11 英语平行结构(parallelism)与汉语排比 下载本文

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champion, of their protector;Behind all this glare, behind all this storm),从句的平行结构(where maidens laugh and children play)和句子的平行结构(七个I see …句子一气呵成)。

除了不同形式的平行结构(parallelism)交错使用外,平行结构(parallelism)还时常和别的辞格一起使用, 使文字的表现更加锦上添花。例21中,明喻(like a swarm of crawling locusts),隐喻(threshold; cataract; dandified),头韵(dull, drilled, docile),拟声(clanking, heel-clicking),谐辅韵(cowing and tying),谐元韵(easier and a safer)和反复(glare, storm同义反复)多种辞格交叉运用,强化了表达效果,增加了演讲的气势。

学生:老师,平行结构(parallelism)的形式还真是多样,从词,词组,从句,句子,甚至段落都有平行结构的身影。同时平行结构(parallelism)与其它辞格的交替使用,能增强语言的修辞效果。

老师:了解了平行结构(parallelism)的多种形式,其功能也是不能不谈的。平行结构(parallelism)可以用来写人、写事、抒情、议论、叙事、列举、描述、阐释和演讲等。它是我们写作和表达时很有用的一个语言技能,所以我们在本章开始时说过―要想语言表达好,平行结构是个宝‖。

22. Indeed, this nation’s best-loved author was every bit as adventurous, patriotic, romantic, and humorous as anyone has ever imagined. (形容词平行,作表语)(from National Geographic, Sept., 1975)

的确,这位美国最受人喜爱的作家的探索精神、爱国热情、浪漫气质及幽默笔调都达到了登峰造极的程度。

以平行结构(parallelism)写人,可将人物刻画细致。例22把一连串形容词 (adventurous, patriotic, romantic, and humorous)加以平行排列,作句子的表语,使该句在形式上精致工整,声调上极富韵律,语言上经济简练,叙事上步步深入,因而使马克吐温这位作家的性格特征跃然纸上。

23. The din of the stall-holders crying their wares, of donkey-boys and porters clearing a way for themselves by shouting vigorously, and of would-be purchasers arguing and bargaining is continuous and makes you dizzy. (L.A. Hill and D.J. May The Middle Eastern Bazaar)

一走进市场,就可以听到摊贩们的叫卖声,赶毛驴的小伙计和脚夫们大着嗓门叫人让道的吆喝声,还有那些想买东西的人们与摊主讨价还价的争吵声。各种各样的噪声此伏彼起,不绝于耳,简直叫人头晕。 以平行结构(parallelism)写事,可以将事物景象活灵活现。三种―噪音‖以平行结构出现 — of the stall-holders crying their wares, of donkey-boys and porters clearing a way for themselves by shouting vigorously, and of would-be purchasers arguing and bargaining,读者如闻其声,如见其景,中东市场的喧嚣与繁华如此贴近读者。

24. Dictating his autobiography late in life, he commented with a crushing sense of despair on men’s final release from earthly struggles: ―... they vanish from a world where they were of no consequence; where they achieved nothing; where they were a mistake and a failure and a foolishness; where they have left no sign that they had existed – a world which will lament them a day and forget them forever.‖ (定语从句的平行,作定语)(from National Geographic, Sept., 1975)

在晚年口述自传的时候,他以极端绝望的心情谈到人从尘世的苦难中的最终解脱:―……他们从世界上消失了,在这个世界上他们无足轻重,无所成就;甚至他们的存在本身就是个错误,是个失败,是种愚蠢。这个世界上也没有留下丝毫能表明他们存在过的痕迹。这个世界赠给他们的只是一日的哀伤和永久的遗忘。‖

以平行结构(parallelism)抒情是英语一绝,可以淋漓尽致地抒发胸臆,发泄情感。文采飞扬的美国作家Noel Grove在写马克吐温传记时,连用四个以where引导的定语从句,从不同视角聚焦马克吐温生活中的种种坎坷与不幸。整段没有高谈阔论,而是运用最直接、最具平行气势的平行结构,来概括表达其一生,宣泄了积淀在作者心底的悲怆,读者也深受其染。

25. While these developments are clever, fun and even convenient, they’re not quite revolutionary. (形容词平行,作从句表语)(from NEWSWEEK May 31, 1993)

尽管这些发明创造很聪明,很有趣,甚至带来很多便利,但还不算什么大的改革。

以Parallelism(平行结构)议论,说理评论,如层层剥笋,丝丝入扣,辩证而又透辟。

26. An article in the Atlantic viewed it as a ―disappointment,‖ a ―shock,‖ a ―calamity,‖ ―a scandal and a disaster.‖

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(名词平行,作介词宾语)(from The Play of Language, 1971)

