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Part VIDirect vs. Indirect,English: Indirect Chinese: Direct,Indirect English I Euphemism II Implicitness III Periphrasis,I Euphemism Euphemizing is generally defined as substituting an inoffensive or pleasant term for a more explicit, offensive one, thereby veneering the truth by using kind words.,For Example: In private I should merely call him a liar. In the Press you should use the words: Reckless disregard for truth and in Parliament- that you regret he should have been so misinformed.,委婉是一种比较间接的方式来谈论不宜直言的人或事物。为了: 1)回避或掩盖某些严酷的社会现实; 2)为了防止“出口伤人”; 3)避免“有失体统”,显得文明礼貌。,1.Both English and Chinese have Euphemism which are used to express boring, awful, disgust and disgraceful things. 1)“死亡” 2)“上厕所” 3)“怀孕” 4)“身体太胖” 5)“老人,年老”,1)“死亡” pass away; breathe ones last; go to ones Maker; be with God; sleep with ones fathers join the great majority; pay the debt of nature go to glory; go to a better world; sleep the final sleep, cross the Great Divide, climb the golden staircase.,逝世、寿终、作古、谢世、归寂、坐化、牺牲、阵亡、殉职、捐躯、百年、与世长辞; 古代还有按等级之分的死: 帝王之死“崩”或“晏驾”, 诸侯之死“篳”; 大夫之死“卒”, 士之死“不禄”。,2)“上厕所” go to the restroom, use the bathroom, wash ones hands, relieve oneself, answer a call of nature; (男)see a man about a horse, (女)fix ones face, powder ones nose 大便、小便、方便、解手、大解、小解、净手、如厕、去洗手间,3)“怀孕” be expecting, in a family way, (American English) in the family way,(English) in an interesting condition 有喜、重身子、双身子、产妇、身怀六甲,4)“身体太胖” stout on the heavy side 发福,5)“老人,年老” senior citizen eldly people advanced in age 年迈 年长 上了年纪 上岁数 年事已高,2. Compared with Chinese, English has more euphemisms and they are used more frequently .,powder room- ladies room女厕所 unpleasant odour- nasty smell难闻的气味 assault- rape强奸 soiled linen- dirty clothes脏衣服 unmentionables/nether garments/inexpressibles -trousers裤子,In mordern UK or US, euphemizing, implicit and humor speech is regared as mark of civilization and politeness.In recent ten years, the usage of euphemism is so popular that nearly deep into every corner of social life and public or private business. Most of them are vivd and intersting and can reflect social and cultural life,2.1 Official Euphemism官方委婉语。 2.2 Occupational Euphemism职业委婉语。 2.3 School Euphemism学校委婉语。 2.4 Others各种事物委婉语,2.1 Offical Euphemism includes all kinds of officialese(官方英语): 1)bureaucratese联邦政府官僚英语 2)Pentagonese五角大楼英语 3)State-Departmentese国务院英语 4)Gobbledygook官腔英语 5)unbababble地方市政府英语,1)Bureaucratese联邦政府官僚英语 Euphemisms are so popular in officialese, especially Bureaucratese among which some of them have become tricks to cover the truth, deceive the voter and win over the will of the people.,For example: 1)经济危机:ecnomic crisis ecnomic adjustment(经济调整) 2)失业:unemplyment underutilization(未充分利用人才) human resources underdevelopment(人才资源未充分开发) 3)贫民区:slum inner city ; central city,4)监狱: prison house of correction(改造所,教养院) 5)捏造:fabricate less than truthful(不大真实) 6)窃听:eavesdrop on intelligence gathering(收集情报) 7)暗杀:assassination liquidation(清算),poor: I used to think I was poor. Then they told me I wasnt poor, I was needy. They told me it was self- defeating to think of myself as needy, I was culturally deprived. Then they told me deprived was a bad image, I was underprivileged. Then they told me underprivileged was overused, I was disadvantaged. I still dont have a dime, but I have a great vocabulary!,2)Pentagonese五角大楼英语 为了掩盖侵略战争本性,国防部官员把它称为international armed conflict (国际武装冲突); 对美国空军来说,空袭只是air support(空中增援),在原苏联领空侦察飞行仅是overflight(越界飞行)。 军方为了尽量缩小暴力破坏程度,把杀死敌人称作neutralize the adversary(压制对手),把伤亡称为circadian deregulation(生理节奏的反常),为了掩盖战争中失败的真相,五角大楼的官员会说:撤出exfiltration;战线调整an adjust of the front =退却retreat;战略撤退strategic withdrawl =战败defeat; 大量使用核武器的用语deterrence(威慑);first strike capability(第一次打击能力),从不提nuclear核子这个词,也不提它可能导致人类的毁灭。