Overstatement
“Overstatement” 是 state(陈述)加 over-(过度)的名词形式,指夸张或不实的表述。常用于批评政治辞令、广告或日常 rhetoric,如 gross overstatement(严重夸大)。相对 understatement(轻描淡写)构成一对修辞概念。
- “Calling it a disaster is a slight overstatement.” (说这是灾难有点言过其实。)
- “The ad was banned for overstatement about the product’s benefits.” (该广告因夸大产品功效而被禁播。)
- “To be fair, his praise was overstatement, but it boosted the team’s morale.” (公平地说,他的赞扬有些夸张,但提振了士气。)
“Overstatement” 中 state 源自拉丁语 status(陈述),over- 表过度,合为”说得过头的陈述”。
“over-” 表”过度”;state 表”陈述”;“-ment” 为名词后缀,整体即夸大之词。
在英美新闻评论与学术写作中,overstatement 常用来提醒读者区分修辞与事实;法律与广告监管亦关注是否存在 misleading overstatement。
- 动词: overstate
- 反义修辞: understatement
- 固定搭配: “gross overstatement” (严重夸大), “without overstatement” (毫不夸张地说), “overstatement of claims” (夸大说法)
over(过度)+ statement(陈述)→ 说得太过头 → 夸大其词。
“The reviewer smiled and called the chef’s humility an overstatement, given the flawless tasting menu.” (评论家笑着说,考虑到这份无可挑剔的品鉴菜单,主厨的谦虚纯属夸大其词的反话。)