A Systematic Study On The Operation Classification Of Figures Of Speech

Knowledge is a complicated system while laws are simple expressions. As a science, rhetoric has its own interior laws. The essential laws of rhetoric are the decoration of each of the speech fields, including grammatical deviations and semantic substitutions. Specifically, they are addition, subtraction, transposition to grammar and substitution to semantics of each speech field. 'The so-called " 修" is to decorate, to perfect; (A Dictionary of International Standard Chinese); to decorate, to beautify; (Advanced Chinese Dictionary). Sounds, words and sentences make up the basic speech fields, where rhetoric often happens and functions. These are what are called in Chinese "辞". The so-called "辞 " is the word, diction, speech, statement; (Advanced Chinese Dictionary); graceful speech; (A Dictionary of International Standard Chinese). Therefore, the so-called rhetoric is to decorate the speech, or the decoration of speech. The meaning of figures of speech in English is the decoration of speech, in which figure means to adorn with a design or figures; (The American Heritage Dictionary).There exists various ways in the classification of figures of speech both at home and abroad. Each has its strong points and rationalities as well as its shortcomings and irrationalities. The way put forward by Group u, Belgium, seems more reasonable because it puts emphasis of classification on the figure of speech. The speech of Group u includes words, sentences, meaning and logic, the figure of speech is realized by suppression, addition, suppression-addition and permutation. In my viewpoint,meaning should not be regarded as an operated field, nor should logic, since meaning exists in sounds, words and sentences. Only through variation in sounds, words and sentences can the meaning undergo changes. Logic exists in sentences, and only through transposition of the inner order of sentences can make the logic undergo changes. In this case, it seems reasonable to suggest that the operated fields of speech put forward by Group should not include "meaning and logic", but only word and sentence are the necessary composing parts. Considering the traditional classification of figures of speech, sound is also a rhetorical field, therefore, the rhetorical field is composed of sounds, words and sentences. The figure devices adopt those of Group , but use different expressions for the convenience of better understanding, thus, the figure devices are addition, subtraction, transposition and substitution. Then, figures should be the addition, subtraction, transposition and substitution in sounds, words and sentences.This thesis is based on the system of figures of speech raised by Group . Through a great deal of analysis and comparison and according to my understanding that rhetoric is the figure of speech, I draw the following outline classification of figures of speech:Addition, subtraction, transposition and substitution make up the figure. Sounds, words and sentences constitute speech. Using the figure to figure the speech is the so-called rhetoric and all the figures of speech are generated by addition to sounds, to words and to sentences; by subtraction to sounds, to words and to sentences; by transposition to sounds, to words and to sentences; by substitution to sounds, to words and to sentences. Thus, the point I want to make here is that figures of speech are generated by the figure of speech. This is not formalism. This is operationalism of rhetoric. In the table here, + refers to addition, - refers to subtraction, - refers to transposition, and -substitution.This thesis falls into four chapters, the following is a brief introduction to each chapter:Chapter I deals with the present classification of figures of speech both at home and abroad. 1. The classification based on similarity. 2. The classification based on operated fields. 3. The classification based on operation devices. 4. The classification based on operated fields and devices. 5. The classification based on similarity, operated fields and devices. 6. The classification bas...