Figure-of-speech

FiguresofSpeechYouthisnotatimeoflife；itisastateofmind；itisnotamatterofrosycheeks,redlipsandsuppleknees；itisamatterofthewill,aqualityoftheimagination,avigoroftheemotions；itisthefreshnessofthespringsoflife.Whatisfigureofspeech?Afigureofspeechisauseofawordthatdivergesfromitsnormalmeaning,oraphrasewithaspecializedmeaningnotbasedontheliteralmeaningofthewordsinit.Whydowelearnit?Tounderstandtheauthor’sintentionbetter.Tofindoutthecommonwayspeopleknowtheworldandwayspeopleexpressthemselves.Toappreciatethebeauty,explicitornot,ofthelanguage.Tolearnhowtoachieveaneffectivecommunication.•DefinitionItisacomparisonbetweentwodistinctlydifferentthingsandthecomparisonisindicatedbythewordasorlike.•Myloveislikeared,redrose.↓↓↓(tenor)(comparativeword)(vehicle)1.Usuallysimileconsistsofthreeparts，即本体(tenor或subject)、喻体(vehicle或reference)和喻词(comparativeword)。如：othercomparativewords:(1)介词as…as，like，of等。•Theyareaslikeastwopeas.他们两个长得一模一样。•Hehasaheartofstone.他有一副铁石心肠。•Hesmokes1ikeachimney（烟囱）.他抽烟很厉害。(2)连词as(犹如)，what(犹如)，asif,asthough,than,and,theway等。•Airistomanaswateristofish.人离不开空气，犹如鱼离不开水。•Readingistothemindwhatexerciseistothebody.读书对于思想，好比运动对于身体一样重要。•Awordandastoneletgocannotberecalled.说出的话犹如抛出的石，是收不回的。(3)动词seem，resemble(名词形式resemblance)，treat／honour／regard／consider／respectas，compareto，likento，pass(胜过)，remindof，besimilarto等。•Shakespearecomparedtheworldtoastage．莎士比亚把世界比作舞台。•Hetreatshischildastheappleintheeye.他把孩子当成掌上明珠。(4)词组may／mightaswell…（as）(做…就好像做…)，nomore／less…than／notanymore…than(如同…一样)，sospeak／asitwere(可以说，可以比喻地说)。Heneverlistens—youmightaswelltalktoabrick(astalktohim).他根本不听—同他讲话就好像同一堵墙讲话一样。Ahomewithoutloveisnomorethanabodywithoutasoul.没有爱的家庭无异于一个没有灵魂的躯体。Itistheuseofawordwhichoriginallydenotesonethingtorefertoanotherwithasimilarquality.Itmakesacomparisonbetweentwounlikeelements,butthecomparisonisimplied,notexpressedwiththewordasorlike.Forexample,theworldisastage.Themetaphorisalsocomposedofthesubject/tenor（本体）andthevehicle/reference（喻体）.(1)Nominal(n.)metaphors名词型•Heisawalkingdictionary.他是一本活词典.•Asilverplate(Themoon)isrisingupinthesky.一个银盘在天边升起。•Sheisanangelofagirl.她是天仙般的女孩。•Heisabagofwind.他只说不干。暗喻的表达形式(2)Verbalmetaphors动词型•Theboywolfeddownthefoodthemomenthegrabbedit.那男孩儿一抓到食物便狼吞虎咽般地吃了下去。•Theboyisshootingupfast.这个小孩长得很快。•Everythingwasbathedinthegoldensunlight.万物沐浴在金色的阳光下。•Don’tmonkeywiththenewbook.不要乱动那本新书。(3)Adjectivemetaphors形容词型•Itisathornyissue.这是个棘手的问题。•Thegirlisadeadshot.这位姑娘是神枪手!•Helovesarosycheek.他喜欢玫瑰色面颊。•Shehasaphotographicmemoryfordetail.她对细节有照相机般的记忆力。