修辞：Irony.ppt

Irony
Irony is a figure of speech that achieves emphasis by saying the opposite of what is meant, the intended meaning of the words being the opposite of their usual sense. (冯翠华,1995: 213)
is the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.
Classifications of Irony: there are two different ways of dividing Irony. The first case is based on the genre, the second case is on the form— a mild form or not.
Generally speaking, Irony can be divided into four categories on the basis of Genre:
1. Verbal Irony (语言倒反)
2. Stylistic Irony (风格倒反)
3. Dramatic Irony (戏剧倒反)
4. Situational Irony (情景倒反)
1. Verbal Irony
What a noble illustration of the tender law of his favored country! — they let the paupers go to sleep! (Dickens)
这是证明他那可爱的国家的仁慈法律的一个多么漂亮的例证!—他们允许穷人睡觉!
b. It is incredible that mere ignorance should have achieved such masterpieces of horror. (H. L. Mencken: The Libido for the Ugly)
很难想象人们仅仅出于无知会搞出这些可怕的杰作。
(masterpieces here means the opposite— the extremely ugly building)
c. After a while, it is the setting of man against man and creed until we are marching backwards to the glorious age of the sixteenth century when bigots lighted faggots to burn the men who dared to bring any intelligence and enlightenment and culture to the human mind.
(John Scopes: the Trial That Rocked the World) (Zhang hanxi Advanced English )
用不了多久,就会出现人与人,宗教与宗教之间的相互争斗,直到我们退回到16世纪那个辉煌的年代,那时偏执的教徒们点燃柴堆活活烧死那些敢于给人类带来智慧、启迪和文明的人。
(glorious here means the opposite —dark)
Background Information
Eighty years ago, in July 1925, the mixture of religion, science and the public schools caught fire in Dayton, Tenn. The Scopes trial -- or "Monkey Trial," as it was called -- dominated headlines across the country. The trial lasted just a week, but the questions it raised are as divisive now as they were back then.