| 释义 |
topic, a. and n.|ˈtɒpɪk|
Also 6 topicke, (toopick), 7 topike, -ique, -yc, 7–8 -ick.
[As adj., ad. Gr. τοπικ-ός of or pertaining to τόπ-ος a place (see -ic); local, or concerning τόποι commonplaces. As n., ad. L. topica, a. Gr. τοπικά adj. neuter pl., in τὰ τοπικά, title of a work of Aristotle, lit. matters concerning τόποι commonplaces.
The use of τόπος ‘place’ for a class of considerations which would serve as a ‘place’ in which a rhetorician might look for suggestions in treating his theme, goes back to Isocrates. By Aristotle τόπος was especially appropriated to classes of considerations of a general character, common to many kinds of subjects, the use of which was open to any one dealing with his subject as a rhetorician or dialectician, not with special knowledge, with a view to scientific demonstration. Such were more fully described as κοινοὶ τόποι, loci communes, commonplaces. Aristotle's treatise on probable (as distinguished from demonstrative) reasoning, which started from such general considerations and dispensed with special knowledge, was referred to as τὰ τοπικά; and such general considerations and arguments based thereon as were treated of in that work were called topic axioms, rules, or maxims, topic arguments, or simply topics; sometimes with less, sometimes with more emphasis on the general character of such arguments. (C. C. J. Webb.)]
A. adj.
I.
†1.
a. Pertaining to or of the nature of a ‘commonplace’ (commonplace A. 1) or general maxim. rule topic, a general rule, which may fail to apply in a particular case, so that its application is only probable and not certain: see above. Obs.
1581J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 117 b, You fayle in the rule Topicke: whereby we are taught to apply true proper Causes, to true effectes. And therefore your consequent is faultie. 1589Marprel. Epit. (1843) 18, I marveile upon what topike place this reason is grounded. 1627Wren Serm. bef. King 17 Feb. 26 That's the first, and it is a Topick rule that; particularly applied by him upon this ground, because of the generall Image of God, which is upon a mans brother. 1645Howell Twelve Treat. (1661) 360 The Topique Axiome tells us, that Dolus versatur in universalibus, there is double dealing in universals. 1645Rutherford Tryal & Tri. Faith xxi. 231 Uncertain and topick arguments to conclude a God-head and a golden heaven in the creature. 1650Vind. Dr. Hammond's Addr. §58. 23 Would it not be a strange reply, to say, That this consequence depended on the Authority of a Topick Maxime? The word (Topicke) I suppose to be here prefixt by him upon a designe of diminution, as Topicall is equivalent with probable, and oppos'd to demonstrative. 1653R. Baillie Dissuas. Vind. (1655) 3 Such aerious and Topick arguments can give no strength to a cause.
†b. Containing ‘commonplaces’; topic folio, a commonplace-book. Obs.
1644Milton Areop. (Arb.) 64 To finish his circuit in an English concordance and a topic folio, the gatherings and savings of a sober graduatship, a Harmony and a Catena.
II.
†2.
a. Of or pertaining to a particular place or locality; local. Obs.
1610Holland Camden's Brit. i. 691 These Locall or Topick Gods doe never passe unto other Countries. 1683E. Hooker Pref. Pordage's Mystic Div. 79 That Topic Proverb among the Spaniards, There are two Magicians in Segura, the one Experience, the other Wisdom. 1793J. Hely tr. O'Flaherty's Ogygia II. 195 Solemn conventions..to appease the topic deities.
†b. Med. Of or pertaining to a particular part of the body; designed for external local application.
1601Holland Pliny xxix. vi. II. 364 The places ought before the application of those topicke medicines, to be well prepared with the razour. 1671Salmon Syn. Med. iii. xxvii. 474 Linimentum is a fat topick Medicine.
B. n.
I. Representing Gr. τοπικά. (See note in etymol.)
1. pl. As title of the treatise of Aristotle, or as name for a work of the same nature, or for a set of general rules or maxims.
a1568R. Ascham Scholem. ii. (Arb.) 131 Aristotle..when he had written that goodlie booke of the Topickes, did gather out of stories and Orators, so many examples as filled xv. bookes, onelie to expresse the rules of his Topickes. 1599Nashe Lenten Stuffe D iv, Had I my topickes by me in stead of my learned counsell to assist me, I might haps marshall my termes in better aray. 1603Holland Plutarch Explan. Words, Topicks, That part of logicke which treateth of the invention of arguments, which are called Topi, as if they were places, out of which a man might redily have sufficient reasons to argue and dispute with Pro & contra. 1783Blair Lect. xxxii. II. 180 These Topics or Loci, were no other than general ideas applicable to a great many different subjects, which the Orator was directed to consult, in order to find out materials for his Speech.
fig.1644Bulwer Chiron. 9 For the Hands are those common places and Topiques of nature.
†2.
a. A kind or class of considerations suitable to the purpose of a rhetorician or disputant: passing into the sense ‘consideration’, ‘argument’. Obs.
