Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Expression Forms of Hyperbole in Mandarin Chinese

Received: 22 December 2023     Accepted: 6 January 2024     Published: 23 January 2024
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Abstract

This paper focuses on expression forms of hyperbole. In Mandarin Chinese, hyperbole is one of the most regular rhetorical methods which has been observed from the ancient time. Hyperbole as one of the traditional rhetorical devices has been mentioned in WEN XIN DIAO LONG in Chinese Liang of the Southern dynasties. In previous studies, description and explanation of hyperbole are normally from the perspective of pragmatics or cognitive semantics. However, in language usage, different syntactical structures can express the same or similar meanings. As for hyperbole, as long as the semantic combination of components approaches the extreme value, the meaning of hyperbole can be interpreted. The expression forms can be some words, such as some Chinese adverbs “kuai4yao4” (about to) “jiu4yao4” (be going to), “cha4dianr3” (almost), “ji1hu1” (almost), “xian3xie1” (nearly), “jian3zhi2” (simply) and “hao3xiang4” (seem). It also can be some phrases, such as modifier-head construction, subject-predicate construction, verb-complement construction and so on. Some sentences also can express the meaning of hyperbole, such as “lian” sentence, comparative sentence and so on. Even some complex sentences can express the meaning of hyperbole, such as hypothetical complex sentence and sequential complex sentence. Such research perspective can help us find out different forms of hyperbole under the same internal meaning.

Published in International Journal of Language and Linguistics (Volume 12, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijll.20241201.14
Page(s) 27-31
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Hyperbole, Rhetoric, Syntax, Semantics

References
[1] Chen Wangdao. Xiucixue Fanfa. Shanghai: Dajiang Bookstore, 1932.
[2] Zhang Gong. Modern Chinese Rhetoric. Tianjin: Tianjin People Press, 1963.
[3] Wu Shiwen. A Talk on Rhetoric. Shanghai: Shanghai Educational Publishing House, 1982.
[4] Wang Xijie. Chinese rhetoric. Beijing: Beijing Publishing House, 1983.
[5] Li Yunhan & Sheng Yongsheng. Chinese rhetoric. Guangzhou: Guangdong Education Publishing House, 2006.
[6] Xing Fuyi. Modern Chinese. Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2015.
[7] Wu Liquan. Modern Chinese Rhetoric (the fourth edition). Shanghai: Fudan University Press, 2020.
[8] Liu Qian. An Intentional Explanation of Hyperbole: Semiotic Perspective. Foreign Languages in China. 2013, 10(02): 55-60.
[9] Pang Jiaguang & Xu Xiaoyan, On Adaptation of Hyperbole as a Pragmatic Strategy. Language Teaching and Linguistic Studies. 2011, (3): 79-86.
[10] Li Jie. Hyperbole Function of "X bi Y hai W" Construction. Contemporary Rhetoric. 2001, (4): 34-35.
[11] Qi Chunhong. Modal Adverb "Jianzhi" and the Rhetoric Devices of Hyperbole. Journal of Honghe University. 2007, 5(03): 60-63.
[12] Li Zongjiang. The adverb "kuai4" in the sentence of the modern Chinese report. Linguistic Research. 2023, (4): 6-11.
[13] Peng Xinjia & Tao Wen. A usage-based constructionist account of chadianermei VP and chadianer mei VP. Studies of the Chinese Language. 2023, (4): 440-455.
[14] Zhao Chunli & Li Tingting. On the Distributional Verification and Semantic Extraction of the Adverb Jianzhi. HANYU XUEBAO. 2023, 82(02): 32-43.
[15] Yuan Hui. Metaphor. Hefei: Anhui People's Publishing House, 1982.
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  • APA Style

    Shuang, H. (2024). Expression Forms of Hyperbole in Mandarin Chinese. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 12(1), 27-31. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20241201.14

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    ACS Style

    Shuang, H. Expression Forms of Hyperbole in Mandarin Chinese. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. 2024, 12(1), 27-31. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20241201.14

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    AMA Style

    Shuang H. Expression Forms of Hyperbole in Mandarin Chinese. Int J Lang Linguist. 2024;12(1):27-31. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20241201.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijll.20241201.14,
      author = {Hong Shuang},
      title = {Expression Forms of Hyperbole in Mandarin Chinese},
      journal = {International Journal of Language and Linguistics},
      volume = {12},
      number = {1},
      pages = {27-31},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijll.20241201.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20241201.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijll.20241201.14},
      abstract = {This paper focuses on expression forms of hyperbole. In Mandarin Chinese, hyperbole is one of the most regular rhetorical methods which has been observed from the ancient time. Hyperbole as one of the traditional rhetorical devices has been mentioned in WEN XIN DIAO LONG in Chinese Liang of the Southern dynasties. In previous studies, description and explanation of hyperbole are normally from the perspective of pragmatics or cognitive semantics. However, in language usage, different syntactical structures can express the same or similar meanings. As for hyperbole, as long as the semantic combination of components approaches the extreme value, the meaning of hyperbole can be interpreted. The expression forms can be some words, such as some Chinese adverbs “kuai4yao4” (about to) “jiu4yao4” (be going to), “cha4dianr3” (almost), “ji1hu1” (almost), “xian3xie1” (nearly), “jian3zhi2” (simply) and “hao3xiang4” (seem). It also can be some phrases, such as modifier-head construction, subject-predicate construction, verb-complement construction and so on. Some sentences also can express the meaning of hyperbole, such as “lian” sentence, comparative sentence and so on. Even some complex sentences can express the meaning of hyperbole, such as hypothetical complex sentence and sequential complex sentence. Such research perspective can help us find out different forms of hyperbole under the same internal meaning.
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
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    AU  - Hong Shuang
    Y1  - 2024/01/23
    PY  - 2024
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20241201.14
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijll.20241201.14
    T2  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
    JF  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
    JO  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
    SP  - 27
    EP  - 31
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-0221
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20241201.14
    AB  - This paper focuses on expression forms of hyperbole. In Mandarin Chinese, hyperbole is one of the most regular rhetorical methods which has been observed from the ancient time. Hyperbole as one of the traditional rhetorical devices has been mentioned in WEN XIN DIAO LONG in Chinese Liang of the Southern dynasties. In previous studies, description and explanation of hyperbole are normally from the perspective of pragmatics or cognitive semantics. However, in language usage, different syntactical structures can express the same or similar meanings. As for hyperbole, as long as the semantic combination of components approaches the extreme value, the meaning of hyperbole can be interpreted. The expression forms can be some words, such as some Chinese adverbs “kuai4yao4” (about to) “jiu4yao4” (be going to), “cha4dianr3” (almost), “ji1hu1” (almost), “xian3xie1” (nearly), “jian3zhi2” (simply) and “hao3xiang4” (seem). It also can be some phrases, such as modifier-head construction, subject-predicate construction, verb-complement construction and so on. Some sentences also can express the meaning of hyperbole, such as “lian” sentence, comparative sentence and so on. Even some complex sentences can express the meaning of hyperbole, such as hypothetical complex sentence and sequential complex sentence. Such research perspective can help us find out different forms of hyperbole under the same internal meaning.
    
    VL  - 12
    IS  - 1
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Author Information
  • School of Language and Literature, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China

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