英语修辞学RhetoricofWordsandExpressions1.ppt

Rhetoric of Words and Expressions Teaching Contents I. Lexical Options II. Choice of Abbreviations III. Lexical Repetition IV. Unnecessary Words I. Lexical Options General Remarks Short Words or Long Words Common Words or Learned Words Formal, Informal or Colloquial Words General or Specific Words Concrete or Abstract Words Referential or Emotive Words Other Catergories of Words Choice between Synonymous Words General Remarks What does the expression the pen is mightier than the sword mean? The English vocabulary is rich, heterogeneous and cosmopolitan, a result of its historical development from Celtic and Anglo-Saxon orgins, the impact of Latin and French on it during the period of the Roman and Norman Conquests, the massive borrowings from other countries during the heyday of British imperialism, and the modern impact of American English. The English language has greatly changed from what it was in Shakespeares time, or even in Dickenss time. Lexical Options — Short Words or Long Words(1) Short words: monosyllabic words of Anglo-Saxon origin Long words: polysyllabic words of Latin, French or Greek origin. One-syllable words were once considered not conducive to elegant, scholarly or artistic expression; the abundant use of polysyllabic words often makes for a heavy cumbersome effect. How to choose short words or long words? to consider sound and meaning and association Lexical Options — Short Words or Long Words (2) The rhetorical effects of short words: They can creat a kind of tension. They sound clunky, they dont flow, disjointed, maybe to reflect the disjointed upset mind of the character. They transmit a feeling of immediacy or urgency to the reader. They could create a certain flow and rhythm to the sentences sounding like stream of consciousness as monosyllabic words are generally more simple. Lexical Options — Short Words or Long Words (3) OLivia: Stay, I prithee, tell me what thou thinkst of me. Viola: That you do think you