英語(yǔ)修辭與寫作·10.2　Zoosemy

10.2　Zoosemy

10.2A　Zoosemy的含義與形式

1） Zoosemy譯作“擬物法”，同擬人法相反，擬物法是把人當(dāng)成物來(lái)描寫，包括描寫成動(dòng)物、植物、無(wú)生命物、抽象概念等。例如：

“A lucky dog you are!” exclaimed Jim.

Terribly hungry, the man wolfed down all the cakes.

Children are flowers of our country.

She found in him model and admiration.

2） 擬物法在形式上同明喻、隱喻一樣，唯內(nèi)容局限于把人物化。試比較：

Ill-gotten wealth is like a palace built on the sand. — Simile

Ill-gotten wealth is a palace built on the sand. — Metaphor

Ill-gotten wealth is but an evil friend. — Personification

His spoilt children are （like） ill-gotten goods that'll never prosper. — Zoosemy

為此，有時(shí)同一個(gè)句子既可以說(shuō)是用了擬物，也可以說(shuō)是用了明喻或隱喻。

10.2B　Zoosemy的使用

1） 擬物法往往含褒義或貶義。前者突出美麗、忠貞、勇敢等優(yōu)秀品質(zhì)，表示敬仰、熱愛(ài)等感情色彩。例如：

O, my love is like a red, red rose,

That's newly sprung in June.

O, my love is like the melody,

That's sweetly play'd in tune.

（Burns）

Like a lion he rushed to meet his foe.

（Homer）

Mr. Smith may serve as a good secretary, for he is as close as an oyster.

2） 表示貶義時(shí)，則是把人同低等或丑惡的東西相比，以示嘲弄、諷刺、鞭撻等。例如：

He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow.

（George Eliot）

That wretch who daily glides through the middle of the forum like a crested serpent, with curved fangs, poisonous glance, and fierce panting, looking about him on this side and that ....

（Patricia Bizzell）

She lives separate from her husband, and talks on platforms; so she's already singled out from the sheep, and, as far as I can see, hasn't much to lose.

（D. H. Lawrence: Sons and Lovers）

3） 有時(shí)擬物法不帶明顯的感情色彩，只是為了更加生動(dòng)、形象。例如：

He slept like a log.

They [prostitutes] are nothing but paper toys, played, ruined, torn, and thrown into the garbage can.

（NBC TV Debate, Feb. 9, 1993）