英语修辞学ENGLISH RHETORIC - ichoice of sentencesppt课件

1、 Chapter 5 choice of sentences Types of Sentence According to their function, we have 1) declarative sentences. （陈述句）（陈述句） 2) interrogative sentences.（疑问句）（疑问句） 3) imperative sentences.（祈使句）（祈使句） 4) exclamatory sentences. （感叹句）（感叹句） According to their structure, we have 1) simple sentences. （简单句）（简单

2、句） 2) compound sentences. （并列句）（并列句） 3) complex sentences. （复合句）（复合句） 4) compound-complex sentences. （并列（并列复合句）复合句） I. loose sentence and periodic sentence 1. A loose sentence puts the main idea before all supplementary information; in other words, it puts first things first, and lets the reader kno

3、w what it is mainly about when he has read the first few words. The reverse arrangement makes a periodic sentence: the main idea is expressed at or near the end of it, and it is not grammatically complete until the end is reached. The reader does not know what it is mainly about until he finishes re

4、ading it.( A Handbook of Writing Ding Wangdao) The main idea of both sentences is the fact that she decided to study English. This idea is put at the beginning of the first sentence and at the end of the second, thus making one a loose sentence and the other a periodic one. Besides, the first part o

5、f the first sentence is complete in structure, but that of the second is only an adverbial clause and cannot be called a sentence without the second part. main idea is presented at the beginning and the subordinate or dependent constituents are added to it. Such sentences are placed in a natural ord

6、er like this: subject-verb-complement. The in formation is orderly presentation. It is often simpler, natural, and direct. E.g. The student sat quietly, trembling at the thought of writing an essay. subordinate idea comes first and main idea comes at the end. E.g. Having considered both sides of the

7、 argument, I have come to the conclusion that the advantages of owning a car outweigh the disadvantages.A. You cannot make great progress in English without good study habits.B. Without good study habits, you cannot make great progress in English. Sentence a and sentence b are semantically same, but

8、 different in structure. Sentence a is a loose sentence, but sentence b the periodic sentence. The main idea is put at the beginning of the first sentence followed by the supplement and explanation and at the end of the second sentence, thus making one a loose sentence and the other a periodic one.

9、4. Translated terms: loose sentence: 松句英语修辞p,44；松散句大学英语1993年第1期p.92；松句英汉大词典p.1053。 Periodic sentence: 掉尾句英语修辞p,45; 掉尾句大学英语1993年第1期p.92；尾重句，圆周句英汉大词典p.1348。 The popular translated terms are : loose sentence松散句 Periodic sentence掉尾句 *Loose sentences are easier, simpler, more natural and direct; periodic

10、 sentences are more complex, emphatic, formal, or literary. 1. He was an inch, perhaps two, under six feet, powerfully built, and he advanced straight at you with a slight stoop of the shoulders, head forward, and a fixed-from-under stare which made you think of a charging bull. His voice was deep,

11、loud, and his manner displayed a kind of dogged self-assertion which had nothing aggressive in it. It seemed a necessity, and it was directed apparently as much at himself as at anybody else. He was spotlessly neat, appareled in immaculate(整洁的; 无瑕的 ) white from shoes to hat, and in the various Easte

12、rn ports where he got his living as ship-chandlers (船舶用品商) water-clerk he was very popular. Most of the sentences are compound and compound-complex, and all of them, except the second half of the last sentence, are loose in structure. 2. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in p

13、ossession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. Jane Austen This is the sentence with which Jane Austen begins her Pride and Prejudice. Its a periodic sentence because the last word being the most important, and because many words are piled up before the key word.1.Preposing or postposing the

14、 adverbial clause(1) Loose ( postposition): The world wont end even if we fail again and again.Periodic (preposition): Even if we fail again and again, the world wont end.(2) Loose ( postposition):Bill had cleaned the room before Tom returned.Periodic (preposition):Before Tom returned, Bill had clea

15、ned the room.2.Preposing or postposing the adverbial phrase(1) Loose ( postposition):Bill started to write his composition early in the morning.Periodic (preposition):Early in the morning, Bill started to write his composition.(2) Loose ( postposition):We feel much honored to have you come to visit

