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二十、Zeugma (拈连、轭式搭配)
Zeugma一词源于希腊语zeugnynai,本意为用一付轭套两头牲口。作为修辞格,Zeugma 是一种用一个词(通常是形容词、动词或介词)来搭配或修饰两个或两个以上的名词,使其同时产生不同语义的修辞手法。Zeugma采取顺势串用的独特搭配法,将逻辑上并无必然联系,甚至风马牛不相及的事物强扯在一起表达。
Zeugma的关键词只能与一个名词构成自然搭配,与另外的名词本来是根本不能搭配的,不过巧妙地借助前一个词的正常搭配,运用得后者身上。这种搭配看似牵强附会,实则具有很强的表现力和修辞作用,它可以使表达言简意赅,生动形象,幽默风趣,因此往往意义深刻,耐人寻味。
Zeugma的运用形式:
1. 一个动词同时搭配两个或两个以上的名词
① The neighbors……would open their windows and then the murmur of talk. 邻居们就会打开窗子,议论也就随之而出。 (open可与window搭配,却不会与murmur连用)
② He took offense, a poke at his wife, his hat, his leave and a vocation of several years before returning.
他生气了,打了老婆一拳,取了帽子,出外度假,几年不归。
(动词took同时支配五个作宾语的名词,呈现出丰富多彩的语义层面,表达简练、风趣。)
2. 一个介词支配两个或两个以上的名词
She was dressed in a maid’s cap, a pinafore, and a bright smile. 她戴女仆帽,系白围裙,容光焕发,面带笑容。 3. 一个形容词或分词修饰两个或两个以上的名词 ① Yesterday he had a blue coat and heart. 昨天他身着一件兰上衣,心情忧郁。 (blue heart为非正常搭配,指心情不好)
② It is much better to have a patched jacket than to have a (patched) character. 衣裳打补丁远远强于品格打补丁。
[过分+名词]( patched character为非正常搭配,指品质上的缺陷) ③ weeping eyes and hearts (一双双流泪的眼睛和一颗颗哭泣的心灵)
(weeping [流泪的]本来只能与eye搭配,不能与heart搭配,通常是用grieving[哀
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伤的]或bleeding[悲痛的]来修饰heart) 4. 两个主语共用一个谓语
Some pitying hand may find it there, when I and my sorrow are dust. (A Tale of Two Cities)
将来会有慈悲的手在那里找到它的吧,当我和我的忧愁都已化为烟尘的时候。
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二十一. Parody (仿拟)
英语Parody意思是satirical poem(讽刺诗)。这是一种巧妙、机智而有趣的修辞格。它有意仿照人们熟知的现成语言材料,根据表达的需要,临时创造出新的语、句、篇来,以使语言生动活泼,讽刺嘲弄,或幽默诙谐。
Parody在运用时仿拟的,一般都是人们所熟悉的语言材料,如成语、谚语、名言、警句等。Parody的运用可体现在四个语言层次上,单词、短语、句子和篇章。例如:
1. I had no outlook, but an uplook rather. My place in society was at the bottom.【单词】
(我没有人生观,倒可以说有一种“上爬观”。我在社会中的地位是最底层的。)
Uplook是仿拟outlook而造,生动地表明了作者年轻时一心想出人头地的愿望。
2. Modern journalism justifies its own existence by the great Darwinian principle of the survival of the vulgarest. 【短语】
(现代的新闻工作,以“最庸俗者生存”的伟大的达尔文理论来为自己的存在辩护。)
短语the survival of the vulgarest是仿拟 the survival of the fittest而造,辛辣地讽刺了西方新闻业中的庸俗性和铜臭味。 3. Where there is a will, there is a lawsuit. 【句子】 (有遗嘱必有官司。)
活人争夺死人的财产,遗嘱引发官司在西方社会屡见不鲜。该句根据will一词多义的特点,巧仿谚语Where there is a will, there is a way. 幽默之中含有讽刺,妙不可言。
4. Twinkle, twinkle, little bat! 小小蝙蝠眨眼睛, How I wonder what you’re at! 你在干嘛我说不清, Up above the world you fly! 高高在上把翅展, Like a teatray in the sky! 【篇章】 好似空中一茶盘。
作者此处仿拟的是Jane Taylor所作的、在英国家喻户晓的The Star这首诗歌: Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are! Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky!
