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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。

  1. “Calling it a disaster is a slight overstatement.” (说这是灾难有点言过其实。)
  2. “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。)
  3. “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。)