英语专四写作Diction-2-Connotation-DenotationGeneral-Specific-Abstract-Concrete

DictionIIQuestions:Howmanylevelsofdictionarethereinalanguage?Whatarethey?DenotationandconnotationThedenotationofthisimageisaredheartTheconnotationisthatitisasymbolofloveThedenotationofthisimageisaknifewithbloodThebloodyknifeconnotesviolenceanddeathThedenotationofthisimageisatrophyTheimagesuggestsbeingawinner,comingfirstandsuccessThepicturedenotesasandybeach,theblueskysuggestsitisalovelydaywhilethepalmtreeshaveconnotationsofawarmtropicalclimate.Overall,thepicturegivestheimpressionofacalm,soothingatmosphere.II.TheExactWord1.DenotationandConnotationAword’sdenotationiswhatitliterallymeans,asdefinedbythedictionary.（本义）Aword’sconnotationisthefeelingorideasuggestedbytheword.（涵义）home–residenceold–antiqueWomanDenotationmeaning:Anadultfemalehumanbeing.Connotationmeaning:frail,pronetotears,emotional“Anyway,sheisawoman.”Winter:“Winter”denotes“thecoldestseasonoftheyear,regardedintheNorthTemperateZoneasincludingthemonthsofDecember,January,&February.”“Winter”alsoconnotesmanyfeelingsorideasas“desolate,bitter,cold,icy,barren,chill,white,deadtrees,snowatthesametime.Laughterdriveswinter

fromthemind.Sheisinthewinterofherlife.Shegaveawintrygreetingtohercolleagues.Comparewiththefollowingsentences,whichoneisbetter,why?Laughterdrivessadnessfromthemind.Sheisinthe

mostdifficultperiodofherlife.Shegaveacoldgreetingtohercolleagues.storm:aroughweatherconditionwithwind,rain,andoftenlightningHislastwordsbroughtonanotherstorm.Thebookprovokedastormofcontroversy.Themobstormedthroughthestreets.Heturnedbackandmetherstormyeyes.Mother:femaleparentTheoldladymotheredhimduringhisillness.Theboyisspoiledbecauseyouhavebeen

motheringhimLibrary:aplacewherebooksmaybereadorborrowed.Heisawalkinglibrary.Heisaboringpersonbecauseallhehasislibrary

knowledge.country(territory)nation(people)state(politicalorganization)land(feeling)apeace-loving___________-ownedenterprisesChinaisthethirdlargest________intheworld.)Tearsrolleddowntheoldman’scheekswhenontheplanehecaughtsightofhisnative_____whichheleft30yearsago.(nation)(land)(state)(country)Politicianvs.statesmanPoliticianimpliesapersonwhoisinpubliclifemerelyforpersonalgain,onewhoschemesforpersonalinterest.Statesmanmeansapersonwithwisdomandskillinmanagingtheaffairsofstate.Allthefollowingadjectivesmean”thickinbodybecauseofpresenceofsuperfluousflesh”,butdifferwidelyinconnotation.fat:ifyoutellsb“youarefat”,youareveryrudeoverweight:suggestingtheneutral,generaluncomplimentaryconnotationplump:usedofwomenandchildrenandmeansslightlyandpleasantlyfatchubby:(babiesandchildren)pleasantlyfattubby:shortandratherfat,especiallyinthestomachstout:fatandheavyobese:extremelyfatandunhealthyDifferentconnotationreflectingtheattitudeofthespeakerComplimentaryderogatoryneutralPublicservantbureaucratgovernmentemployeeFinancierspeculatorinvestorLawofficercoppolicemanInvestigatorspydetectiveSynonyms:thin,skinny,slim,slenderChildlike,childish

