【摘要】现代英语有着丰富的夸张修辞。本文探讨了该修辞的来源，同时提出以名词、动词、形容词和副词等构成的夸张修辞句。

【关键词】英语  夸张修辞  起源  表达

Figure of English Speech---Hyperbole

Abstract: The figures of speech in Modern English are exceptionally rich in hyperboles. This paper probes into the origins of hyperboles, presenting extensive words and expressions by means of nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs, etc.

Key Words:  English    Hyperboles    Origins   Expressions

英语的hyperbole 一词来自于希腊Gk hyperbolē (hyper + bolē),

hypebole (hype + bole)，意思是：an exaggerated statement fancifully for the purpose of creating an effect, not meant to be taken literally。前缀（Gk, fr. hyper-more at over）意思是：

①extra- 过度； 过分地， e.g. hypercritical 吹毛求疵的, hypersensitive过敏的。

②supper- 超过；高于，e.g. hyperbarbarous极残暴的, hyperactive活跃的。

③程度上过分的，e.g. hyperacid酸过多的，hyperethsthesia感觉过敏的，等等。

有时hyperbole与metaphor，personification， repetition，climax等多个修辞同时使用。使用好hyperbole，可以将对象描述得淋漓尽致，让读者阅读后产生强烈的共鸣。

英语hyperbole常用名词，请看以下例句：

1） To be, or not to be: That is the question

Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and sorrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing them? To die; to sleep…

William Shakespeare笔下的主人公Hamlet用a sea of troubles来表达他的痛苦。

2） Mountains of rubbish was thrown on the square because of the long strike.把“垃圾” 夸张成“山”那么多。

3） The thirsty stranger swallowed a mile-high ice-cream cone. 显然“冰淇淋”没有“一英里”高。

4） From a single cloud the lightening flashes,

Whilist a thousand isles are illumined around, Earthquake is trampling one city to ashes, An hundred are shuddering and tottering; the sound. Is bellowing underground.

诗人Percy Bysshe Shelley在Liberty中运用夸张来表达自己对自由的渴望. ( An hundred means a number of cities.)

5） The story is as old as the hills. 显然把“故事的历史”夸张得与“山”一样悠久。New York is as old as time. 显然把“纽约的历史”夸张得与“时间”一样悠久。

6） The victims shed floods of tears.“受害者的眼泪” 涌如“洪水”，显然把“受害者”的痛苦描述得淋漓尽致。

7) It is ages since I saw you last time.两个人不可能“几个世纪”没见面，显然表达两个人之间的相思之情。

类似的结构还有：thousands of reasons, heaps of time, oceans of books, the waves as high as the Everest, 等等。

1、英语hyperbole也常用动词，请看以下例句：

8）…In Misery’s darkest cavern known’

        His useful care was ever nigh.

   Where hopeless Anguish poured his groan,

        And lonely Want retire to die.

   “呻吟”像雨一样“倾泻”下来，显然在夸张，但作者Samuel Johnson在诗中运用这一手法，表达他对穷人的怜悯和同情。

9）…For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams

   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

   And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes

   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

“月亮”和“星星”不可能不“反光”和“出现”，显然有些夸张，Edgar Allan Poe在诗中还用了repetition，climax等修辞。

10） I was amazed at the news of his death.  amaze原指stupefaction，这里用来夸张了“吃惊”程度。

11） Filled with fear, the murderer committed suicide. 夸张了“受怕”程度。

12） For gold you sacrifice your fame,

Your honor, life and friend.

You war, you fawn, you lie, you game,

And plunder without fear and shame;

    Can madness this transcend?

Sacrifice原指“奉献”，Gay在戏剧Polly中还用了satire等修辞讽刺那些对金钱的崇拜而不惜牺牲一切的人。

13） His mind was crowded with the detail he observed.  crowd原指“装满”，这里显然有些夸张。

  这样的动词还很多，如：to surprise, to astonish, 等等。

1、英语hyperbole也用形容词和副词，这些词一般要修饰名词、代词或动词等，这样描述的效果会更好。这些词使用得很普遍而常常被忽略，请看以下例句：

14） …So live, that when thy summons comes to join

The innumerable caravan, which moves

To that mysterious realm, where each shall take

His chamber in the silent halls of death,

Thou go out, like the quarry-slave at night…

William Cullen Bryant在他的诗Thanatopsis中描写“…死亡并不可怕，那只不过是（人生）一次不可避免的经历…”。本节中的“商队”再多不可能“数不清”，显然作者在夸张。

15） His desire for money is increasing sharply.

   这样的形容词和副词还有：terribly sorry, awfully thanks, fearfully received, a warm welcome，treat roughly,等等。

2、利用优美的短语、典故、比喻等手段来进行夸张。请看例句：

16) Mary opened the door. Out rushed a rat, which brought her heart into her mouth.

17) Can you spare me some water? I ‘m thirsty to death. 夸张了“口渴”程度。

18) Nothing is difficult if you put your heart into it.

简言之：Hyperbole is the use of a form of words which makes something sound big, small, loud, etc., by saying that it is like something even bigger, smaller, louder, etc.

主要参考书目：

1） 王亿同 《英语词海》国防工业出版社 1991

2） Fred Mednick An introduction to American Literature 河南大学出版社 1958█