A Contrastive Study Of Rhetorical Inclinations In English And Chinese

This thesis examines the contrasts between English and Chinese rhetorical inclinations, calling attention to the significant role rhetorical inclinations play in communication. The thesis attempts to provide a systematic exposition of most dominant contrasts of rhetorical inclinations between the two languages, as well as a comprehensive analysis in the causes of such contrasts. From the analysis, a better and clearer view of different characteristics of English and Chinese concerning rhetorical inclinations can be obtained. The findings from the study are supposed to have applications to ESL research, teaching and translation.In Part â…  of this thesis, an introduction to the study is made. In Part â…¡, this thesis traces down the development of English rhetoric as a scholarly interest in China and in western societies and outlines general understandings and main achievements in this area. Theoretical foundation of the research is elaborated in Party â…¢. Part â…£ of the thesis is devoted to an explicit contrastive study upon English and Chinese rhetorical inclinations, with the emphasis falling on the usage of epithets, way of expression, information structure and figures of speech. In Part â…¤, the author explores the reasons of the contrasts from three different perspectives. Based on the previous analysis, significance of the study in relation to English writing and translation are made explicit in Part â…¥, which deserves the attention of students, teachers and researchers. Finally in Part â…¦, the thesis is concluded with some further explanations to the study.