1、Understatement (眀抑暗揚(yáng)的低調(diào)陳述）,Understatement (眀抑暗揚(yáng)的低調(diào)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

2、采取“低調(diào)”，化大為小”，是deliberately minimize the importance和 play down。,一、借助詞匯手段表示低調(diào)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(yè)都不是一件輕松的是事情，在心理和經(jīng)濟(jì)上都要承受巨大壓力。而作者運(yùn)用低調(diào)陳述的方法，輕描淡寫，淡化事情的嚴(yán)重性，把失業(yè)（unemployment）這件大事說成“不上班”（the absence of work） 2. I have studied humane natu

3、re, and I knew a thing or two. 句子中“略知一二（know a thing or two）” 表明說話人非常謙虛，為人低調(diào)，同時強(qiáng)調(diào)他見多識廣，能洞察人情和識破虛假。,Understatement 的表現(xiàn)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、借助語法手段表示低調(diào)陳述 1. 虛擬語氣 I know he is honest

4、, and I wish I could add he were capable. 這句話的內(nèi)涵是：誠實(shí)只能說明一個人的品質(zhì)，不能表明他的才干。說話人意在強(qiáng)調(diào)“he is honest, but not capable of dealing with things. 2. 雙重否定表示低調(diào)陳述 It was not without reason that the council decided to take such measures. 這句話的內(nèi)涵：the council decided to take such measures with good reasons.) 雙重否定使得語氣更

5、加強(qiáng)烈，說明安理會采取這樣的措施是完全有理由的。,Understatement 的表現(xiàn)手段,Understatement 常用的表現(xiàn)方法,There was a slight disturbance in the Soviet Union last year, which caused the disintegration of the country. (蘇聯(lián)出了一點(diǎn)小亂子，導(dǎo)致了這個國家的解體) 把重大的政治動亂說成是“出了一點(diǎn)小亂子” (a slight disturbance）,這種含蓄的輕描淡寫給人造成了極其強(qiáng)烈的印象。,1) 以弱說代替強(qiáng)說,1)The face wasnt a b

6、ad one; it had what they called charm. 意即The face was sweet; her charm conquered everybody. 明似貶抑，實(shí)則褒揚(yáng)，不是沖淡她的魅力，而是采用低調(diào)渲染強(qiáng)調(diào)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. （把整個國家的能量調(diào)動起來，對來自世界各地的訪問

7、者表現(xiàn)出一致的好客和友好，這不是小事情。） No small實(shí)際是表示肯定，說明這可是一件“了不起的大事”。,Understatement 常用的表現(xiàn)方法,2）以反說代替正說,可以減輕說話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(dá)方法來表述肯定的內(nèi)容，very good 可以用not bad 來代替，這種表達(dá)方式在修辭學(xué)中叫做“曲言法”Litotes,2）以反說代替正說,Understatement 常用的表現(xiàn)方法,3）用弦外音委婉表達(dá)。,He is something of Hamlet in politics

8、. (政治上他有點(diǎn)像哈姆雷特) 借助something of 顯示出諷刺的意味，言外之意是“他優(yōu)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 it according to your own opinion.,Understatement 常用的表現(xiàn)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.可以通過否定增強(qiáng)語勢，加深印象。