一、平行結構(Parallelism)
平行結構是英語里最常用的修辭格之一,它要求同等重要的、并列的句子成分用同類的語法形式來表示。平行結構的句式特點是結構勻稱、簡潔提煉、節奏鮮明。
1.動名詞短語平行結構
They were passing other people without looking at them,saying hello,noticing their babies or stopping to pet their puppies.(他們經過別人身邊時,既不抬眼看看、不打聲招呼、也不會注意他們帶的孩子或停下來拍拍他們可愛的小狗。)(4個并列的動名詞短語形象生動地描繪出人們視而不見的冷漠關系,looking..,saying…,noticing…,stopping…動名詞短語平行結構使句子節奏平衡,簡潔生動。)
2.分詞短語與不定式短語平行結構
Pumping gas at the station ? Why say good morning to the attendant when you can swipe your credit card at the pump and save yourself the bother of human contact?
Making a deposit at the bank?Why talk to a clerk who might live in the neighborhood when you can just insert your card into the ATM?
你在加油站加油嗎?既然你可以用信用卡在加油泵旁自動刷卡,免除與人打交道的麻煩,又何必還要對加油站的工作人員打招呼呢?你在銀行存款嗎?既然你可以將信用卡插入取款機提款,又何必要和可能與你同住一個街坊的銀行職員說話呢?(Pumping…,making…;why say…,why talk…分詞短語和不定式短語平行結構使句子富有節奏與韻律美,清晰地表達出作者對這一可能發生現象的憂慮)
3.句子與介詞短語平行結構
With email and instant messaging over the Internet,we can now communication without seeing or talking to one another.With voice-mail,you can conduct entire conversation without ever reaching anyone.(有了因特網上的電子郵件和即時通信,我們現在的通訊可以不必彼此會面或交談。有了有聲郵件,你可以進行全部談話而不必面對任何人。)(本句用了兩個平行句With…,with…;we can…,you can…without…without…,使語句強調的內容得到突出并帶給人一種均衡穩定的美感)
二、比喻
比喻把語言的信息功能和美學功能有機結合,是最富有詩意的語言形式之一。恰當的使用比喻能使文章更加生動形象,引人入勝。
1.明喻(Simile)
明喻是把所要描寫的人事物用比喻詞與另一種具有相同特點的人事物聯系起來,使之更為生動形象。常用的比喻詞有as,like,seem,as if,as though等。
(1)Like引導。例如:Many people now tell me that I talk like a book.現在許多人告訴我聽我講話就像看書。(like a book比喻貼切,語言形象)學生模仿:People like listening to her singing because she sings like an angel.
(2)As引導。例如:I hope I can be as smart as you are.我希望我能像你一樣聰明。(明喻習語as…as簡潔明快,短小精悍)學生模仿:I hope I can be as humorous as you are.
(3)As if引導。例如:He slowly turned to the right and then to the left,looking at each of us in turn as if he wanted to register the picture on his mind.他慢慢轉過臉向右邊看,又向左邊看,依次看著我們每個人,仿佛想把眼前的一幕銘記在心中。(as if…十分傳神地表達出依依惜別的景象。)
2.隱喻(Metaphor)
隱喻是借助兩個事物間的某些共同的特征,直接把一種事物名稱用在另一事物上。其特點是不使用比喻詞,而是利用事物之間的相似之處進行比喻。其基本格式是“A是B”。例如:
Mr Stone gave us the greatest gift a teacher can bestow——an awakening of a passion for learning.(斯通先生給予我們的是一個教師所能給予的最好的禮物——喚起了我們的求知欲。)(the greatest gift即an awakening of a passion for learning起到表達生動、形象,令人回味無窮的效果。)學生模仿:My mother gives me the great gift——the love for me.
3.借喻(Metonymy)
借喻不直接說出所要說的事物,而使用另一個與之相關的事物名稱。
(1)以容器代替內容。例如:The whole plane burst into smiles and applause.飛機上爆發出一片笑聲和掌聲。(the whole plane-the people in the plane形象生動,意味雋永)學生模仿:The whole class burst into song after their moving presentation.
