Rhetorical Devices
Lesson1
1.Onomatopoeia（拟声） is the formation of words in imitation of the sounds associated with the thing concerned.
e.g. tinkling bells
2.Alliteration(押首韵) is the use of several words in close proximity beginning with the same letter or letters.
e.g. thread their way among the throngs of people
3. Hyperbole(夸张) is the use of a form of words to make something sound big, loud and so on by saying this is like something even bigger, louder, etc.
e.g. a flood of glistening linseed oil
4. Antithesis(对偶，对语) is the setting, often in parallel structure, of contrasting words or phrases opposite each other for emphasis.
“Ask not what you country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
e.g. which towers to the vaulted ceiling and dwarfs the camels and their stone wheels.
5. Parallelism(并列) consists of phrases or sentences of similar construction and meaning placed side by side, balancing each other.
e.g. the din of stall-holders crying their wares, of donkey-boys and porters clearing, of would-be purchasers arguing and bargaining
6. Metaphor(隐喻) makes a comparison between two unlike elements, but the comparison is implied rather than stated, without using words like, as etc. (simile)
e.g. It is a vast, somber cavern of room.
7. Personification（拟人） gives human form or feelings to animals, or life and personal attributes to inanimate objects, or to ideas and abstractions.
e.g. Camels lie disdainfully chewing their hay.
8. Inversion (倒装) mainly refers to the reversal of the usual order of the subject and the predicate in a sentence.
e.g. In this cavern are three massive stone wheels, …
Lesson2
1. Rhetorical question(反问) is usually defined as any question asked for a purpose other than to obtain the information the question asks.
e.g: Was I not at the scene of the crime? (rhetorical question)
2.Synecdoche（提喻） is figure of speech in which a word literally denoting a part is substituted for the whole; or the whole for a part, or a specific word is used to stand for abstract one or vice versa.
e.g.
They were short of hands at harvest time.
China beat Brazil in yesterday’s soccer game.
3. Metonymy(换喻) is a figure of speech in which the name of an attribute or a thing is used to stand for another thing, and the relation between the two things is not of similarity, but of contiguity.
e.g.
The kettle is boiling.
Wall Street, American financial center
Capital Hill, U.S. Congress
the Pentagon, U.S. Defense Department
4. Anti-climax(渐降) is a figure of speech in which a series of ideas are arranged in such a way that they go from the most important to the least important with steady weakening of emotion and tone. It is usually used for humorous effect.
e.g. He lost his empire, his family and his fountain pen.
The duties of a soldier are to protect is country and peel potatoes.
5. Climax（层递）refers to the arrangement of series of ideas, which go from the least important to the most important with steady strengthening of emotion and tone.
e.g. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested
6. Euphemism (委婉语) is mild, pleasant, neutral, or inoffensive expressions used instead of harsh, blunt, coarse, or unpleasant ones. They are often used out of courtesy or consideration for other people’s feelings.
e.g. pass away, go to heaven, to be gone.
weight-watcher, under-achiever, perspiration, do one's business, answer the nature's call etc. Earthly care, worldly worry or concern.
7. Irony (反语) is a figure of speech in which the meaning literally expressed is the direct opposite of the meaning intended and which aims at ridicule, humor or sarcasm to make one’s remarks forceful.
e.g. Robbing a widow of her savings was certainly a noble act.
… on the good fortune that my illness has brought me.
Lesson5
1. Antithesis(对照; 对立; 对偶)
It is a counter-propositions and denotes a direct contrast to the original proposition.
Any man or state who fights on against Nazidom will have our aid. Any man or state who marches with Hitler is our foe.
Rhetorical Devices in the speech
• 1) Periodic sentence
• 2) Rhetorical question
• 3) Parallelism
• 4) Inversion
• 5) Repetition
• 6) Alliteration
• 7) Simile
• 8) Metaphor
• 9) Antithesis
Lesson 6
1.Metaphor:
...the nerves of both ... Were excessively frayed...
his wife shot him a swift, warning glance.
The words spat forth with sudden savagery.
Her tone ...withered...
...self-assurance...flickered...
The Duchess kept firm tight rein on her racing mind.
2. Euphemism:
...and you took a lady friend.
3. Metonymy:
won 100 at the tables
lost it at the bar
they'll throw the book,...
4. Onomatopoeia:
appreciative chuckle
clucked his tongue
Lesson 9
1. Metaphor eg:Mark Twain is Mirror of America
2. Metonymy eg: His pen would prove mightier than his pickax
2. Simile:
Most American remember M. T. as the father of...
...a memory that seemed phonographic
3. Hyperbole:
...cruise through eternal boyhood and ...endless summer of freedom...
The cast of characters... - a cosmos.
4. Personification:
life dealt him profound personal tragedies...
the river had acquainted him with ...
...to literature's enduring gratitude...
The grave world smiles as usual...
Bitterness fed on the man...
Personal tragedy haunted his entire life
5. Antithesis:
...between what people claim to be and what they really are...
6. Euphemism:
...men's final release from earthly struggle
7. Alliteration:
...the slow, sleepy, sluggish-brained sloths stayed at home
...with a dash and daring...
...a recklessness of cost or consequences...
8. Metonymy:
...his pen would prove mightier than his pickaxe