Climax(层递)
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Climax: deriving from the Greek word for “ladder”, implying the progression of thought at a uniform or almost uniform rate of significance or intensity, like the steps of a ladder ascending evenly.
英语Climax一词源于希腊语klimax,意为ladder(阶梯),由此可见该修辞手法的基本特点。Climax指的是平行并列一系列的词语或句子,其中表达的意义根据事物发展的逻辑关系,由轻及重,由浅及深,由弱及强,如此等等,依次阶升,层层递进,直至达到高潮。
英语Climax的运用,可使思想逐步深化,感情逐步强化,从而增强语言的说服力与感染力。从结构上看,英语Climax所并列的语言单位为三项或三项以上,其中三项式层递最为常见,最为典型。 英语Climax的排列格式: 1. 按语意的轻重顺序排列
① He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; he who loses
courage loses all.
失去财产的人损失很大,失去朋友的人损失更大,失去勇气的人损失一切。 ② To aquire wealth is difficult, to preserve it more difficult, but to spend it wisely most difficult.
积财难,守财更难,而明智地花钱最难。
③ I am sorry. I am so very sorry, I am so extremely, sorry. 我抱歉,我很抱歉,我非常抱歉。 2. 按时间的先后顺序排列 ① I came, I saw, I conquered.
我来了,我扫视一切,我征服一切。
② I was born an American; I live an American; I shall die an American. 我生来是个美国人,我活着是个美国人,我死时也还是个美国人。 ③ The prisoner was first questioned, then tortured, and finally shot. 囚犯先受审讯,然后遭拷打,最后被枪杀。 3. 按范围的大小顺序排列
① He gazed upon the pretty houses, green hills and the broad Pacific; his heart was filled with awe.
他凝视着美丽的房子、绿色的山岗喝辽阔的太平洋;敬畏之情油然而生。 ② He wanted to educate his children, serve his country, and satisfy his God. 他要教育子女,要服务国家,还要敬奉上帝。
③ Some read to think, these are rare; some to write, these are common; and some
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read to talk, and these form the great majority.
有些人为思考而读书,罕见;有些人为写作而读书,常见;有些人为收集谈资而读书,这些人占读书人的大多数。
Anti-climax(突降)
Anti-Climax: the sudden appearance of an absurd or trivial idea following serious, significant ideas and suspensions. This device is usu. aimed at creating comic or humorous effects.
As the name implies, anti-climax is the opposite of climax and is a device that involves stating one’s thoughts in a descending order of significance or intensity, from strong to weak, from weighty to light or frivolous. It is often used to ridicule or satirize. The device is based on the principle that the lower the thought decreases in importance, the higher the force of the ridicule or satire. The effect can range from humorous to devastating (extremely shocking, impressive).
英语辞格Anti-Climax(突降、渐降或倒层递),又称Bathos,是与climax相反的一种修辞手法,指在说话或写作时内容急转直下,突然从庄重崇高降至平庸可笑,藉以取得嘲弄讥讽或幽默滑稽的修辞效果。
从结构上看,Anticlimax与Climax的不同之处在于:Climax所排列的层递结构一般都在三项或三项以上,而Anticlimax所排列的突降结构两项即可成立,但也不乏三项或三项以上者。
Anticlimax在语义上的急转直下往往出人意料,令人猝不及防。这主要是由于其最后一项结构与前一项(或数项结构在内容上形成鲜明对照),其次还在于Anticlimax常采用掉尾句(periodic sentence)[中心意思放在句尾的句子/把重要的信
息放在句子的末尾的句子]或破折号等语法手段,从而在读者或听众一方造成一种悬
念。例如:
1. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a fortune must be in want of a wife. (Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice)
(凡是有钱的单身汉,总想娶位太太,这已经成了一条举世公认的真理。) 该句采用掉尾结构,语气极为正式,令人预感作者将要高谈阔论一番。岂知笔锋一转,所谓“举世公认的真理”不过是众所周知的平庸之见,滑稽可笑,让人捧腹。
2. The duties of a soldier are to protect his country and peel potatoes.
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