《大西洋》杂志上刊载的一篇文章评价这部词典―令人失望‖,―令人震惊‖,是―一大不幸‖,―耻辱和灾难‖。

以平行结构 (parallelism)议论: 该例句出自美国作家Bergen Evans的议论文But What’s a Dictionary For? (《词典的用途是什么?》)。文章的背景讲述的是,韦氏第三版词典耗费了大量的人力物力和财力,但是它刚一出版发行就受到各种媒体轮番抨击。作者就此不正常的现象进行了评论。例26,五个名词平行叠用(a ―disappointment,‖ a ―shock,‖ a ―calamity,‖ ―a scandal and a disaster‖)作介词as的宾语。这一平行结构把韦氏第三版词典刚一出版发行就受到各种媒体轮番抨击的场景被作者以激愤的心情表达了出来。 27. They are always too busy (in) feeding the cattle, fixing the fences, putting up salt-lick shelters, throwing down hay.(动名词短语平行,作介词宾语) (from Everyday Use by Alice Walker) 他们总是忙忙碌碌的:喂牲口,修篱笆,扎帐篷,堆草料,等等。

以平行结构(parallelism)描述还可以渲染气氛,制造意境。例27,用四个动名词短语(feeding the cattle, fixing the fences, putting up salt-lick shelters, throwing down hay)作平行结构的语言单位,把农场里人们忙碌的身影描绘的栩栩如生。

28. Keelboats,flatboats, and large rafts carried the first major commerce. Lumber, corn, tobacco, wheat, and furs moved downstream to the delta country; sugar, molasses, cotton, and whiskey traveled north. (from National Geographic, Sept., 1975)

龙骨船、平底船和大木筏载运着最重要的商品往来穿梭。木材、玉米、烟草、小麦和皮货通过这些运载工具顺流而下,运送到河口三角洲地区,而砂糖、糖浆、棉花和威士忌酒等货物则被运送到北方。

以平行结构(parallelism)描述,可以渲染气氛,制造意境。例28中,三个句子构成的平行结构,把当年密西西比河流域繁忙的商业贸易描写得栩栩如生。

29. Quite unexpectedly, the strange emotion which had overwhelmed me at the station returned, and I was again crushed by the thought that I now stood on the site of the first atomic bombardment, where thousands upon thousands of people had been slain in one second, where thousands upon thousands of others had lingered on to die in slow agony. (地点状语从句的平行,作状语) (from an American radio program presented by ED Key) 出人意料的是,刚到广岛车站时袭扰着我的那种异样的忧伤情绪竟在这时重新袭上心头,我的心情又难受起来,因为我又一次意识到自己置身于曾遭受第一颗原子弹轰击的现场。这儿曾有成千上万的生命顷刻之间即遭毁灭,还有成千上万的人在痛苦的煎熬中慢慢死去。

以平行结构(parallelism)叙事,可以使叙述生动。例29以where引导的两个非限制性定语从句作平行结构的语言单位,似乎亲临其境地托现了成千上万广岛老百姓在原子弹爆炸一刹那间的惊恐和迷惘。 30. Tramp printer, river pilot, confederate guerrilla, prospector, starry-eyed optimist, acid-tongued cynic: The man who became Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens and he ranged across the nation for more than a third of his life, digesting the new American experience before sharing it with the world as writer and lecturer. (from National Geographic, Sept., 1975)

印刷工、领航员、邦联游击队员、淘金者、耽于幻想的乐天派、语言尖刻的讽刺家:马克吐温原名塞缪尔?朗赫恩?克莱门斯,他一生之中有超过三分之一的时间浪迹美国各地,体验着美国的新生活,尔后便以作家和演说家的身分将他所感受到的这一切介绍给全世界。

以平行结构(parallelism)列举,可以使思路条理化,严密化。例30中,作者用六个表示职业的名词短语tramp printer, river pilot, confederate guerrilla, prospector, starry-eyed optimist, acid-tongued cynic一行排开,马克吐温曾经从事过的职业一一呈现在读者面前。无需议论,也无需更多的笔墨,一位生活在社会低层,遍尝世间艰辛,剑客讽刺的作家形象一起走进读者脑海。

虽然平行结构(parallelism)多用于文学文体中,但日常生活中如果用平行结构(parallelism)列举,更能表达清晰的思路。例如, 一位思路清晰的老师会这样要求学生开展课堂活动:Open the book. Read the text. Look at the pictures. Answer the questions. 四个祈使句叠用,说者铿锵,听着明白。但如果这样要求学生:Open the book first. You must read the text now. There are pictures in the book–Look at them. The questions

