Simile and Metaphor: Seemingly Similar

明喻隱喻之差異性

謝健雄(Jian-Shiung Shie)

《大葉學報》 10卷2期 (2001/12) Pp. 61-67

https://doi.org/10.7119/JDYU.200112.0061

摘要

明喻和隱喻是英語裡最常見的兩個修辭格，本文旨在探討此二修辭格之異同。雖然明喻和隱喻均屬譬喻辭，且皆可延伸達數句之長度，作者將提出並說明其二者間類推性質之相當差異。隱喻之喻體和喻依通常較明喻隱蔽。明喻喻體和喻依之類似點一般較隱喻明顯。明喻一定含有喻詞，而隱喻一定沒有喻詞。隱喻是一點或一段英語文，而明喻均由一個句子或子句表達之。隱喻語用上認定喻依即為喻體，而明喻將喻依比擬為喻體。明喻全為詞句本意之運用，而隱喻則不全是。由於上述明喻和隱喻之異質性，作者建議將英語的明喻和隱喻列為兩種修辭格，而不同於若干學者將其合為同一種修辭格。

關鍵字

明喻 ； 隱喻 ； 喻體 ； 喻依 ； 喻詞

並列摘要

This paper explores the similarities and differences between simile and metaphor, the two most common figures of speech in English. Conceded that simile and metaphor are both a figure of comparison which may be extended over a number of sentences, it will be seen in this paper that they differ greatly in their analogical constitution. The metaphoric theme and vehicle are usually more covert than those of a simile. The analogical ground of a simile is normally more explicit than that of a metaphor. A simile always contains a comparison marker, which, by contrast, is invariably absent from a metaphoric expression. In addition, a metaphor is encoded via a segment of discourse, while a simile via a sentence/clause. The metaphoric predication identifies the theme with the vehicle, whereas the simile likens the two. Finally, literal though a simile is, a metaphoric expression always involves nonliteral use of language. In view of all the divergences, this paper suggests that simile and metaphor be treated as two distinct figures rather than being lumped together as one single type of figure of speech.

並列關鍵字

simile ； metaphor ； theme ； vehicle ； comparison marker