,3)State-Departmentese国务院英语 外交官员常尽量缩小国际紧张局势的严重性,让公众对其真正的动机和国内外问题产生模糊印象。 当两位外长举行了一次useful and businesslike meeting(有益而一本正经的会晤),其实是一次什么问题也没有解决的会晤。 当两位总理进行了一次serious and candid discussion(认真而坦率的讨论),事实上是存在重大分歧。,2.2 Occupational Euphemism职业委婉语。 People often create some uplifting word or impressive title to beautify their occupation in order to improve their social status and satisfy their vanity.,Sanitary engineer = garbage man 垃圾清洁工 Meat technologist =butcher屠户 Member of the oldest profession = prostitute妓女 Mixologist =bar-tender调酒师,landscape architect =gardener园丁 beautician cosmetician tonsorial artist =barber 屠夫 household executive domestic manager =housewife家庭妇女,Occupational Euphemism in Chinese: 环卫工人, 保姆, 白衣天使, 灵魂工程师, 出家人,2.3 School Euphemism学校委婉语。 为了不磋商学生和家长的自尊心, 迟钝呆笨的学生是 unflamboyant(不浮夸); 低能儿是 subnormal(智力逊常);exceptional (special) child(情况特殊的孩子).,Teachers are requested to use the following euphemisms in a primary school: Shows difficulty in distinguishing between imaginary and factual material Lies 撒谎 Needs help in learning to adhere to rules and standards of fair play Cheats作弊,Needs help in learning to respect the property rights of others Steals偷窃 Has qualities of leadership but needs help in learning to use them democratically Is a bully恃强凌弱,2.4 others各种事物委婉语 predriven classic =used car industrial action =strike罢工 color minority =Negro黑人,memory garden =cemetery墓地 facial dew =sweat汗水 in the altogether =naked赤身裸体,willowy =slender苗条 redirected flight =hijack劫机 Lets go to Reno =divorce办离婚(美内华达西部城市里诺以办离婚手续简便而著称),II Implicitness含蓄 英美民族富于幽默,表达时常不把要说的话直接说出来,而用某种间接、含蓄的方式来陈述。汉语也有含蓄表达法,但较常用作修辞手段。,All in all, Chinese tends to speak directly but English usually use: 1understatement克制陈述、 2litotes间接肯定、 3indirect negation委婉否定 4tactful implication婉转暗示的表达方式。,1 understatement克制陈述 An Englishman will say” I have a little house in the country”; when he invites you to stay with him you will discover that the little house is a place with three hundred bedrooms. If you are a world tennis-champion, say” Yes, I dont play too badly”, If you have crossed the Atlantic alone in a small boat, say” I do a little sailing”.,克制陈述:以含蓄的语气故意把大事化小make big things seem trifle,用轻描淡写的言辞来加深对方的印象.这种保守又谨慎的表达方式在英国中上层的口语里尤为流行。如: This piece of work is disgraceful This piece of work is nothing to be proud of.,1)He had five sandwiches and a quart of milk for his snack 他吃了五个三明治,喝了一夸脱牛奶,作为他的小吃 2) He had a mansion in the country and another little place in town. 他在乡下有一座大厦,在城里还有个小地方。,English would rather use down-toner(低调词) like rather, quite, all right, somewhat than the words very, best, worst 1) Shes rather(very) good-looking 2) He has written quite a number of(a lot of) books 3) Hes been a bit (quite) poorly since the winter. But I didnt expect him to go like this入冬他就一直不大舒服,但没料到他就这样丢下这个世界去了。.,2 Litotes间接肯定 2.1To use a negative to emphasize the contrary not bad -good it wasnt easy-it was very difficult no rare occurrence-a frequent occurrence no small -great,汉语也有这类反语,如: “未尝不可”,“难免错误”,“不虚此行”,“不无遗憾”,“没有白干”等,但较多采用直接肯定。,1)我发现房子着了火,这使我大吃一惊。 To my no small astonishment, I found the house on fire 2) 继续公开讨论这一问题是大有用处的。 It serves no little purpose to continue public discussion of this issue. 3) 这多灾多难的世界没有任何太平的乐土。 There is no untroubled place in this troubled world.,2.2 To use other negative method 1)他非常喜欢那姑娘 He didnt half like that girl.(= he liked her very much) 2)我觉得身体好极了 I couldnt feel better(= Im feeling first-rate),3)他很想尽快和你见面 I cant see you quickly enough(= He desires to see you as soon as possible) 4)在一个陌生的地方,越小心越好 One could not be too careful in a new neighborhood. 