《英语修辞学》第四章

(2) What does sentence variety aim at? Avoid monotony in one’s speech or writing
“The joy of life is variety.” Samuel Johnson said. So variety of writing or speech is a joy. Without variety, any text can be dull and uninteresting.
Disadvantages: violate the Memory Principle, the longer the sentence is, the greater the burden upon the memory, and the greater the tension.
An occasional periodic sentence is not only dramatic but also persuasive. However, we must remember: used once or twice in a piece of writing, they can be very effective, used any more than that, they can make us sound dull and pompous.
English Rhetoric
Chapter Four The Three Levels of Rhetorical Operations: Choice of Sentences
By Song Pingfeng
Contents of This Chapter
• 1. Classification of sentences • 2. Types of Sentences
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1. Classification of sentences
1.1 Seeking sentence variety
(1) What does sentence variety deal with? Different sentence patterns Varied sentence lengths
2. 1 Simple, compound, complex, compound-complex 2. 2 Declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory 2. 3 Loose, periodic, balanced sentences 2. 4 Long and short sentences
Loose sentence: also called cumulative sentence, is a basic statement with a string of details added to it. It is in much the same way as a painter adds details to an initial sketch. E.g. The best procedure will depend on several factors, none of which can be
Simple sentence : consists of only one clause. The subject or the predicate, or both, may be compound. E.g. The trailer is surrounded by a wooden deck. Advantages: clarity and directness compound sentence: consists of two or more independent clauses related to each other in meaning, and linked by a coordinating conjunction or by a semicolon without a conjunction. E.g. It is nearly half past five, and we cannot reach town before dark. Advantages: help reduce wordiness and relieve monotony
(4) According to the number of words in a sentence, sentences can be grouped into short and long sentence.
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2 Types of sentences
2.1 Grammatical classification:
neglected, namely, the genius of the teacher, the intellectual type of pupils, their prospects in life, the opportunities offered by the immediate surroundings of the school, and allied factors of this sort.
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2.4 According to length:
Average number of words: about 20 ( Hou Weirui) Short sentence: ≦about 10 words Long sentence: ≧20 words
Short sentence
E.g. But if life hardly seems worth living, if liberty is used for subhuman purposes, if the pursuers of happiness know nothing about the nature of their quarry or the elementary techniques of hunting, these constitution rights will not be very meaningful. Advantages: impressive, well-balanced, and stately (formal);
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1.2 Different standards of classification (4 standards):
grammar, function, rhetoric and length
(1) Grammatical classification groups sentences according to how many and what types of clauses they contain. (2) Functional classification groups sentences according to whether they make a statement, ask a question, issue a command, or express an exclamation. (3) Rhetorical classification groups sentences according to where the main idea is located in the sentence.
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2.2 Functional classification:
Declarative sentence Interrogative sentence
Imperative sentence
Exclamatory sentence
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2.3 Rhetorical classification:
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complex sentence: contains one main clause and at least one dependent clause, with a connective word denoting the relation between them.
E.g. Although he wanted the job more than anything else in the world, he knew he had little chance of getting it. compound-complex sentence: contains at least two main clauses and at least one dependent clause----- a combination of a compound and complex sentence. E.g. Sister Lucy tried her best to help Martin, but he was an undisciplined boy who drove many teachers to despair. Advantage: good for a show of eloquence
Advantages: no anticipatory tension for the readers or listeners, easy, simple, natural
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Periodic sentence: is a sentence in which the subordinate idea comes first and the main idea comes last. Periodic sentence is especially useful for creating tension or building toward a climactic or surprising ending.
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Biblioteka Baidu
Balanced sentence: contains two or more main points, which are paired off and are presented in parallel structures so that the parts are equally prominent and mutually supportive. E.g. Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind. Advantages: Balanced sentence is most often used in speeches, because it allows the hearers to get the meaning of the words through repetition in the sentence structure. Besides, the balanced sentence has another effect: creating the impression that the writer is a learned, experienced person whose opinions are worth considering, making the writer more persuasive.
Short sentences are usually emphatic because they are easy to be understood and remembered. Short sentences are suitable for the presentation of important facts and ideas. Therefore, they are often used in advertising, proverbs, signs, et. E.g. Liars should have good memories. (Proverb) No Admittance! (sign) Advantages: Short sentences, if overused, will make the writing sound choppy, jerky, immature and monotonous.