The Function of Rhetoric in Language Expression

Rhetoric is a linguistic phenomenon, which is an activity of selecting and processing language materials in a specific language environment to enhance the expression effect. It exists in language activities, not added to the language, not dispensable or sometimes absent from the language. Whether we are aware of it or not, it always exists objectively. Without language, there is no rhetoric. According to the traditional rhetoric classification, we discuss the relationship between negative rhetoric and positive rhetoric and the development of word meaning, and discuss the filtering of word meaning in the two rhetorical structures, which is mainly reflected in the filtering of conceptual meaning, associative meaning and some sememes. It will also discuss the influence of negative rhetoric on the change of meaning range, focus shift and word shape, and how positive rhetoric causes temporary and fixed changes in meaning, and the relationship between rhetoric and meaning.