文档介绍：英语修辞学(Rhetoric)
English Figures of Speech
英语修辞的一般规律与特点General principles and features of English rhetoric
1. 关系词丰富,介词、连词、关系代词和关系副词等的充分利用,使英语成为一种更为形式的语言,即以形合为主的语言。而汉语是以意合为主的语言。That is our policy and that is our declaration.
这就是我们的国策。这就是我们的宣言。
If es, can spring be far behind?
冬天来了,春天还会远吗?
This is the reason why he is leaving so soon.
这就是他所以这么快就要离开的原因。
2. 英语名词用得多,汉语动词用得多。因此,从总体修辞效果上看,英语呈静态,汉语呈动态。
I fell madly in love with her, and she – with me.
我疯狂地爱上了她,她也疯狂地爱上了我。
A woman with fair opportunities, and without an absolute hump may marry whom she likes.
一个女人只要不是驼背驼得厉害,机会好的话,想嫁给谁就嫁给谁。
Laser is one of the most sensational developments in recent years, because of its applicability to many fields of science and its adaptability to practical uses.
激光可以应用于许多科学领域,又适合于各种实际用途,因此成了近年来轰动一时的科学成就之一。
3. 英语有“物称倾向”,即主语往往是表示无生命物体的名词或表示事物的名词词组。汉语则有明显的“人称倾向”,即句子的主语往往是人或有生命的东西。
My heart went out to the old warrior as spectators pushed by him to shake Darrow’s hand.
观众从他身边挤过去争相与达罗握手时,我很同情这位久经沙场的老将。
Bitterness fed on the man who had made the world laugh.
这位曾使全世界的人发出笑声的人自己却饱受辛酸。
The sight of his native place called back his childhood.
见到自己的故乡,他想起了童年的情景。
The old man’s death was calm and peaceful.
(那位)老人死得很安详。
4. 英语被动句用得多,汉语主动句用得多。这更说明了英语的“物称倾向”。
An illustration is furnished by an editorial in the Washington Post (January 17, 1962).
《华盛顿邮报》(1962年1月17日)的一篇社论提供了一个例子。
It has been known for a long time that there is a first relationship between the heart and liver.
长期以来,大家知道心脏和肝脏的关系是最重要的。
The challenge from the Third World has always been foreseen by our panies.
我国的海运公司总能预见来自第三世界的挑战。
5. 英语多用长句和复合句。
With the gaining of our political freedom you will remember that there came a conflict between the point of view of Alexander Hamilton, sincerely believing in the superiority of government by a small group of public-spirited and usually wealthy citizens, and, on the other hand, the point of view of Thomas Jefferson, and advocate of government by representatives chosen by all the peop