13. 典故(Allusion)

典故即引用历史故事或有来历出处的词语。典故是人类历史与文化的沉积，是各族人民智慧的结晶，典故是一种语言中最体现文化特征的部分，具有别的修辞方式所无法比拟的文化内涵。

That man is a Jekyll and Hyde. At one time he seems to be the epitome of kindness; at others, he is a sadistic brute.那个人有两副面孔。有时他好像是善良的化身；有时他简直是凶狠的野兽。

Unaware of the Sword of Damocles hanging over her, she pursued her own way.

她没有觉察到达摩克利斯之剑悬在头上的危险，依然自行其道。

14.委婉(Euphemism)

人类在提及某些事件时，由于惧怕、厌恶，避免引起不快等原因设法找到另一词语去填补这个空缺，就创造了委婉语。如：sanitary engineer（清洁工）, footwear maintenance engineer（擦鞋工）, pipe engineer（管道工人）, beautician（理发师）, undertaker（殡仪员）。又如：

“ I used to think I was poor.” she wrote, “Then they told me I wasn’t poor; I was needy. Then they said it was self-defeating to think of myself as needy, that I was culturally deprived. Then they told me deprived was a bad image, that I was underprivileged. Then they told me that underprivileged was overused, that I was disadvantage. I still don’t have a dime--- but I have a great vocabulary. ”

“我过去总认为自己穷，”她写到：“后来他们告诉我说我不穷，我是匮乏的。然后他们说认为自己匮乏有些灭自己的威风，我是被剥夺了文化教育权利的。然后他们告诉我被剥夺了一词形象不佳，我是未享受权利的。然后他们又说未享受权利一词已经用烂了，我是处于弱势的。我还是一个子儿也没有，但我却有了一大堆词儿。”