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must be answered. 说话者思路不清晰,语言啰嗦,听话者也是糊涂费劲。

31. As the alarm clock burrs, the bedroom curtains swing silently apart, the Venetian blinds snap up and the thermostat boosts the heat to a cozy 70°. (from Time, February 20,1978)

闹钟铃声一响,卧室的窗帘轻轻地自动往两边分开,百叶遮阳帘啪地一声向上卷起,恒温器将室温上调到令人惬意的华氏七十度。

以平行结构(parallelism)阐释,可以做到词序井然,脉络分明,说服力陡增。例23中,三个流水句一字排开,勾勒了一幅未来生活的画卷,阐释未来生活的便捷和自动化程度,令人心神往之。

32. On the contrary, we shall be fortified and encouraged in our efforts to rescue mankind from his tyranny. We shall be strengthened and not weakened in determination and in resources. (from The Second World War, Vol. III) 恰恰相反,我们将会更加坚强、更加勇敢地为将人类从他的暴政下解救出来而奋斗,我们将加强而不是削弱自己的决心和力量。

以平行结构(parallelism)演讲,可以增加演讲的气势,营造现场的气氛,鼓动人心,凝聚人气,更好地收到演讲的预期效果。世界著名的演讲词都离不开修辞格的运用,尤其离不开parallelism(平行结构)辞格。例32是英国首相温斯顿?邱吉尔Speech on Hitler’s Invasion of the U.S.S.R.(《关于希特勒入侵苏联的讲话》)里的一段话。作者用两个句子构成平行结构(we shall be…),形式上一致匀称,语气上由轻到重,节奏更加明快,语义更加突出,不仅表现了丘吉尔的雄辩口才,而且还向全国听众旗帜鲜明地阐述了坚决消灭德国法西斯的决心,给听者以强烈的感染力。

学生:英语平行结构(parallelism)真是无所不能。可是,老师,为何您总是说,不要把平行结构(parallelism)混同于汉语的排比?我们觉得两者没有什么区别啊?

老师:那我们真有必要把英语平行结构(parallelism)和汉语排比作一比较。

汉语排比是用三个或三个以上意义相关、结构相似、语气一致的语句排列在一起组成的辞格。排比按照结构单位的不同,可以分为短语排比、分句排比、句子排比、段落排比。----《现代汉语》高等教育出版社p308

学生:老师,从定义看,汉语排比的最小语言单位是短语。那就是说,汉语里词语的排列不能称之为排比。 老师:是的,词语的排列,不管有几个,在汉语里不属于排比。例如:

33. 我一向没有对于任何问题作高深研究的野心,因之所买的书范围较广,宗教、艺术、文学、社会、哲学、历史、生物,各方面差不多都有一点。(夏丏尊《我之于书》)

Since I have never entertained ambition for making a profound study of any subject, the books I have acquired cover almost everything—religion, art, literature, sociology, philosophy, history, biology, etc. (《英译中国现代散文选(一) 》上海外语教育出版社p28)

汉语名词词语(宗教、艺术、文学、社会、哲学、历史、生物)虽有七个之多,但不能称之为排比的。如果翻译成英语,这七个词语的排列却可以称之为平行结构(parallelism)。

34. 没有在我之上的人了,没有和我同等的人了,我甚至会感到单调,寂寞和孤独。(夏丏尊《我若为王》) There would be no one above me or on an equal footing with me. I would even feel bored, lonely and isolated. (《英译中国现代散文选(一)》上海外语教育出版社)p201)

汉语词语―单调,寂寞和孤独‖不能称之为排比,但英译文bored, lonely and isolated是三个形容词的并置,属于平行结构(parallelism)。

学生:老师,短语排比、分句排比、句子排比、段落排比,应该和平行结构(parallelism)是一一对应的吧? 老师:是的。在短语到段落层面上,汉语的排比和英语平行结构(parallelism)是对应的。例如: 35. 雨是最寻常的,一下就是三两天。可别恼。看,像牛毛,像花针,像细丝,密密地斜织着,人家屋顶上全笼着一层薄烟。(朱自清《春》)

Usually, it has rained for three, even four days. But you don’t need to let yourself fall into annoyance. To your surprise, the rain looks like cow hair, like floricome, like thread line. It weaves in a thick and slantwise way so that all the roofs are among delicate mist. -----作者译

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36. 山朗润起来了,水长起来了,太阳的脸红起来了。(朱自清《春》) Hills are becoming green, rivers flowing full, and the sun rising red. -----作者译 37. 我若为王,自然我的妻就是王后了。……

我若为王,我的儿子,假如我有儿子,就是太子或王子了。…… 我若为王,我的女儿就是公主,我的亲眷都是皇亲国戚。……

我若为王,我的姓名就会改作:―万岁‖,我的每一句话都成为:―圣旨‖。……

(夏丏尊《我若为王》)

If I were king, my wife would of course be queen….

