柴媛媛
強調(diào)(emphasis)是英語語言的眾多功能之一,因其能增強說話者的語氣,強化語言表達的語義關(guān)系,凸顯文字重點,凸出主題,所以人們在英語寫作或交際過程中,為了使自己的思想能被讀者或聽者恰當理解,增加對比效果和感情色彩,就會用到強調(diào)。在英語中,對某一意義的表達既可以是直接的或明說的,又可以是間接的或隱含的。同樣,語言強調(diào)可以是直接的,也可以是隱含的。因此,英語強調(diào)手段大體可分為兩大類,即直白性(explicitness)和隱含(implicitness)。直白性強調(diào)主要是通過詞匯或語法的手段直接增強語氣,強化意義。而隱含性強調(diào)則是通過某種詞語調(diào)配、語音偏離常規(guī)或者修辭等方式間接實現(xiàn)強調(diào)功能。例如:①I am extremely tired. ② I am tired to death. ①句中的 “extremely” 是一個增強詞,直接用于強化 “tired” 的語義,這就是直白性強調(diào)。②句中“to death”運用了夸張的修辭法,故意言過其實,突出疲勞的程度,以達到隱含性強調(diào)的效果。本文將從直白性強調(diào)的詞匯手段詳細進行論述。
一、動詞強調(diào)
1.用助動詞“do(does,did)+動詞原形”強調(diào)句中謂語動詞,用來加強陳述句和祈使句的語氣,譯作“的確”、“一定”、“確實”。如:
Do come earlier next time.(下次一定要早點到。)
She did come here last night.(她昨晚的確來了。)
2.用動詞的進行時態(tài)表示強調(diào),常用來強調(diào)說話人當時的想法、感覺等心理活動,而非表動作正在進行。如:
He is always doing things for others.(他總是為別人做好事。)(比He always does things for other people.語氣更強烈)
3.用情態(tài)動詞的否定形式加強語氣,在英語表達中較為常見。
You must not always be talking in this way.(你不能總是這樣講話。)
He cant be more foolish.(他笨的不能再笨了。)(比“He is foolish.”語氣更強烈)
二、形容詞強調(diào)
1.常見的強化形容詞表強調(diào),如:very, clear, real, simple, only, extreme, utter,single, such,等等。
He is the only person here who can speak English.(他是這里唯一會講英語的人。)
How dare you buy such expensive jewels?(你怎么敢買這么貴的珠寶呢?)
At that very moment he heard a cry for help.(正在那個時候,他聽到有人呼喊救命。)
2.“形容詞最高級+of”表強調(diào),如:most, truest, longest, worst, best,meanest,等等。
This is the most important part in the text.(這個是文章中最重要的部分。)
He is the meanest of the men.(他是最卑鄙的男人。)
3.形容詞比較級前加上far, much, still, even, a little, a great deal, a bit等,最高級前加上by far, by no means等表示強調(diào)。
You are far more patient than I am.(你比我有耐心多了。)
The new house is much/far/even/a great deal/a bit larger than the old one.(這個新房子比那個舊的大多了。)
4.關(guān)系形容詞,如:whatever , whichever分別是what和which的強調(diào)形式。
Whichever road you take, it will take you to the theatre.(無論你走哪條路,都可以到達劇院。)
5.形容詞all獲得強調(diào),結(jié)構(gòu)是:”be+all+抽象名詞”,”be+all+復數(shù)名詞”,表示某種性質(zhì)達到了極點。
The students are all ears to his speech.(學生們?nèi)褙炞⒌芈犓难葜v。)
The children are all eyes at the magic show.(孩子們目不轉(zhuǎn)睛地看著魔術(shù)表演。)
三、副詞強調(diào)
1.與強化形容詞相應的強化副詞,如:badly, really, greatly, completely, highly等帶有-ly的副詞進行強調(diào)。
Peter was highly praised in the class.(皮特在班上受到高度贊揚。)
The children were greatly afraid going through the forest.(孩子們在穿越森林時感到極其恐懼。)
2.如very, much, only, so ,still, rather, quite, too等一般性副詞和no,never,seldom等否定副詞表強調(diào)。
I am still nervous after answering the question.(我回答完問題后心里仍然怦怦直跳。)
She never said a word the whole day.(她一整天沒說一句話。)
3.副詞ever用于特殊疑問句,與what,who,when,where,how,why等連用,表示驚奇、煩惱、憤怒等。
Who ever can it be?(到底是誰呢?)
