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看来，这位法国人深谙英国人的言语方式（speechway）。这种与Hyperbole构成对立关系的Understatement，其特点是故意轻描淡写，缩小事物的形象、特征、程度、数量或作用等。汉语中将这种修辞方式一并归入“夸张”，英语中的Understatement是一独立的辞格，它的使用往往造成模糊的表意效果和朦胧的话语特征。
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诚然，英国有the home of understatement（曲言之故乡）之誉，其实Understatement在英语国家的作品中畅行无阻，显出独样的魅力。
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2.2.2.4 歧义
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现代语言学的研究表明，英语的词并不是天然的句法单位。换言之，英语的句法单位（unit）是短语或词组，即名词短语、动词短语、介词短语、分词短语、不定式短语等。其中句子的主要单位又首推名词短语和动词短语。相形之下，汉语更偏重以词为最基本的句法成分，短语不仅数量少（无分词短语及不定式短语），而且用法极其有限。因此，我们往往对原句中频频露面的短语语感迟钝，感到棘手。如：
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I am still a beast at bay.
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我现在仍然是海滩上的困兽。
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查Webster’s New World Dictionary，见at bay意思是：with escape cut off; cornered。据此，上句可译：
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我现在仍是一头困兽。
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既然短语和词组是英语主要的句法单位，那么英语歧义句的构成几率就大大超过汉语。模糊，由此而来。雅各布斯和罗森包姆合著的《英语转换语法》一书曾为我们提供了一句六解的例句，可谓创歧义之纪录。原句内涵虽不含戏谑成分，但歧义之多倒给人一种文字游戏的雅趣。
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The seniors were told to stop demonstrating on campus.
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其可能含义是：
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a. The senior were demonstrating and were asked, on campus, to desist.
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高年级学生在示威，上级在校园里要求他们停止示威。
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b. The seniors were demonstrating and were asked to desist on campus (although they could demonstrate everywhere).
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高年级学生在示威，高年级上级要求他们停止在校园示威（但可在他处示威）。
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c. The seniors were demonstrating on campus and were asked to desist.
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高年级学生在校园中示威，上级叫他们停止示威。
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d. People were demonstrating on campus, and seniors were asked to stop them.
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人们在校园中示威，高年级学生被要求去制止他们。
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e. People were demonstrating and seniors were asked, on campus, to stop them.
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人们正在示威，高年级学生在校园中被要求去制止他们。
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f. People were demonstrating and seniors were asked to stop them from doing so on campus (although they could do it elsewhere).
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人们正在示威，高年级学生被要求去制止他们到校园中来示威（但可在他处示威）。
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一句六解，令汉语为母语者始料未及！一句六解，何以成为可能？一是demonstrating前省略了表明所属对象的人称代词，二是句末介词短语on campus在其修饰对象问题上具有较大的游离性，它分别可与句中的were told, stop及demonstrating发生关系。
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2.2.2.5 意识流手法
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