5)这次会议的重要性无论怎么强调也不过分 The importance of this conference cannot be overestimated,6)我太赞成你的看法了。想做生意,就得有铁石心肠。 I couldnt agree with you more. Someones got to be tough if you want to stay in business. 7)再聪明的人也会做错事、智者千虑,必有一失 It is a wise man that never makes mistakes.(= The wisest man sometimes make mistakes),2.3 To use Indirect Negation 把直接的否定变得含蓄、婉转,使口气显得温和而不武断,谦逊而留有余地。英语表示委婉否定的方法很多.,2.3.1用肯定的形式表达否定的意义。常见于: implied subjunctive含蓄虚拟句 disjunctive questions反意问句 ellipsis省略句 swear-words诅咒语 ironical idioms讽刺语,1)You could have come at a better time 肯定式:你本来可以在更合适的时候来。 否定义:你来得不是时候 2)As if anyone would believe that story 肯定式:好象竟有人会相信那些话似的 否定义:别人才不信那一套哩,3)Are you telling me? I know all about it 肯定式:你是在跟我说吗?我全知道了 否定义:不用你告诉我了(还要你说呢),我全知道了。 4)I know better 肯定式:我更加懂得 否定义:我人为并非如此。,5)Tell your old story to someone who believe it 肯定式:把你这套老话讲给相信它的人去听吧 否定义:我才不信你这套老话呢 6)Let me catch you at it again 肯定式:(要是)让我再撞见你干这种事,(你可要吃苦头了) 否定义:别再干这种事了,7)Ill see you dead before I accept your terms. 肯定式:在我接受你的条件前,我要先看你死去 否定义:见鬼去吧,我才不接受你的条件呢,2.4To use Tactful Implication 婉转暗示 用含而不漏的言辞留下弦外之音,有些说法则跳过逻辑层次,让对方去寻味。 It can be worse 婉转:还可能会更糟 明言:还可以/还过得去/还算不怎么坏/凑合凑合吧,You are late for the last time 婉转:这是你最后一次迟到了 明言:你被解雇了 She has much more than just a pretty face 婉转:她远远不止有一张漂亮的脸 明言:她不仅长得漂亮,还真有两下子呢(还真有本事呢),Would you mind doing it 婉转:你反对办这件事吗 明言:请你办这件事,好吗 A Negro could ask no more 婉转:一个黑人不能要求更多的了 明言:一个黑人,还能要求什么呢? His accent couldnt fool a native speaker. 婉转:他的口音不能愚弄本地人 明言:本地人一听他的口音,便知道他是外乡人.,III Periphrasis迂回 is roundabout expression in speaking or writing, i.e. the use of long or many words, phrases, or unclear expressions when short simple ones are all that is needed. 迂回是一种拐弯抹角的说法,是用较多、较长或不清的词语来表达原来简短的词语就能说清的意思。,1)请您告诉我是否应该接受这项邀请 迂回:Will you please good enough to advise me whether I should accept the invitation? 平易:Please tell me whether I should accept the invitation 2)我已经尽力去打听你想要知道的消息。 迂回I have endeavored to obtain the required information 平易:I have tried to find out what you wanted to know,3)你读一读这些文件就会明白的。 迂回It will be observed from a perusal of these documents. 平易:You will see by reading these documents 4)费用大概是一千万美元左右。 迂回The cost may be upwards of a figure rather below $10 million 平易:The cost may be nearly $ 10 million,5)伦敦没有可靠的消息。 迂回In London there resigns a complete absence of really reliable news 平易:There is no reliable news in London 6)请你们讲话小声一点好吗 迂回Im terribly sorry to interrupt you, but I wonder if you would be so kind as to lower your voices a little. 平易:Would you please lower your voices a little?,English usually use Euphemism, Implicitness and Periphrasis to express .Chinese also have similar expression which are called 敬辞、谦辞或婉言“,敬辞(用来褒扬对方和与对方有关的人、事物和行为,以表示恭敬) your name your country your home your father your wife your writing your opinion your patronage your presence call on inform ask for advice I havent seen you for ages.,谦辞(用来贬抑自己和与自己有关的人、事物和行为,以表示谦虚) I, me my daughter my illness my writing my opinion my home my relative flatter my school,这类敬辞和谦辞反映了中国人比较独特的“贬己尊人”的人际关系,英语没有相应的表达法,因而一般采用较为直接或较为婉转的说法。,Im Li. Could I have your name? 贱姓李,请问尊客贵姓 Ive heard so much about you 久仰,久仰 I wonder if you would be kind enough to enlighten us on this matter 不知高见以为何如,Your patronage is cordially invited 如蒙光顾,无任欢迎 May I ask how old you are, Grandpa? 老大爷,您今年高寿 Tomorrow is Dear Fathers eightieth birthday 明日是父亲大人八十大寿,Would you be good enough to take a massage to her 拜托您捎个信给她 Ill you the details later 详情容后奉告 Much to my regret you werent at home when I called 奉访未晤,甚怅,Sorry, I wont be able to keep you company 恕不奉陪 I had the pleasure of perusing your work 我拜读了您的大作 We request the honor of your presence 敬请光临。,
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