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[语言求助] One careless match

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  • TA的每日心情
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    2019-12-18 19:08
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    [LV.2]偶尔看看I

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    发表于 2019-12-13 08:24:37 | 只看该作者 回帖奖励 |倒序浏览 |阅读模式
    ––How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?––


    Logically, a person can be careless, but a match can not be. ( And in my first language Chinese the equivalent or parallel expression is not allowed. You have to speak at least like this: a carelessly thrown match can start ...). But this is a common and economical way in English communication.


    I was wondering when one can use an adjective which is essentially related to mankind to qualify an inanimate concrete noun?


    I have once written “an easy understanding” and similar phrases, but "understanding" is an abstract noun and obviously a human action.

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     楼主| 发表于 2019-12-13 17:50:43 | 只看该作者
    这是一种英语修辞格,叫Hypallage,也叫transfered epithet。是一种常见的书面语和口语都常用的修辞格。但是常见的将修辞格的书限于篇幅都讲不到它。我在英语学习资源区分享了一个资料: 英语修辞格大全,里面讲到了很多我们平时可以见到却不了解的修辞格。
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    发表于 2019-12-14 10:16:29 | 只看该作者
    汉语里这种”不合语法“但意思明了的意会表达,比英语不知多到哪里去了,多到我随便举个例子都会显得挂一漏亿。

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    You are right in terms of the Chinese language at large. I agree. But there again, for the very phrase, I think it's the case I've talked about.  发表于 2019-12-15 09:27
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    发表于 2019-12-15 08:49:56 | 只看该作者
    this subforum is really a lonely one.
    one has to think aloud, talk to oneself, which is what you and I are doing right now

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    於我心有戚戚焉  发表于 2019-12-15 09:29