If I were king, my son, if any, would be crown prince or prince….

If I were king, my daughters would be princess, and my relatives by marriage would all become members of the royal family….

If I were king, I would be addressed as ―Your Majesty‖ and every word of mine would become a ―royal edict‖….

(《英译中国现代散文选(一)》上海外语教育出版社)p200-201)

例35是短语的排比,三个比喻(像)形成短语排比的语言单位,译文中也同样地用三个明喻(like)构成英语平行结构(parallelism)。例36由三个汉语流水句形成句子排比,对应译文中三个英语句子也构成平行结构(parallelism)。虽然部分谓语省略,但其句子结构是一样的。例37用四个―我若为王‖开头的段落形成汉语排比,列举了―我若为王‖带来的诸多啼笑皆非的情景,讽刺了专制统治者和奴才的嘴脸。对应的英译文也用了四个以 ―If I were king‖为从句开头的句子,构成平行结构(parallelism)。可见在短语到段落层面上,汉语的排比和英语平行结构(parallelism)是对应的。 学生:老师,那汉语排比的功能是如何的呢?

老师:汉语排比的功能和英语平行结构(parallelism)是相同的。我们上面分析过平行结构(parallelism)的功能。平行结构(parallelism)可以用来写人、写事、抒情、议论、叙事、列举、描述、阐释和演讲等。汉语的排比也毫不逊色。例如:

用排比写人,可将人物刻画细致。如:―他的品质是那样的纯洁和高尚,他的意志是这样坚韧和刚强,他的气质是这样的淳朴和谦逊,他的胸怀是那样的没有和宽广。‖

用排比写景,可将景物描写得细致入微,能收层次清楚、描写细腻、形象生动之效。朱自清《春》一文中,―像柳絮一般的雪,像芦花一般的雪,像蒲公英的带绒毛的种子一般的雪,在风中飞舞。‖

用排比说理,可将道理说得充分透彻。比如:―燕子去了,有再来的时候;杨柳枯了,有再青的时候;桃花谢了,有再开的时候……‖(朱自清《匆匆》)―一日之计在于晨,一年之计在于春,一生之计在于勤。‖

用排比抒情,节奏和谐,显得感情洋溢。例如:―我和书的故事实在是太多了,为书而欢乐,为书而哀愁,为书而被处罚……‖(刘川《我和书的故事》)既总结了全文,又抒发了作者和书之间的不解之缘。

用排比演讲,能表达强烈奔放的感情,周密地说明复杂的事理,增强语言的气势和表达效果。例如:―理想是灯塔,理想是指南针,理想是前进的发动机,理想是扬起的风帆……‖―爱情,是配合默契的一双筷子,是互相依靠的一把剪刀,爱情是平行的铁轨终身相依,爱情是大写的―人‖字默默支持……‖

学生:老师,从平行结构(parallelism)的定义,我们知道了这个辞格对英语写作尤为重要。英语平行结构(parallelism)和汉语排比的异同点可以用下面的表格表示出来: 语言单位 辞格 英语平行结构(parallelism) 汉语排比 否 是 是 是 是 否 是 相同 是 是 是 是 是 是 是 相同 词 短语 从句 句子 段落 两个 三个或以上 修辞功能 老师:我们欣赏几个运用平行结构(parallelism)的名家名言作为今天的结束吧:

38. Today’s students can put dope in their veins or hope in their brains. If they can conceive it and believe it, they

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can achieve it. They must know it is not their aptitude but their attitude that will determine their altitude. (Jesse Jackson)

39. Our transportation crisis will be solved by a bigger plane or a wider road, mental illness with a pill, poverty with a law, slums with a bulldozer, urban conflict with a gas, racism with a goodwill gesture. (Philip Slater, The Pursuit of Loneliness)

40. One friend in a lifetime is much, two are many, three are hardly possible. Friendship needs a certain parallelism of life, a community of thought, a rivalry of aim. (Henry Brooks Adams)

41. To resist the frigidity of old age, one must combine the body, the mind, and the heart. And to keep these in parallel vigor one must exercise, study, and love. (Charles-Victor de Bonstettin) 42. The more we do, the more we can do. (William Hazlitt)

43. It is by logic we prove, but by intuition we discover. (Leonardo da Vinci)

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