1、Understatement,孙云香同学 庄金娟同学,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”,Understatement (眀抑暗扬的低调陈述）,Understa
2、tement (眀抑暗扬的低调陈述）,Understatementa statement which is not strong enough to express the full or true facts or feelings. In Chinese, “轻描淡写的陈述，不充分的陈述” 它是与Hyperbole（夸张）相对的一种修辞格。 Hyperbole是故意“夸大其辞”，“化小为大”，是deliberately maximize the importance和 play up；Understatement则故意采取“低调”，化大为小”，是deliberately minimize
3、the importance和 play down。,一、借助词汇手段表示低调陈述1. For large numbers of people the absence of work is harmful to their health.对所有人来说，事业都不是一件轻松的是事情，在心理和经济上都要承受巨大压力。而作者运用低调陈述的方法，轻描淡写，淡化事情的严重性，把失业（unemployment）这件大事说成“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
4、（know a thing or two）” 表明说话人非常谦虚，为人低调，同时强调他见多识广，能洞察人情和识破虚假。,Understatement 的表现手段,During the lesson, please pay attention to the advantage of understatement, later I will ask you to make a conclusion about the advantage,二、借助语法手段表示低调陈述 1. 虚拟语气 I know he is honest, and I wish I could add he were capabl
5、e.这句话的内涵是：诚实只能说明一个人的品质，不能表明他的才干。说话人意在强调“he is honest, but not capable of dealing with things.2. 双重否定表示低调陈述It was not without reason that the council decided to take such measures. 这句话的内涵：the council decided to take such measures with good reasons.) 双重否定使得语气更加强烈，说明安理会采取这样的措施是完全有理由的。,Understatement 的表
6、现手段,Understatement 常用的表现方法,There was a slight disturbance in the Soviet Union last year, which caused the disintegration of the country.(苏联出了一点小乱子，导致了这个国家的解体)把重大的政治动乱说成是“出了一点小乱子” (a slight disturbance）,这种含蓄的轻描淡写给人造成了极其强烈的印象。,1) 以弱说代替强说,1)The face wasnt a bad one; it had what they called charm. 意即The
7、 face was sweet; her charm conquered everybody. 明似贬抑，实则褒扬，不是冲淡她的魅力，而是采用低调渲染强调她的魅力 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. （把整个国家的能量调动起来，对来自世界各地的访问者表现出一致的好客和友好，这不是小事情。） No small实际是表示肯定，说明这可是一
8、件“了不起的大事”。,Understatement 常用的表现方法,2）以反说代替正说,可以减轻说话者的语气和对事物的评价，避免绝对化。这种方式，常使用no, not, never, none以及否定词缀等否定词或否定表达方法来表述肯定的内容，very good 可以用not bad 来代替，这种表达方式在修辞学中叫做“曲言法”Litotes,2）以反说代替正说,Understatement 常用的表现方法,3）用弦外音委婉表达。,He is something of Hamlet in politics.(政治上他有点像哈姆雷特)借助something of 显示出讽刺的意味，言外之意是“他
9、优柔寡断、心慈手软，注定要成为哈姆雷特式的悲剧性人物”,A more suitable man for the work could scarcely have been found.Whats the meaning of this sentence? please explain it according to your own opinion.,Understatement 常用的表现方法,Advantages of using Understatement,I have asked you to think about the advantage. And if you have paid enough attention, you may have found that I stress some words in green. And thats right the advantage of using understatement.,1.可以通过否定增强语势，加深印象。 2.通过模糊的语义淡化事情严重性。 3.通过谈笑达到幽默的讽刺效果。 4.用弦外音表达无声胜有声的效果。 5. In spoken English we use understatement when we want to be modesty and polite.,Thank You,