say“Iamthefastestrunnerinmyschool”,Davidsaid.,Davidclaimed.,Davidboasted.,Davidadmitted.,Davidblurtedout.Dragon≠龙fourlittledragonsfourlittletigersSheisarealdragon,you’dbetterkeepawayfromher.Magpie≠喜鹊chatterlikeamagpieChicken≠鸡AstimidasachickenDog≠狗Everydoghashisday.DifferentconnotationbetweenEnglishwordsandChinesecounterpartspeach长寿特别讨人喜爱的人或物green青春希望活力妒忌tobegreenwithenvygreen-eyedagreenhandredredflagintheredExamples:MywifeaskedmewhyIwasslashingtheshrubbery.ItoldherIwasmerelypruningit.Althoughmostbathersthoughtthehighsurflookedthreatening,afewthoughtitlookedchallenging.Whenourteamofscientiststraveledacrossthecratertocollectsamples,theyencounteredanotherteamstealingevidence.Thesnow(buried,blanketed)themountains,invitingmoretourists.Thewoundedsoldier(survived,recovered)withpromptcare.Soneatwerethedinnergueststhatonlyafew(foul,unclear)napkinswereleft.Assoonasdangerthreatened,thesentry(abandoned,left)hispost.Theembezzlerhaddevelopeda(scheme,plan)tomaximizeprofitandminimizerisk.Exercise1OurEnglishteacherwould(flatter,praise)usonlywhenwehadclearlymadeprogress.Thedefendantwasjudgednotresponsibleforthecrimesincehewastemporarily(insane,crazy).A(SanitationOfficer,garbageman)isanemployeelikeanyotheranddeservetherespectofpeople.Elizabethnoticedthe(stench,fragrance)ofrosesassheenteredtheroom.Exercise2Ineachsentence,choosethemorepreciseofthetwoinitalics,andexplainyourreasons.Thoughshehasgrownup,herbehaviorisoftenchildlike/childish.Iamquitejealous/enviousofyouropportunitytostudyatsuchafamousuniversity.Thishomely/uglyoldmanisawell-knownmusician.Iamsorrytorefuse/declineyourinvitation.Hewassurprised/stunnedtofindthathislittlesisterhadbecomeapretty,slim/skinnyyoungwoman.Myunclebecamefat/stoutashegrewolder.Thisservilemanwasespeciallymodest/humblewhenhewastalkingwithhissuperiors.III.SpecificandGeneralWords1.Specificvs.GeneralSpecificwordssignifyparticularpersons,thingsorevents,whilegeneralwordsrefertoclassesorgroups.Forexample,

“House”isageneralword,whiletherearemanyspecificwords:Mansion,HutCottageShantyBarnShedCabinWarehouseBungalowVillachateautip-toe:Hetip-toedintotheroom,forfearofwakingupthechild.slide:WhenJoesawtheguardwalkaway,heslidintothewarehouse.dash:Theyaredashingtowardtheline.patrol;TherearealwaysarmedsoldierspatrollingaroundthewallsoftheForbiddenCity.march;Ilikewatchingsoldiersmarchingpassingby.stagger:NomatterwhereIseehim,heisalwaysstaggeringaroundlikeadrunk.toddle;Theboystartedtotoddleattheageoftwo.prowl(徘徊）：Theplain-clothedpolicehadalreadyfocusedtheirattentiononthetwoguysthatwereprowlingoutsidethebank.laugh:Everybodywoulddropdeadlaughingnomatterwhathesaid.smile:Hesmiledtothinkwhatafoolhehadbeen.grin:TheygrinnedwithpleasurewhenIgavethemthesweets.chuckle:Hewaschucklingtohimselfathearingthenews.giggle:Mymistakessetallthegirlsgiggling.2.Abstractvs.ConcreteAbstractionsbeauty,truth,justice,andsoondenoteintangibleideas,qualities,orclassesofthingsthatcannotbeperceivedbythesenses.Concretewordsconveyvividthingsthatreaderscansee,hear,smell,taste,andfeel.AbstractConcreteMoreConcreteartpaintingVanGogh’sStarryNighte.g.Happinessisacancelled8:00classonacold,rainingmorning.PanicisrealizingthatnextWednesday’stestisthisWednesday.Agoodman:kind,honest,just,generous,sympathetic,warm-hearted,selfless,honorable.Goodfood:tasty,delicious,rich,fresh,substantial,wholesome,nourishingbadchildren:rude,ungrateful,selfish,perversebadmeat:tough,tainted,overcooked,contaminated

