1、How would you describe them? Please make a sentence.Here we have a polite and humorous way to describe them: 1,They are not the thinnest people in the world. 2,They are a little on the big side It is not polite to say that they are “fat”第1頁/共12頁第一頁，共13頁。Understatement (眀抑暗揚的低調(d dio)陳述）第2頁/共12頁第二頁，共

2、13頁。Understatement (眀抑暗揚的低調(d dio)陳述）Understatementa statement which is not strong enough to express the full or true facts or feelings. In Chinese, “輕描淡寫的陳述，不充分(chngfn)的陳述”它是與Hyperbole（夸張）相對的一種修辭格。 Hyperbole是故意“夸大其辭”，“化小為大”，是deliberately maximize the importance和 play up； Understatement則故意采取“低調”，化大為

3、小”，是deliberately minimize the importance和 play down。you can find the information in detail on the text book after class.第3頁/共12頁第三頁，共13頁。一、借助詞匯手段表示低調陳述 1. For large numbers of people the absence of work is harmful to their health. 對所有人來說，事業都不是一件輕松的是事情，在心理和經濟上都要承受巨大壓力。而作者運用低調陳述的方法，輕描淡寫，淡化事情的嚴重性，把失業（u

4、nemployment）這件大事說成“不上班”（the absence of work）2. I have studied humane nature, and I knew a thing or two. 句子中“略知一二（know a thing or two）” 表明(biomng)說話人非常謙虛，為人低調，同時強調他見多識廣，能洞察人情和識破虛假。Understatement Understatement 的表現的表現(bioxin)(bioxin)手段手段During the lesson, please pay attention to the advantage of under

5、statement, later I will ask you to make a conclusion about the advantageYou will find more on P132 and P133, please read by yourself after calss第4頁/共12頁第四頁，共13頁。二、借助語法手段表示低調陳述1. 虛擬語氣 I know he is honest, and I wish I could add he were capable. 這句話的內涵是：誠實只能說明一個人的品質，不能表明他的才干。說話人意在強調“he is honest, but

6、not capable of dealing with things.2. 雙重(shungchng)否定表示低調陳述 It was not without reason that the council decided to take such measures. 這句話的內涵：the council decided to take such measures with good reasons.)雙重(shungchng)否定使得語氣更加強烈，說明安理會采取這樣的措施是完全有理由的。I just take 虛擬語氣and雙重(shungchng)否定 for example, please

7、 find information in detail on P133 of the text book Understatement Understatement 的表現的表現(bioxin)(bioxin)手段手段第5頁/共12頁第五頁，共13頁。Understatement Understatement 常用的表現常用的表現(bioxin)(bioxin)方法方法 There was a slight disturbance in the Soviet Union last year, which caused the disintegration of the country. (蘇聯

8、出了一點小亂子，導致了這個國家的解體) 把重大(zhngd)的政治動亂說成是“出了一點小亂子” (a slight disturbance）,這種含蓄的輕描淡寫給人造成了極其強烈的印象。1) 以弱說代替(dit)強說Please read P134 and P135 after class to find more examples. 第6頁/共12頁第六頁，共13頁。 1)The face wasnt a bad one; it had what they called charm.意即The face was sweet; her charm conquered everybody. 明似

9、貶抑，實則褒揚，不是沖淡她的魅力，而是采用低調渲染強調她的魅力 2)It was no small feat to harness the energies of an entire nation for a united show of hospitality and good will for visitors from around the world. （把整個國家(guji)的能量調動起來，對來自世界各地的訪問者表現出一致的好客和友好，這不是小事情。）No small實際是表示肯定，說明這可是一件“了不起的大事”。Understatement Understatement 常用的表現

10、常用的表現(bioxin)(bioxin)方法方法2）以反說代替(dit)正說第7頁/共12頁第七頁，共13頁。 可以減輕說話(shu hu)者的語氣和對事物的評價，避免絕對化。 這種方式，常使用no, not, never, none以及否定詞綴等否定詞或否定表達方法來表述肯定的內容，very good 可以用not bad 來代替，這種表達方式在修辭學中叫做“曲言法”Litotes Please read P135 and P156 after class to find more examples.2）以反說代替(dit)正說Understatement Understatement 常

11、用常用(chn yn)(chn yn)的的表現方法表現方法第8頁/共12頁第八頁，共13頁。 3）用弦外音委婉(wiwn)表達。 He is something of Hamlet in politics. (政治上他有點像哈姆雷特) 借助something of 顯示(xinsh)出諷刺的意味，言外之意是“他優柔寡斷、心慈手軟，注定要成為哈姆雷特式的悲劇性人物” A more suitable man for the work could scarcely have been found. Whats the meaning of this sentence? please explain

12、it according to your own opinion.Please read P136 and P137 after class to find more examples Understatement Understatement 常用常用(chn yn)(chn yn)的的表現方法表現方法第9頁/共12頁第九頁，共13頁。Advantages of using UnderstatementI have asked you to think about the advantage. And if you have paid enough attention, you may ha

13、ve found that I stress some words in green. And thats right the advantage of using understatement.1.可以通過否定增強語勢，加深印象。2.通過模糊的語義淡化事情嚴重性。3.通過談笑達到幽默(yum)的諷刺效果。4.用弦外音表達無聲勝有聲的效果。5. In spoken English we use understatement when we want to be modesty and polite.第10頁/共12頁第十頁，共13頁。 第11頁/共12頁第十一頁，共13頁。感謝您的觀看(gunkn)！第12頁/共12頁第十二頁，共1