Hyperbole and Understatement · 夸张与低调陈述
| English | 中文 | Pinyin · 拼音 |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperbole/haɪˈpɜːbəli/ | 夸张 | kuā zhāng |
| Understatement/ˌʌndəˈsteɪtmənt/ | 低调陈述 | dī diào chén shù |
Descriptive words affect the reader
- Descriptive words, such as adjectives and adverbs, qualify or modify the things they describe and affect readers' interaction with the text.
- The second half is the new part: they change how the reader engages, not only what is described.
- So an adjective is doing something to you, not only to the noun.
An adjective can sneak an attitude into a line while pretending it only described the curtains.
描述性词语作用于读者
- 描述性词语,如形容词与副词,限定或修饰它们所描述的对象,并影响读者与文本的互动。
- 后半句是新的部分:它们改变的是读者的参与方式,而不只是所描述的对象。
- 因此形容词是在对你做什么,而不只是对那个名词。
形容词可以假装只在描写窗帘，却悄悄把态度也带进诗行。
Descriptive words qualify what they describe and also... · 描述性词语既修饰其所描述的对象，也……
So an adjective is doing something to you, not only to the noun. · 因此，形容词不仅作用于名词，也在对你施加影响。
Hyperbole exaggerates
- Hyperbole 夸张 exaggerates, and exaggerating an aspect of an object focuses attention on that trait and conveys a perspective about the object.
- Two effects, both stated: focus, and perspective.
- So a hyperbole tells you what the speaker wants you to look at and how they see it.
夸张是放大
- 夸张(hyperbole)是放大,而放大某个对象的某一方面,会把注意力聚焦到那个特征上,并传达出对该对象的一种视角。
- 两种效果,都已写明:聚焦,以及视角。
- 因此夸张告诉你说话者想让你看什么,以及他们如何看待它。
Select all · 所有 the effects the CED gives to exaggerating or minimizing. · 选择CED赋予夸大或缩小描写的所有效果。
Both devices get exactly the same two effects. · 这两种手法产生的确切效果完全相同。
Understatement minimizes
- Understatement 低调陈述 minimizes — and the CED gives it exactly the same two effects.
- Minimizing a trait focuses attention on it too, because the reader notices the mismatch.
- It was a difficult year about a catastrophe draws more attention than any adjective could.
轻描淡写是缩小
- 低调陈述(understatement)是缩小——而 CED 赋予它完全相同的两种效果。
- 缩小某个特征同样会把注意力聚焦到它上面,因为读者注意到了那份不相称。
- 用那是艰难的一年来说一场灾难,比任何形容词都更引人注目。
Hyperbole, understatement, or proportionate? · 是夸张、低调陈述，还是恰如其分？
Sort each description against what its object would warrant. · 根据对象本身应有的程度，对每个描述进行归类。
Understatement deflects the reader's attention away from the trait. · 低调陈述将读者的注意力从该特征上转移开。
It focuses attention on it — the reader notices the mismatch. · 它聚焦于该特征——读者会注意到这种不匹配。
Understatement draws attention rather than deflecting it. The CED gives minimizing the same two effects as exaggerating — it focuses attention on the trait and conveys a perspective. Reading an understatement as the speaker downplaying something gets the direction of the effect backwards.
轻描淡写是在引起注意,而不是转移注意。CED 赋予缩小与放大完全相同的两种效果——它把注意力聚焦到那个特征上,并传达一种视角。把轻描淡写读作说话者在淡化某事,是把效果的方向弄反了。
Both devices work by ____ against what would have been proportionate. · 两种手法都是通过____来对抗原本恰当的比例。
The distance between the two is the size of the effect. · 两者之间的距离即为效果的幅度。
Both work by mismatch
- Neither device works on its own — each needs the reader to know roughly what would have been proportionate.
- So to analyse either, name what the proportionate description would have been.
- The distance between that and what is written is the size of the effect.
两者都靠不相称起作用
- 两种手法都不能孤立起作用——各自都需要读者大致知道什么才算相称的描述。
- 因此要分析其中任何一种,就先说出相称的描述本该是什么样。
- 那与实际所写之间的距离,就是效果的大小。
Put the proportion pass in order. · 按顺序排列恰当描述段落。
Writing the proportionate version is what makes the effect measurable. · 写出恰当版本正是使效果可衡量的关键。
A proportion pass
- Find any description that seems too big or too small for its object.
- Write what a proportionate description would have said.
- Then name the trait now in focus, and the perspective the mismatch conveys.
比例检查
- 找出任何对其对象而言显得过大或过小的描述。
- 写出相称的描述本会怎么说。
- 然后说出此刻被聚焦的是哪个特征,以及这份不相称所传达的视角。
Of a house burning down: "we were somewhat inconvenienced." A proportionate description would be devastating. The distance is the effect — the trait in focus is the scale of the loss, and the perspective conveyed is a refusal to be seen grieving in public.
谈到一场把房子烧光的火灾:"我们受了些许不便。"相称的描述本该是毁灭性的。两者之间的距离就是效果所在——被聚焦的特征是损失的规模,而所传达的视角,是拒绝被人看见自己在公开场合悲伤。
Descriptive words qualify what they describe and affect readers' interaction with the text. Hyperbole exaggerates and understatement minimizes, and both focus attention on the trait and convey a perspective. Both work by mismatch, so name what a proportionate description would have been.
描述性词语限定其所描述的对象,并影响读者与文本的互动。 夸张是放大,轻描淡写是缩小,而两者都把注意力聚焦到那个特征上并传达一种视角。两者都靠不相称起作用,因此要说出相称的描述本该是什么样。