Specificandconcretewordsmakewritingvividandclear,andareusuallyusedindescriptionandnarration.Yetasummaryoranoutlineusuallycallsforgeneralwords.Exercises:saywhatyoumeanAnicechairAnicedinnerAnicecarAnicedressAnicestudentNiceweatherNicemannersActivity1Imetawriterwhoisrelatedtoapolitician.Imetanewspaperwriterwhoisrelatedtoasenator.ImetacolumnistwhoisrelatedtoasenatorfromNewYork.ImetthecolumnistWilliamF.Buckley,whoisrelatedtoSenatorJamesL.BuckleyofNewYork.ImetthecolumnistWilliamF.Buckley,whoisthebrotherofSenatorJamesL.BuckleyofNewYork.Activity2Itisconsideredthatafairpercentageofthesamplesreceivedfromoneofoursuppliersduringtheprecedingmonthscontainedacontaminant.Whohasvoicedtheopinion?Howmany?Whichsupplier?Whatcontaminant?Weestimatedthat60%ofthesamplesreceivedfromRamsortChemicalsinJunewerecontaminatedwith0.5%to0.8%lead.Activity3Specificwordshelptomakewritingclear,exact,vivid,andstriking,fortheyaremoreinformativeandexpressivethangeneralwords.1.Jackwenttothewindowandlookedatthecrowdoutside.Jacktiptoedtothewindowandpeepedatthecrowdoutside.2.Treessurroundthewaternearoursummerplace.Oldelmssurroundthelakenearoursummercabin.3.Afewhousesweredestroyedyesterday.Fivehouseswereburntdownyesterday.4.Anelderlymanhadcollapsedwhilecrossingthestreet,andanambulancetookhimtoahospital.Anelderlymanhadcollapsedwhilecrossingthestreet,andanambulancerushedhimtoahospital.5.Hehadamisfortunewhileswimming.Ashellfragmentrippedopenhisrightarmwhilehewasswimming.6.Casablancaisagoodmoviewithsomethingforeveryone.Casablancaisasentimentalmoviethatsuccessfullycombinesanadventurestoryandaromance.7.Shegotinvolvedinalawsuit.Sheissuingherdentistforpullingoutthewrongtooth.8Hehasabighouse.Hehasatwo-storiedhousewithfourbedrooms,twoliving-rooms,adining-roomandakitchen.9.At50yardshefell,andIhelpedhimtohisfeet.…Helookedlikehewasgoingtocry,andsaidthathewantedtorunwiththeothers.At50yardshestumbleandfell,andIhelpedhimtohisfeet.…Hebegantogetteary-eyed,andstammeredthathewantedtorunwiththeothers.10.WhenIhaveproblems,Ialwaysturntomyfriendsforhelp.Ifmygirlfriendbreaksupwithme,myroofneedsrepairing,ormydogneedssurgery,Ialwayscallmyfriendsforadvice.Thebestpolicyistobeasspecificasthesituationpermits.Usingspecificwordsshouldgoalongwithprovidingdetails,andthentherewillbeeffectiveandimpressivewriting.Studythefollowingexamples.General:InspringtheweatherintheNorthcanbeverybad.Specific:ItisoftenwindyanddustyintheNorthinspring.Morespecificwiththehelpofdetails:Inspringthewindmayblowalldaylong.Theairisthenfilledwithdust,whichsometimesshutsoutthesun.Thereisnoescapeofthefinedust.Itg