修辞手法-低调陈述.docVIP

8. 低调陈述 UNDERSTATEMENT 1. 定义 Understatement: It is a restrained statement in ironic contrast to what might be said, a studied avoidance of explicit emphasis or exaggeration (WED); A statement which fails below the truth or fact (OED). Understatement (低调陈述)是恰与Hyperbole (夸张)相对的一种修辞格。其基本用法是，在陈述事物时有意采取低调，抑制措辞，轻描淡写，借含蓄与弱化的语言形式表示强调。因为英国男人喜欢把话说得委婉一些，温和一些，故把Understatement称为男性语言(males speech)，而把Hyperbole称为女性语言 (female speech) 。Understatement的表达形式有Litotes和Meiosis两类。 2．表达方式 （1）Litotes（间接肯定法）或（曲言法） Litotes: A figure of speech in which an affirmative is expressed by the negation of its opposite (AHD); Understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary. (WED) Litotes就是以反说代替正说，即采用否定事物的反面这样一种结构，构成间接肯定。更明确地说，就是在某些词前加一个否定词来达到强烈的间接肯定。间接肯定给人的印象往往比直接肯定更深刻一些，因此，它能广泛地用于文学作品和政论文中。 As lean was his horse as is a rake, And he was not right fat. I undertake. ( G. Chaucer ) 他的马瘦得像钉钯，骨骼清晰， 而他也不那么胖 我敢担保，真的不胖。 *此例中，马瘦骨嶙峋，人也骨瘦如柴，但不直接说he was lean而用曲言he was not right fat,文字表述就多一点变换，这样就给读者留下了多一点的想象空间并增加了一点幽默感。 Who can not rely on such an honest man? 谁能不信任这样一个正直的人? *这句话的意思是Everybody can rely on such an honest man. 谁都能信任这样一个正直的人。用否定的形式来表达肯定的内容，语气就更为强烈。反抑为褒，给人印象深刻。 The face wasn’t a bad one: it had what they called charm. ( John Galsworthy ) 这张脸不算难看，它有着人们所说的妩媚。 He is no fool. ( He is wise. ) 他一点也不傻。 He is no more opponent in the coming debate. ( He is a worthy opponent. ) 在即将来临的辩论中，他不仅仅是位反对派。 It is not a disagreeable thing to be rich. ( It is agreeable to be rich. ) 富有不是一桩不光彩的事情。 There is never a week without his finding faults with me. 他从来没有一个星期不找我的岔子的。 There isn’t a weapon he doesn’t know the use of. ( Lady Gregory ) ( He knows the use of all weapon. ) 他什么武器都会使用。 …and after we reached high ground there was no lack of fine scenery. ( Mark Twain: A Tramp Abroad ) …我们到达高地，这里不乏其美景。 He has no small (=a great )chance of succe