英语修辞.Climax, 28.Anticlimax,

EnglishRhetoricFiguresofEmphasisFiguresofEmphasis•27.Climax渐进•28.Anticlimax渐降27.Climax渐进、递进(SeeP.78)•Definition:Climax,asafigureofspeech,isderivedfromtheGreekwordfor“ladder”,andimpliestheprogressionofContinued•thoughtatauniformoralmostuniformrateofsignificanceorintensity,likethestepsofaladderascendingevenly.Continued•Thesuccessfulconstructionofthisdevicedependsmuchonthecharacterofthethoughtitselfaswellasagoodcommandofvocabulary.Continued•Therightwordsmustbechosentoconveythethoughtinanascendingorderofforceandintensify,fromweaktostrong,fromlighttoweighty.Climax•Climaxiswidelyemployedbyspeakersandwriters,andinpersuasivespeechor•writing,itisextremelyeffectiveinstirringupfeelingsandemotions,orindrivinghomeapoint.Thefollowingarewell-knownexamples:•(1)Icame,Isaw,Iconquered.(Veni,Vidi,Vici:Latin,pronounced:vini,vidi,viki,meaningIcame,Isaw,Iconquered.)•我来了，我看见了，我征服了。Examples•(2)Somebooksaretobetasted,otherstobeswallowed,andsomefewtobechewedanddigested.•-----FrancisBacon•---有些书浅尝辄止，•另一些书却要囫囵吞下，•只有少数的书值得咀嚼和消化。Examples•(3)Readingmakethafullman;•conferenceareadyman;•andwritinganexactman.•(FrancisBacon:“OfStudies”)•阅读使人充实；•交谈使人敏捷；•写作使人精确。Examples•(4)Iamsorry,Iamsoverysorry,Iamsoextremelysorry.•我抱歉，我很抱歉，我十分抱歉。Examples(5)Butinalargersense,wecannotdedicate,wecannotconsecrate,wecannothallowthisground.Thebraveman,livinganddead,whostruggledhere,haveconsecrateditfaraboveourpowertoaddordetract…(AbrahamLincoln:“GettysburgAddress”)Examples•--但是从更深意义上讲，我们不能奉献，不能献祭,更不能使这块土地成为圣地。一切曾经在这里战斗过的人们，不论生者死者，他们所做出的奉献之大，远不是我们所能妄加损益的。Examples•(6)Lincolnrecognizedworthinthecommonpeople;helovedthecommonpeople;hefoughtforthecommonpeople;andhediedforthecommonpeople.Examples•(7)Sevenyears,myLord,havenowpast,…duringwhichtimeIhavebeenpushingonmyworkthroughdifficulties,ofwhichitisuselesstocomplain,Continued•andhavebroughtit,atlast,tothevergeofpublication,withoutoneactofassistance,onewordofencouragement,oronesmileoffavor.…Continued(seeP232)•Thenoticewhichyouhavebeenpleasedtotakeofmylabor,haditbeenearly,hadbeenkind;butithasbeendelayed•tillIamindifferent,andcannotenjoyit;•tillIamsolitary,andcannotimpartit;•tillIamknown,anddonotwantit.Translation•阁下，迄今已逾七载，在此期间，我奋力工作，备尝艰辛，毋庸申诉；终于，此书问世，指日可待；而我从未得过你一举赞助，一语之鼓励，一笑之嘉奖。…•现承蒙阁下不弃，居然关注我的工作，若其早点，则确不失为善意；可惜晚矣，我已无动于衷，不能消受；我已孤独一身，无人分享；我已功成名就，无需垂顾。28.Anticlimax渐降SeeP80•Anticlimax，asthenameimplies,istheoppositeofclimaxandisadevicethatinvolvesstatingone’sthoughts•inadescendingorderofsignificanceorintensity,fromstrongtoweak,formweightytolightorfrivolous/unimportance.Anticlimax渐降Itisoftenusedtoridiculeorsatirize.Thedeviceisbasedontheprinciplethatthelowerthethoughtdecreasesinimportance,thehighertheforceoftheridiculeorsatire.Continued•Theeffectcanrangefromhumoroustodevastating.•Thefollowingexamplesshowhowitachievesitseffect:SeeP.80-82Examples•（1）Thebigfisheatthelittleones,thelittleoneseatshrimps,andtheshrimpsareforcedtoeatmud.•大鱼吃小鱼，小鱼吃虾米，虾米吃污泥。Examples•(2)HowthoseIlovemydeathlament?•PoorPopewouldgrieveamonth,andGayaweek,andArbuthnotaday,•Therestwillgiveashrug,andcry,•“I’msorry---butweallmustdie!”Translation•我爱的那些人在我死后如何哀悼？•可伶的波普会痛苦一个月，•盖伊痛苦一周，•阿巴斯诺特会痛苦一天，•其他人只耸耸肩膀而长叹：•“我很难过，不过我们都得死！”Examples•（3）Thedutiesofasoldieraretoprotecthiscountryandpeelpotatoes.•士兵的职责是保卫国家和削土豆皮。•(4)Asaseriousyoungman,IlovedBeethoven,Keats,andhotdogs.Examples•(5)Thereisnothingmoreexhilaratingtoanature-lover•thananearlymorningwalkonthefoothillsofHimalayas.Itliftshis•spiritabovematerialconcernsandinspiresinhimnoblethoughts.•Italsomakeshimhungry.ThedifferencebetweenClimaxandAnticlimax•Unlikeclimax,whichneedsatleastthree“steps”uptheladdertoachieveeffect,anti-climaxsometimesonlytwo“steps”downtheladderaretakentogainemphasis.Pointoutclimaxandanti-climaxinthefollowing•1)Helosthisempire，hisfamilyandhisfountainpen.•---anticlimaxContinued•2)Ibecameatramp,beggingmywayfromdoortodoor,wanderingovertheUnitedStatesandsweatingbloodysweatsinslumsandprisons.(byJackLondon)•---climaxContinued•3)Wehadplentyofcompanyinthewayofwagon-loadsandmule-loadsoftourists----andthedust.(byMarkTwain)•---anticlimaxContinued•4)TheAmerican,thoughhedresseslikeanEnglishman…isnotanEnglishmaninhismind,inhisaspirations,inhistastes,orinhispolitics.•---climaxContinued•5)Seldomhasacitygainedsuchworldrenown,andIamproudandhappytowelcomeyoutoHiroshima,atownknownthroughouttheworldforitsoyster.(byJacquesDanvoir)•----anticlimaxContinued•6)Lookhappyandbeautiful!Letromanceenteryourlife!Sprayyourhairwithsheen/shine!(fromanadvertisement)•---anticlimaxHomework•Getmoreexamplesofclimaxandanti-climaxinyourreading.