1634Jackson Creed xi. xxvii. §4 A new topic or frame of arguments which they draw from this. 1652Heylin Cosmogr. ii. 137 Acts of Violence and Force..justified onely by the false Topick of successe. 1662Boyle Seraph. Love (ed. 4) Refl. on Let. 170 When we have employed the loftiest hyperboles, and exhausted all the celebrating Topicks and Figures of Rhetorick. 1669–96Aubrey Brief Lives (1898) I. 170 Judge Richardson harangued against him long, and like an orator, had topiques from the Druides, etc. 1692Bentley Boyle Lect. vi. 179 This first Topic was very fitly made use of by our Apostle. 1719W. Wood Surv. Trade 96 The most general Topick made use of by the Advocates for it, was, That by prohibiting the French Trade, we only hurt our selves. 1756Hume Hist. Eng. II. xxi. 29 These strong topics, in favour of the house of Lancaster, were opposed by arguments no less convincing on the side of the house of York. 1825Scott Betrothed xxviii, Interrupting those tears to suggest topics of hope and comfort, which carried no consolation to her own bosom. 1840J. H. Newman Par. Serm. (1842) V. xxiii. 351 How cold and dreary do all such topics prove, when a man comes into trouble?
†b. A head under which arguments or subjects may be arranged. (This passes imperceptibly into 3.) Obs.
a1661Fuller Worthies, Linc. (1662) ii. 150 What remaineth concerning Mastiffes is referred to the same Topick in Somerset-shire. a1677Hale Prim. Orig. Man. ii. i. 131 These are the Heads of those Evidences of Fact which I shall use in this Argument.., whereunto possibly other occasional Topicks of the like nature may be added. 1705Addison Italy Pref., There are still several of these Topicks that are far from being exhausted. a1806Horsley Serm. (1811) 375 It is a new kind of argument against the truth of a proposition..that it hath been asserted and maintained by wise and good and learned men... This is a new way of managing the topic of authorities.
3. a. The subject of a discourse, argument, or literary composition; a matter treated in speech or writing; a theme; also, a subject of admiration, animadversion, satire, mockery, or other treatment.
1720Swift Intelligencer No. 3 Wks. 1761 III. 363 It is allowed that Corruptions in religion, politics, and law, may be proper topics for this kind of satire. a1768Secker Serm. (1771) VII. xvi. 364 We are much to blame, that we banish religious Topics from our Discourse. 1770Junius Lett. xxxvi. (1820) 172 The sovereign should..not..make them a topic of jest and mockery. 1797Mrs. Radcliffe Italian i, He had exhausted every topic of conversation. 1874Green Short Hist. vi. §4. 308 The New Testament of Erasmus became the topic of the day.
b. Gram. The part of a sentence which is marked as that on which the rest of the sentence makes a statement (comment), asks a question, etc.
Topic sometimes corresponds to subject, but the topic/comment contrast is not necessarily the same as that of subject/predicate.
1958C. F. Hockett Course in Mod. Linguistics xxiii. 201 In English and the familiar languages of Europe, topics are usually also subjects, and comments are predicates. 1972Hartmann & Stork Dict. Lang. & Linguistics 239/1 Some languages, e.g. Japanese, have special particles to mark the topic of the sentence, and for such languages the topic/comment is a more satisfactory analysis than the subject/predicate division. 1976Archivum Linguisticum VII. 123 ‘Topicalization’..will here be used to denote a process of both foregrounding of information..and selection of the ‘topic’ of information, that is a process which singles out certain elements in a sentence and makes them the ‘topic’ on which some ‘comment’ is made. 1979Canad. Jrnl. Linguistics XXIV. i. 42 Topics are created by a rule of Topic Formation, and preposed by a rule of Topic Preposing.
II.
†4. Med. An external remedy locally applied, as a plaster or blister. Obs.
1587Burgh Rec. Edin. 12 Apr. (1882) IV. 489 Ane vlcer..applying thairto toopickis and vtheris emplasteres. 1621Burton Anat. Mel. ii. v. iii. i, Amongst topics or outward medicines none are more precious than baths. 1668Culpepper & Cole Barthol. Anat. man. iii. i. 323 To which part of the Back-bone Topicks are to be applied. 1758J. S. Le Dran's Observ. Surg. (1771) 241 Phlebotomy, and emollient Topicks, are our principal Resources.
†5. App. used as = Gr. τόπος ‘place’. Obs.
1650Fuller Pisgah iv. iii. 60 Their Cities being one of David's Topicks or place where he haunted.
III. Comb., as (sense 3 b) topic-neutral adj.; topic-(and-)comment, (based on) the dichotomy in grammar of topic and comment.
1964E. A. Nida Toward Sci. Transl. iv. 66 It has been found that all languages seem to have something equivalent to subject-predicate constructions. These may in some instances be more aptly termed *topic-comment, but essentially they are very similar from one language to another. 1978Language LIV. 231 He [sc. R. Scollon] then suggests that topic-comment structures themselves may arise from discourse. 1979Amer. Speech 1978 LIII. 279, I think the basic type of openness in human language behavior is that of the topic-and-comment pattern.
1951Mind LX. 541 There are..some forms of inference which can occur only in a restricted field of discourse... There are others, depending on the meaning of what Professor Ryle has called ‘*topic-neutral words’, which can occur in the handling of any kind of subject matter. 1961D. S. Shwayder Modes of Referring iii. 81 A distinguishing use may be more or less topic-neutral. |