•thegoldenage•stormyapplause•ironwill•asilvertongue•abitingnorthwind•黄金时代•雷鸣般的掌声•钢铁般的意志•流利的口才•刺骨的北风moreexamples:(4)Adverbialmetaphors副词/状语型•Heflatlyrefusedus.他坚决拒绝我们。•Timepassedatasnail’space.时间过得很慢。•Theyescapedbyahair’sbreadth.他们死里逃生。•Itistotreatathingoranideaasifitwerehumanorhadhumanqualities.将某个事物或某种思想比喻为具有人类行为或人类特征的过程。•1.Inpoetrypersonificationisverycommon.eg.Youthishotandbold青春生气勃勃Ageisweakandcold衰老无精打采Youthiswild,andAgeistame青春矫健，衰老迟钝--WilliamShakespeareIntheselinesYouthandAgearedescribledliketwopersons.•2.Inprose(散文）itisalsoused,butnotsooftenasinpoetry.拟人的表现形式1.名词或名词短语•Theywerelostatsea,atthemercyofwindandweather.他们在海上迷失了方向，任凭风和天气的摆布。•Pricesarelowinsympathywiththegeneraldepression.物价是随着市面的普通萧条而低落的。2.动词•Theseawassinging;Theforestsweredancing.海在欢唱，林在舞动。•Theracingcarstrainedimpatientlyatthestartingline.那辆赛车站在跑道上急迫地紧张起来。3.形容词•Buthejustlookedatherwithhiscryingface.(也可以说是利用了移就transferredepithets)1.Theyspentmoneylikewater.simile2.Heisanoldwoman.metaphor4.Thecorridorwasfloodedwithboysandgirls.metaphor3.Thewindwhistledthroughouttheday.personification5.Theleavesdancedtheirwaythroughthelawn.personification9.Mystomachwaspunishingmefornoteatingontime.personification7.Thewatchkeptwarningthemaboutthetimeleftfortheracetoend.personification6.Hehasaheartofgold.simile8.Heworks1ikeahorse.simile10.Weregarditasaburningshametohavelaggedbehind.metaphor•Itissubstitutingthenameofonethingforthatofanotherwithwhichitiscloselyassociated.(suchasthecrowncanstandforaking,andtheWhiteHousefortheAmericangovernment.)•转喻是在提及事物时不用其本身的名字称呼，而是用与它密切相连的词语或概念来替代它修辞方法。它着重的是事物本身的特点或它与其他事物之间的特殊关系。Characteristics1.Thenameofonethingisusedtostandforanotherthing.2.Thetwothingsinvolvedinametonymyarenotofthesamekindbutarecloselyrelated.3.Itisbasedontheircloseassociation,nottheirsimilarity.•1.Euphemistic(委婉),implicative(含蓄)•2.Vivid•3.PlainandclearExamples1.身体部位来替代它的相关功能（1）Hehasagoodearformusic.（ear指代欣赏音乐的能力）（2）Hehasasharptongue.（tongue指代所说的话）2.某人的名字来指代他的作品或风格（1）HaveyoueverreadShakespeare?(Shakespeare指代他的作品)（2）DoyoulikeDickens?（Dickens指代他的典型风格）3.用所在地指代政府、单位或企业Washington——美国政府，FleetStreet（舰队街）——英国媒体，Hollywood（好莱坞）——美国的电影制造业•Apartisputforthewhole,thewholeforthepart,speciesforgenus,thegenusforthespeciesorthenameofthematerialforthethingmade.•部分代替整体，整体代替部分•某种事物代替某类事物，某类事物代替某种事物•材料名称代替由其制成的东西1.部分代整体•Thefarmswereshortofhands(worker,laborer)duringtheharvestseason.收获季节他们缺少劳力。2.以全体代部分•Englandwonthefootballgame.英格兰队赢了足球赛。3.以一种事物代替一类事物•Hemanagestoearnhisbread.他设法谋生。Forexample4.用一类事物代替一种事物•Nearly4.8millionvehiclesrolledoffthe