英语中的修辞格figure of speech.doc

English Figures of Speech Outline Figures of speech Why are figures of speech used? Why do we have to learn figures of speech? Classification of figures of speech. I. Figures of Speech: a tool of expressing thoughts and the art of using language effectively Examples: 1)The wind is blowing hard through the woods. 2)The little girl is singing merrily. (literal, plain statements which give mere information about some facts and no more) 3)The wind is roaring through the woods. 4)The little girl is singing as merrily as a lark. (Figurative statements or figures of speech (some expressed or implied comparisons are involved). The language in them is called figurative language.) Language is a tool of expressing thoughts and rhetoric is the art of using language more effectively. II. Why are figures of speech used? More examples: 5)Stars shine like diamonds in the sky=Stars shine brightly in the sky. 6)Imperialism is a paper tiger =Imperialism appears to be strong but inwardly it is weak.. In sentence 5) “like diamonds” is more vivid and colorful than “brightly”. And the “Paper Tiger” is more suggestive of the outward ferocity and inner weakness of the imperialism in sentence 6). The purpose of using figures of speech is to call up pictures in the reader’s or listener’s mind, to lend force to an idea, to heighten effect, or to create atmosphere, and to make the writings more appealing. III. Why do we have to learn? A knowledge of these figures, and of how they are best used will be of help to us not only in deepening our understanding of what we read, but also in appreciating more fully the finer points of a writer’s style. In the process, we might even learn to write better ourselves ,and progress from mere grammatical competence to rhetorical competence. IV. Classification of Figures of Speech It is difficult to be precise about how many figures existed in classical times. The numbers range from 65 to 200 or more. Here only those that are of most uni