Litotes

Litotes (li-to’-tees): Deliberate understatement, especially when expressing a thought by denying its opposite. The Ad Herennium author suggests litotes as a means of expressing modesty (downplaying one’s accomplishments) in order to gain the audience’s favor (establishing ethos).

I am honored by this award you have generously bestowed upon me.

My invention of the wind-powered dump truck was a hard-won accomplishment. As you said, it made for savings of billions of dollars on the cost of fuel to the construction industry.

The wind doesn’t blow all the time, but it blows enough to keep those dump trucks rolling most of the time, saving cash and delivering their payloads—from dirt to chert, from asphalt to basalt.

The International Association of Dump Truck Drivers (I.A.D.D.) has always been on my list of favorite service providers, generously conveying every conceivable “fill” across, this, our beautiful land. While I sit comfortably behind my laptop banging out inventions, you’re driving through fair weather and foul weather to backfill and pave and excavate the needs of America’s builders and developers, road paving crews, and more, helping to provide homes for families and roads to every destination in our beautiful land.

So, while I humbly accept this award, I also proudly offer my gratitude to IADD you for all you do everyday to haul America’s hope into its brightly-lit future making possible buildings’ foundations, and roads, and highways, and driveways, and swimming pools, and so much more! Somebody should give you an award!

Thank you for this precious award. I am honored and grateful. When I’m driving home tonight, on a smoothly paved highway, to my house with its swimming pool, I’ll be thinking of you! Again, thank-you.