16、our country.Periodic (preposition):To have you come to visit our country, we feel much honored. 3. Preposing or postposing the ppl(participle) phrase (1) Loose ( postposition): She came up shouldering a spade. Periodic (preposition):Shouldering a spade, she came up. (2) Loose ( postposition): He cam

17、e back, utterly exhausted. Periodic (preposition): Utterly exhausted, he came back. 4. Preposing or postposing the prepositional phrase (1) Loose (postposition): Tom was cutting a piece of metal with great care. Periodic (preposition): With great care, Tom was cutting a piece of metal. (2) Loose (po

18、stposition): This was done without my knowledge and without my consent. Periodic (preposition): Without my knowledge and without my consent, this was done. 5. Preposing or postposing the apposition (1) Loose (postposition): Tom became fond of Bill, a cheerful, hard-working apprentice. Periodic (prep

19、osition): A cheerful, hard-working apprentice, Tom became fond of Bill. (2) Loose (postposition): He read all kinds of books, ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign. Periodic (preposition): Ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign, he read all kinds of books. 6. Preposing or postposing the adjective

20、 or adjective phrase (1) Loose (postposition): She took down what he said, conscientious and eager. Periodic (preposition): Conscientious and eager, she took down what he said. (2) Loose (postposition): Bill was cleaning the lathe full of energy. Periodic (preposition): Full of energy, Bill was clea

21、ning the lathe.1. loose sentence (1) loose sentence gives prominence to emphases and comes straight to the point: She was offered a professional contract after winning the Olympic gold medal for figure skating, according to the newspaper reports. The most valuable information-she was offered a profe

22、ssional contract-appears at the beginning of the sentence and the other information follows, which is in accordance with our thinking practice. For example, The moral imperative to “get involved” is applicable in the tiniest and the largest of our daily considerations, in everything from helping a n

23、eighbor all the way to caring about the state of the world.Loose sentences fit writing in a flat way most. Stephen Leacok, the Canadian writer, described a mothers hard work in a ten-year-old boys stain. He adopted many loose sentences which implies the boy lingering between the mature and the nave

24、mind and sets off the mothers endless hard work: Well, we had the loveliest day up among the hills that you could possibly imagine, and Father caught such big specimens that he felt sure that Mother couldnt have landed them anyway, if she had been fishing for them, and Will and I fished too, though

25、we didnt get so many as Father, and the two girls met quite a lot of people that they knew as we drove along, and there were some young men friends of theirs that they met along the stream and talked to, and so we all had a splendid time. Nothing could deflect that wall of water, sweeping away trees

26、 and boulders, engulfing streets and villages, churning and roaring like a creature in pain. Then I saw that the child had died, never more to enjoy getting into trouble with his friends, never again to tell innocent lies to his parents, never to look with hopeful shyness at a girl he desires.causes

27、 anticipation and suspense in readers because the important information readers are eager to know is postposed at the end of the sentence.Though Jim Thorpe had brought great glory to his nation, though thousands of people cheered him upon his return to the United States and attended banquets and a N

28、ew York parade in his honor, he was not a citizen. As the U.K. struggles with a rise in alcohol consumption that many contend is fueling public disorder and violence, alcohol abuse has become an issue in the run-up to the nations general election. The two though.concessive clauses push Jim Thorpes p

29、ersonal achievements and the craze from the American people towards him to the climax. When readers finish reading the two clauses, they will desire to wait for the answer being disclosed; however, the writer only uses five words-he was not a citizen (而他却不是一个美国公民)-to bring to a sudden end to the sen

30、tence. During the course, readers follow the anticipation-suspense-suddenness track and this is the charm of periodic sentences. Please compare:If students are absorbed in their own limited worlds, if they are disdainful of the work of their teachers, if they are scornful of the lessons of the past,

31、 then the great cultural heritage which must be transmitted from generation to generation will be lost. But if life hardly seems worth living, if liberty is used for subhuman purposes, if the pursuers of happiness know nothing about the nature of their quarry or the elementary techniques of hunting,

32、 these constitutional rights will not be very meaningful. (E. Warren) -periodic sentences can focus on expressing the sadness and happiness of the writer and strengthen the power of the words.The one absolute, unselfish friend a man may have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the