Why ever didnt you say so?(你當時究竟為什么不這樣說呢?)
4.Wherever,however等用作疑問副詞和連接副詞都有強化語氣的作用。
However hard she tried,nothing seemed to work.(不管她怎么努力,好像都無濟于事。)
Wherever did you leave your schoolbag?(到底把書包丟在哪里了?)
四、代詞強調(diào)
1.nothing,nobody,none,everybody,anything,everything等不定代詞表強調(diào)。
Nobody can change his mind.(沒有人能改變他的主意。)
2.用whoever,whichever,whatever等關(guān)系代詞和疑問代詞表強調(diào)。
Whoever thought up that riddle?(到底是誰想出的這個謎語?)
Choose whichever you really want to.(選一個你真正想要的。)
3.反身代詞及反身代詞itself特殊結(jié)構(gòu)“be+抽象名詞+itself”,表某種性質(zhì)達到了極點。
My father himself fixed the microwave.(我爸爸自己修好了微波爐。)
I am energy itself after a short rest.(休息了一小會兒我渾身是勁。)
五、各種短語表強調(diào)
1.各種介詞短語表強調(diào),如:in the world,in the least,in hell,on earth,under the sun,
in every way,in no way,by all means,by no means,in heaven等加強疑問或否定語氣。
Where in the world did you go just now?(你剛才到底去哪兒了?)
Why on earth did you tell a lie?(你到底為什么說謊?)
This by no means the first time you have been late.(這絕不是你第一次遲到了。)
I was in heaven when I heard the good news.(聽到這個好消息后我興奮異常。)
2.各種慣用短語表強調(diào),如:a dam,at all,only too,all too,let alone,not to mention,to say nothing of,not to speak of,anything but,nothing but,any longer等。
We are all too pleased to listen to the opinions of other.(我們非常樂意聽別人的意見。)
The dampness is uncomfortable, not to mention the cold.(潮濕就令人不舒服,更不必說寒冷了。)
It will need much time, not to speak of the expense.(那需要好多時間,更不用提費用了。)
六、成對詞表強調(diào)
成對詞是英語中極富特色的一種詞組,它由兩個詞性相同的詞(大多為近音詞)組成,中間用and連接,結(jié)構(gòu)固定,語義完整。這種詞組比一般詞語鮮明生動,節(jié)奏明快,具有十分明顯的強調(diào)功能。
He is an up and coming (=motivated) young man.(他是個有上進心的年輕人。)
The atmosphere in the office is quite free and easy (=relaxed).(辦公室的氣氛相當輕松自如。)
He insisted on putting the agreement down in black and white.(他堅持把這項協(xié)議白紙黑字寫下來。)
綜上所述,英語詞匯的直白性強調(diào)手段非常豐富,它們或增強語句中肯定或否定語氣,或強化語義,主要作用是強調(diào)。只有在英語學習過程中正確認識和恰當運用不同的詞匯手段,做到融會貫通,才能更好地應用到英語學習中。
參考文獻:
[1]R Quirk,G Leech:A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language[M].London:Longman Group Limited,1985.
[2]章振邦.新編英語語法[M].上海:上海外語教育出版社,1982.
[3]呂煦.實用英語修辭[M].北京:清華大學出版社,2004.
[4]徐鵬.英語辭格[M].北京:商務(wù)印書館,1996.
[5]汪榕培.英語詞匯學研究[M].上海:上海外語教育出版社,2002.