(2)以具體事物代替抽象概念。例如:They both felt a strong bond as they hugged and cried.當他們相擁而泣時,兩個人都感到身體里有一股神奇的親情引力。(a strong band-the thing-the selfless love that connected them令人回味無窮,達到表達生動形象的效果。)學生模仿:It is the golden chain-the kindness that bound us together.
4.倒裝(Inversion)
倒裝是英語中一個重要的修辭手段,是為加強語氣、更生動地描寫動作并使句子平衡而使用的一種結構。例如:From Internet influence comes “@ group” or “net worm”,a way to describe Internet addicts.(因受網絡影響,“@組”和“網蟲”這兩個網迷代名詞產生了。)
(from Internet influence comes…起到強調的作用)學生模仿:In came a man with a big bag on his back.
5.夸張(Hyperbole)
夸張是指用豐富的想象故意夸大事物的特征,使之言過其實,以增強表達效果。例如:That towering pile of work -everything from mail to memos-is right where you left it.(這堆成山似的工作,什么郵件呀,備忘錄呀還仍舊留在原來的地方。)(用towering pile of work堆成山似的工作,以增強表達效果)學生模仿:Thanks a million.
6.對照或對比(Antithesis)
這是一種將結構相同或基本相同、意義完全相反的語句排列在一起,以達到加強效果的修辭手法。例如:Why is it that the more connected we get,the more disconnected I feel ? (為什么我們聯系的越多我卻越感到失去聯系呢?)(the more connected,the more disconnected)
7.反問(Rhetorical Question)
反問是一種無需回答的問題,常為說服效果而使用。If you arrive so late at the airport at railway station to find the guest has gone already,What's the use of your going there? (要是你很晚才到機場或火車站,到那里時發現客人已經走了,那么你去又有什么用呢?)(What’s the use of your going there=It’s useless of your going there.)學生模仿:If you go to work so late that all the jobs have been finished,what’s the use of your going there?
8.押韻 (Rhyming)
押韻是重復相同的讀音或字母進行押韻的修辭手法。使用押韻讀起來朗朗上口,易于記憶,可增強音調的和諧與美感。押韻有頭韻、尾韻等。(1)頭韻 (Alliteration) 在單詞的開頭重復相同的字母或讀音的押韻構成頭韻。例如:With every member’s unselfish contribution to our work here,the job became a joy to me.(有了各位會員對我們的工作所做的無私奉獻,我對會長工作已是樂此不疲。)(job,joy)學生模仿:Practice makes perfect.熟能生巧。(2)尾韻 (Consonance)在單詞的末尾重復相同的字母或讀音的押韻構成尾韻。例如:The end of the term came much too soon..(term,came).
9.軛式搭配 (Zeugma)
是用一個詞(動詞、形容詞或介詞)與兩個以上的在意義上不相干的名詞搭配。它可以使語言簡練活潑,富有幽默感。例如:Stew Leonard decided to redesign his dairy business to suit the changing times and his personal character.(斯蒂 倫納德決定要重新打造他的牛奶生意,以適應時代的變化,并體現他的性格。)(the changing times,his personal character.)學生模仿:They decided to design the clothes to fit the changing of times and the interest of young people.
10.矛盾修飾 (Oxymoron)
矛盾修飾是把相互矛盾的兩個詞用在一起的修辭方法。它利用詞義表面的相互矛盾使表層的不和諧統一在思想內容的深層,從而揭示事物對立統一的本質特征,達到加深印象的目的。例如:Is that what your work life feels like day after day-an endless number of little tasks and big headaches ?(這是你日復一日的工作感受嗎--沒完沒了的小任務叫人頭疼?)(an endless number of little tasks,big headaches)學生模仿:Is that what your study life fells like day after day-an endless number of little tasks to finish and big headaches ?
英語教材中有許多典型運用修辭手法的句子。教師在教學中應注意挖掘,有意識地引導學生對課文修辭手法進行欣賞和學習,讓學生了解英語句式的多變性和修辭手法的豐富性,使學生學會在寫作中恰當地選擇修辭手法,更有效地表達自己的思想和情感,以提高學生的英語語言欣賞能力和寫作能力,并為今后更好地欣賞英美文學作品打下良好的基礎。
(責任編輯孫曉雯)