33、 one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog. ( A Tribute to the Dog-George Graham WestThe writer uses three parallel construction sentences and three repeated ones push the noble personality of this friend up to the top. However, the answer isonly three wordsis his dog. When a sente

34、nce contains two or more parts of the same form and grammatical function, it is one with parallel construction: Let us be ruthless in our criticism, cruel to personal vanities, indifferent to age, rank or experience if these stand in our way. -Norman Berthune It does not do to live in memories, in r

35、egrets for the good old days, or in sadness about friends who are dead. Ones thoughts must be directed to the future, and to things about which there is something to be done. -Bertrand Russell The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of

36、the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and men must be proclaimed and denounced. -Frederick Douglass Such parallel sentences are emphatic and forceful. When a sentence contains two parallel clauses similar in structure but contrasted in m

37、eaning, it is a balanced sentence. eg. We must conquer war, or war will conquer us. On hearing the news, he was angered, and I was saddened. Balanced sentences are impressive because of the contrast, and pleasing to hear because of the rhythm. They are mainly used in formal/ literary writing, like e

38、xpository and argumentative prose, and speeches. The ambition of the novice is to acquire the Literary Language; the struggle of the adept is to get rid of it. In Platos opinion man was made for philosophy; in Bacons opinion philosophy was made for man. It was the best of times, it was the worst of

39、times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we w

40、ere all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way. -A Tale of Two Cities The role of a man is to provide, and the role of a woman is to care for the household and family. This is a traditional perspective we were taught in the past. The President wanted an increase in taxes to reduce

41、 the national debt; the Congress wanted a reduction in taxes to stimulate business. White chickens lay white eggs, and brown chickens lay brown eggs; so if white cows give white milk, do brown cows give chocolate milk? I felt myself in rebellion against the Greek concept of justice. That concept exc

42、used Laius of attacking Oedipus, but condemned Oedipus for defending himself. It tolerated a kings deliberate attempt to kill his baby son by piercing the infants feet and abandoning it on a mountain, but later branded the sons unintentional killing of his father as murder. It held Oedipus responsib

43、le for his ignorance, but excused those who contributed to that ignorance. (Krutch) Thus, good sentences are more than grammatically correct. They are varied in length in word order, and in their rhetorical patterns. As you read essays, consider the sentence structure of each selection. And as you w

44、rite your own essays, apply the techniques for attaining sentence variety that we have discussed. Short sentences are usually emphatic, whereas long sentences are capable of expressing complex ideas with precision, because it may contain many modifiers. Short sentences are suitable for the presentat

45、ion of important facts and ideas, and long sentences for the explanation of views and theories, or the description of things with many details. Our city is on the threshold of a great era. Of this we can be sure. We must be willing to workand to spend in order to fulfill the promise of the future. W

46、e need a large police force for public protection. We need a modernized fire department. We need an enlarged library. We need to improve our water supply. For all these needs there is but one solution. We must see that the bond issue is approved by the voters in the November election. Here each shor

47、t sentence puts forward an important suggestion. If the points were grouped into two or three longer sentences, there would not be the force and clarity of these short sentences. He crouched a little, spreading his hands under the water and moving them round, trying to feel for her. The dead cold po

48、nd swayed upon his chest. He moved again, a little deeper, and again, with his hands underneath, he felt all around under the water. And he touched her clothing. But it evaded his fingers. He made a desperate effort to grasp it. He laid her down on the bank. She was quite unconscious and running wit

49、h water. He made the water come from her mouth, he worked to restore her. He did not have to work very long before he could feel the breathing begin again in her; she was breathing naturally. He worked a little longer. He could feel her live beneath his hands; she was coming back. He wiped her face,

50、 wrapped her in his overcoat, looked round into the dim, dark gray world, then lifted her and staggered down the bank and across the fields. The many short sentences in the above passage vividly describe the mans rapid movements and make the reader feel the tension the man was experiencing at the mo

51、ment. Long sentences are common in legal, political and theoretical writing, which depends on modification for accuracy. Art, in the sense here intendedthat is, the genetic term subsuming painting, sculpture, architecture, music, dance, literature, drama, and filmmay be defined as the practice of creating perceptible forms expressive of human feeling. I say “perceptible” rather than “sensuous” forms because some works of art are given to imagination rather than to the outward senses. A novel, for instance, usually is read silently with the eye, but is n