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3 - Rhetorical Devices

from Part I - General Characteristics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2024

Zheng-sheng Zhang
Affiliation:
San Diego State University
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Summary

The rhetorical devices used in a language reflect both its linguistic characteristics and the cultural patterns of its users. Due to the extensive homophony in Chinese, punning is extensively exploited. The predilection for even numbers may account for the fondness for symmetry and parallelism. The special characteristics of Chinese characters naturally lend themselves to clever manipulation of graphic shape. As expected, rhetorical devices are seen more often in public writing such as advertisements and civic banners but less in strictly functional ones like road signs.

Type
Chapter
Information
Chinese Signs
An Introduction to China's Linguistic Landscape
, pp. 23 - 36
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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  • Rhetorical Devices
  • Zheng-sheng Zhang, San Diego State University
  • Book: Chinese Signs
  • Online publication: 29 February 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108979603.004
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  • Rhetorical Devices
  • Zheng-sheng Zhang, San Diego State University
  • Book: Chinese Signs
  • Online publication: 29 February 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108979603.004
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Rhetorical Devices
  • Zheng-sheng Zhang, San Diego State University
  • Book: Chinese Signs
  • Online publication: 29 February 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108979603.004
Available formats
×