略谈英语同义句的表现手法

用不同的句子形式表达同一语义,即构成同义句。采用这种修辞手法能使文笔清新、生动活泼,富于感染力。构成同义句的手法很多,也较复杂。本文仅就常见的同义句的表现手法浅析如下:

一、变换同义词构成同义句。如:

1.Rubber is not a conductor, nor/ neither is glass.橡胶不是导体,玻璃也不是。(可将同义连词neither替换nor,句义不变。)

2.Hardly / Scarcelyhad the button been pressed when the motor began to run.一按下按钮,摩托车就发动了。(可用与Hardly的同义副词Scarcely替换,句义不变。)

二、变换句型构成同义句。这是构成同义句的主要手法,常见情况有:

1.主动句与被动句互换。如:

1)今天上午大夫成功地作了胃切除手术。

The doctor performed a gastrectomy successfully this morning.(主动句)

A gastrectomy was successfully performed by the doctor this morning.(被动句)

2)有人看见那个人摇摇晃晃地开着汽车。

Someone saw the man driving the car in a dangerous manner.(主动句)

The man was seen driving the car in a dangerous manner.(被动句)

2.变换比较方式。如 “黄金在金属中最重。”一句,英译同义句可以有:

1) Gold is the heaviest of all metals.(一般句式)

2) Gold is heavier than any other metals.(换用比较级)

3) No other metals are so heavy as gold.(换用同级比较)

3.倒装句变换陈述句。如“如果李大夫在这里,他就会帮助我们作出确定的诊断。”一句可以有如下英译同义句:

1) If Dr. Li were here, he would help us to confirm the diagnosis.(陈述句)

2) Were Dr. Li here, he would help us to confirm the diagnosis.(用倒装句替换if从句)

4.祈使句变换条件句。如“如果抓上一把空气,你的手里就抓着无数的原子。”的英译同义句可以有:

1) If you take a handful of air, you will be holding billions of atoms.(条件句)

2) Take a handful of air, and you will be holding billions of atoms.(换用“祈使句+and+陈述句”的句式)

5. 单句与复句互换。如:

1)问题解决后,我们就回家了。

a) After the question had been settled we went home.(复句)

b) The question having been settled, we went home.(单句)

2)他气得说不出话来。

a) He is too angry to speak.(单句)

b) He is so angry that he can’t speak.(复句)

6.肯定句与否定句互换。如:

1)他吃了多大苦啊!

a) What he has suffered! (肯定句)

b) What has he not suffered!(否定句)

2)随动件如果与凸轮脱开,就不能工作。

a) If the follower loses contact with the cam, it will not be able to work.(否定句)

b) If the follower loses contact with the cam, it will sit idle.(肯定句)