摘要:明喻是一種很常用的修辭手法,但在修辭學中,對于比喻詞as 表現明喻的研究迄今不多。本文分析了as...as形式的明喻的特點及其運用,并就其問題作了初步探討。
關鍵詞:比喻詞 明喻 特點
1.引言
明喻是一種常見的修辭手法。它是以兩種具有相同特征的事物和現象進行對比,表明本體 (tenor或subject) 和喻體(vehicle或reference)之間的相似關系,兩者都在對比中出現。明喻用比喻詞來引出喻體,通過現實的或想象中的相似點認知本體的意向。本文擬就比喻詞as引出喻體的特點及具體運用作一番探討。
2.as...as形式明喻的特點及其運用
一般來說,主要的比喻詞有as和like。英語中有許多習語都由as給出比喻形象,形式為 (as) + adj. + as + n. ,可使主旨明確,清楚易懂,訴諸想象,強化效果。
2.1與漢語“四字格”完全對譯
由于人類生活的世界、人類的思維和情感有共通之處,因此,各種文化和語言也表現出一定的相融性和共同點。英語和漢語中的成語有些在語言形式和比喻形象方面十分相似,幾乎可以完全一一對譯。一國語言中的習語最能集中反映該國的民族文化、傳統等各種特點,民族色彩很濃。習語的直譯就有了它的特殊重要性。
漢語的成語多數由四個字組成,稱“四字格”。四言成語言簡意明,內容精辟,寓意深刻,形象生動。用as...as構成的明喻形式直譯“四字格”,不僅保留了漢語成語的色彩和生動形象,還豐富了英語語言,讓英語讀者更好地感受漢語文化。
直譯由比喻詞“如”構成的四字成語:
安如泰山as secure as Mount Taishan
如狼似虎as ferocious as wolves and tigers
饑餓如狼as hungry as a wolf
疾如閃電as quick as lightning
堅如磐石as firm as rock
美如圖畫as pretty as a picture
輕如鴻毛as light as a feather
潔白如雪as white as snow
安如磐石as solid as a rock
清如水晶as clear as crystal
勇猛如獅as brave as a lion
2.2 傳達四字成語的內涵和外延
英漢民族畢竟在地理環境、生活習俗、宗教信仰等方面存在相當的差異,所以,成語的產生和使用在兩種文化中表現出各自不同的特色。比喻詞as詮釋了比喻形象的差別。
如:地久天長as old as the hills
守口如瓶as close as an oyster ;as silent as the graves;
易如反掌as easy as pie
青春煥發 as flesh as flowers in May
有眼無珠as blind as a bat
驚慌失措as scared as a rabbit
膽大妄為as bold as brass
充耳不聞as deaf as a post
死氣沉沉as dead as a door nail
暴跳如雷as mad as a wet hen
光明磊落as open as the day
力大如牛as strong as a horse
爛醉如泥as drunk as a lord
泰然自若as cool as a cucumber
易如反掌as easy as ABC
膽小如鼠as timid as a rabbit
噤若寒蟬as mute as a fish
一貧如洗as poor as a Church mouse
無憂無慮as happy as a prince
2.3 表現由“很”“非常”構成的四字詞組
如:十分安全as safe as houses
身體很好as fit as fiddle
視力很差as blind as a bat
非常鮮艷as fresh as a rose
十分舒適as comfortable as an old shoe
十分固執as stubborn as mule
非常愚蠢as silly as goose
十分寒冷as cold as a frog
十分沉重as heavy as lead
2.4 反映歷史典故
as...as 形式的明喻所表現的英語典故不僅潤飾語言,使之豐富多彩,生動清晰,而且更容易溝通思想。
如:as old as Adam 極為古老
as wise as Solmon智慧超群
as rich as Jesus / Croesus 富比陶朱
2.5增強語句說服力
采用as...as明喻修辭手法可以把平淡的內容表現得更加生動,把道理說得更加透徹,把觀點表達得更加鮮明,從而更好地傳遞信息,增添文采。
She is as proud as a peacock.她像孔雀一樣驕傲。
The sapphire is as blue as the sea. 寶石藍得像海。
She is as beautiful as a flower. 她像花一樣的美麗。
I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school boy. I am as giddy as a drunken man...(Charles Dickens) 我像羽毛一樣輕,我像天使一樣幸福,我像小學生一樣快活,我像喝醉了酒的人一樣飄飄然……
2.6利用雙聲增強美感
由as...as構成的明喻形式利用雙聲增強美感,簡潔明快,令人回味無窮。
如:as brittle as glass
as sour as a crab/vinegar
as brown as berry
as busy as a bee
as changeable as weather/a clock/the moon
as cheerful as a lark
as common as dirty
as cold as ice/marble/a stone/a key/charity/frog
as dark as pitch
as empty as a drum
as fair as a rose
as fat as a pit/butter
as sound as a bell
as sweet as honey/sugar
as clear as a bell/a day/crystal/ daylight/the nose on your face
3.運用時值得注意的問題
明喻不是同類事物的比較,如:The measure is as effective as that one.
明喻應有邏輯性,如:
Illogical: Her cheeks were as red as blood, and her voice as loud as a sparrow’s.
Note: Cheeks were rosy and a sparrow’s voice isn’t lovely at all.
4.結束語
用as...as表示的明喻形式不僅包含歷史典故、文化習俗,而且利用雙聲增強美感。明喻習語清楚易懂,語言形象,比喻確切。研究探討其特點和運用,對于英語學習無疑具有積極的作用。
參考文獻:
[1]肖運初. 英語狹義修辭[M]. 湖南師范大學, 2003.
[2]張培基. 習語漢譯英研究[M]. 商務印書館, 1979.
[3]張培基. 英漢翻譯教程[M]. 上海外語教育出版社, 1983.