something simple, sincere in that voice.n那声音里有种纯朴真诚的东西。n5). How and why he had come to Princeton,New Jersey is a story of struggle, success,and sadness.n他如何和为什么来到新泽西州的普林斯顿是一个充满奋斗、成功和令人伤心 的一段经历。n6). Change is part of life and the making of character, hon. When the things happen that you do not like, you have two choices: You get bitter or better.n变化是生活的一部分，而且也塑造了人的意志品德，亲爱的。当你不喜欢的事情发生了，你有两种选择：要么痛苦不堪；要么痛快达观。 12.onomatopoeian拟声是摹仿自然界中非语言的声音，其发音和所描写的事物的声音很相似，使语言 显得生动，富有表现力。n)、On the root of the school house some pigeons were softly cooing.n在学校房屋的屋顶上一些鸽子正轻轻地咕咕叫着。n)、She brought me into touch with everything that could be reached or feltsunlight,the rustling of silk,the noises of insects,the creaking of a door,the voice of a loved one. n她使我接触到所有够得着的或者感觉得到的东西，如阳光呀，丝绸摆动时的 沙沙声呀，昆虫的叫声呀，开 门的吱嗄声呀，亲人的说话声呀13. PunnIt is a play on words, or rather a play on the form and meaning of words. ne.g.n1). Cu