亦谈双关与歧义

Again on Ambiguity and Pun in Engilsh

本文对刘福长同志的《浅谈英语中的歧义和双关》一文的观点提出异议。首先,类型的多寡不足以区分歧义与双关;而应该说,几乎凡是可能出现歧义的场合,就可能被人们利用来创造双关语。也就是说,双关,即歧义在修辞上的运用。有无语用意图一这,才是双关与歧义的根本区别所在。人类的言语行为应力避歧义,而双关却是人们为了达到某种修辞效果而刻意创造出来的,包括戏剧等对白中的所谓“歧解双关”,因为它们也是剧作家们刻意创造的。

This paper advances its views against those put forward by Mr. Liu Fuchang in his 'OnEnglish Ambiguity and Pun'. First the distinction between the ambiguity and the pun cannot bedrawn by the number of their types, whereas there can be created a pun almost wherever theremay arise ambiguity, i. e. a pun is an exploitation of ambiguity for rhetorical effect. Then themost cardinal distinction between the two lies here:ambiguites should be evaded in human speechwhile puns are always created with a rhetorical intention,including those puns created by drama-tists through misinterpretation in the dialogue.