Merismus (mer-is’-mus): The dividing of a whole into its parts.
This plan has two key parts: its costs and its benefits. First, let’s take a look at its costs.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Simile (si’-mi-lee): An explicit comparison, often (but not necessarily) employing “like” or “as.”
Truth is like an endless tube of toothpaste–the more you squeeze it, the more you get out of it.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in simile
Tagged comparatio, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, simile, The Daily Trope
Prolepsis (pro-lep’-sis): (1) A synonym for procatalepsis [refuting anticipated objections]; (2) speaking of something future as though already done or existing. A figure of anticipation.
1. They’re going to say we don’t have the competence or depth of commitment to make this plan succeed. Well, we say that we’ve never yet undertaken a project that we didn’t have the brains to carry through to successful completion. We’re not in the business of proposing to do things that we’re unable to do! As far as commitment is concerned–we’ve been at this for the past 5 years, forging ahead and making good things happen for this organization. Given our steady 5-year track record, we don’t think it’s too hard to believe we’re dedicated to the cause and that our resolve is unwavering. Bottom line: same old reservations, same old show them that they’re wrong!
2. The die is cast. There’s no turning back. Tomorrow is tomorrow, but today might as well be tomorrow. It’s all over.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in prolepsis
Tagged elocutio, example, figures of speech, procatalepsis, prolepsis, rhetoric, The Daily Trope, trope
Consonance: The repetition of consonants in words stressed in the same place (but whose vowels differ). Also, a kind of inverted alliteration, in which final consonants, rather than initial or medial ones, repeat in nearby words. Consonance is more properly a term associated with modern poetics than with historical rhetorical terminology.
The Dead Head said, “Bed plus bad equals bead. Wow, like that’s consonance man.”
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in consonance
Tagged alliteration, consonance, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, style, The Daily Trope
Adianoeta: An expression that, in addition to an obvious meaning, carries a second, subtle meaning (often at variance with the ostensible meaning).
During and after my angioplasty she touched my heart in so many ways! I never thought I’d fall in love with a surgeon!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in adianoeta
Tagged adianoeta, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Syllepsis (sil-lep’-sis): When a single word that governs or modifies two or more others must be understood differently with respect to each of those words. A combination of grammatical parallelism and semantic incongruity, often with a witty or comical effect. Not to be confused with zeugma: [a general term describing when one part of speech {most often the main verb, but sometimes a noun} governs two or more other parts of a sentence {often in a series}].
You opened my heart, my front door, and my wallet–now it’s time to open my eyes and see you for what you really are: a teabag filled with sawdust.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Congeries (con’-ger-eez): Piling up words of differing meaning but for a similar emotional effect [(akin to climax)].
Your proposal is unrealistic, dangerous, insulting, immoral, and muddled. In short, it’s ready for the shredder.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in congeries
Tagged climax, congeries, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Alleotheta (al-le-o-the’-ta): Substitution of one case, gender, mood, number, tense, or person for another. Synonymous with enallage. [Some rhetoricians claim that alleotheta is a] general category that includes antiptosis [(a type of enallage in which one grammatical case is substituted for another)] and all forms of enallage [(the substitution of grammatically different but semantically equivalent constructions)].
Tomorrow you are leaving. Tomorrow, you are gone.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in alleotheta
Tagged alleotheta, antiptosis, elocutio, enallage, figures of speech, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Conduplicatio (con-du-pli-ca’-ti-o): The repetition of a word or words. A general term for repetition sometimes carrying the more specific meaning of repetition of words in adjacent phrases or clauses. Sometimes used to name either ploce or epizeuxis.
If one knows the truth, one does not have to like the truth. What’s the difference between liking the truth and knowing the truth? Maybe it’s the difference between freedom and necessity–to be sure one may love a lie (and lying too) & that’s the truth!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in conduplicatio
Tagged conduplicatio, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Epiplexis (e-pi-plex’-is): Asking questions in order to chide, to express grief, or to inveigh. A kind of rhetorical question [–the speaker does not expect an answer].
Yes, it was an accident, but I was driving. I was behind the wheel. Why did we have to go to the store right then? An hour later & she’d still be alive. How am I going to live with this? Can I ever forgive myself? Can I ever forget? How do I turn off the regret and remorse and get on with my life?
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in epiplexis
Tagged elocutio, epiplexis, figures of speech, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Epizeuxis (e-pi-zook’-sis): Repetition of words with no others between, for vehemence or emphasis.
Spend, spend, spend! Bills, bills, bills! We’re broke, but we had a lot of fun getting here! Let’s have a garage sale and buy some lotto tickets with the money we make!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in epizeuxis
Tagged elocutio, epizeuxis, figures of speech, public speaking, rhetoric
Dendographia (den-do-graf’-i-a): Creating an illusion of reality through vivid description of a tree.
The hillside was clearcut, except for one wounded fir tree wobbling in the wind; slowly dying in the bleak twisted mess that used to be a forest.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Apodioxis (ap-o-di-ox’-is): Rejecting of someone or something (such as the adversary’s argument) as being impertinent, needless, absurd, false, or wicked.
What? We need another 40″ TV? Where are we going to put it? In the garage? We already have four TVs. We do not need another one! Forget about it.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Asteismus (as-te-is’-mus): Polite or genteel mockery. More specifically, a figure of reply in which the answerer catches a certain word and throws it back to the first speaker with an unexpected twist. Less frequently, a witty use of allegory or comparison, such as when a literal and an allegorical meaning are both implied.
Marlin: When are you going to give me a break?
Pat: When you break out of your slump and give me something to shout out about! You can do it!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in asteismus
Tagged asteismus, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Sarcasmus (sar-kaz-mus): Use of mockery, verbal taunts, or bitter irony.
Hey, New York–don’t let the bedbugs bite!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Onomatopoeia (on-o-mat-o-pee’-a): Using or inventing a word whose sound imitates that which it names (the union of phonetics and semantics).
I was nearly hypnotized by the windshield wipers’ scrooch-whap, scrooch-whap, scrooch-whap.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Apocarteresis (a-po-car-ter’-e-sis): Casting of all hope away from one thing and placing it on another source altogether.
Ok, so much for the stock market–it’s killing me. I’m cutting my losses once and for all. I’m investing every dollar I’ve got left in–yup–you guessed it: gold! I’m buying shiny-yellow-never-let-you-down gold!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Antisagoge (antis-a-go’-gee): 1. Making a concession before making one’s point (=paromologia); 2. Using a hypothetical situation or a precept to illustrate antithetical alternative consequences, typically promises of reward and punishment.
1. I know it’s a lot of money to spend on a vacation, but it isn’t going to break us. In fact, I ran the numbers & it looks like it’s well within our means. Besides, we’ve never seen a bee farm before! It’ll be educational!
2. You’re going to be applying to colleges this year. You need to plan ahead: Imagine you’re applying for college and the application asks if you have any noteworthy extracurricular achievements. If you go ahead and waste another summer partying at the beach, you’ll have nothing worthwhile to write about. On the other hand, just imagine spending the entire summer helping me–AKA your dear dad–build and sell these really cool cinder block birdhouses I invented. You’ll have something worthwhile to say on that application that may make the difference between being accepted and rejected. Come on. What’ll it be? The birdhouses or the beach? College, or who knows what? It seems like a no-brainer to me. Here’s a drill and a cinder block. Let’s get to work!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in antisagoge
Tagged antisagoge, figures of speech, paromologia, rhetoric, trope
Catacosmesis (kat-a-kos-mees’-is): Ordering words from greatest to least in dignity, or in correct order of time.
From start to finish that was the best soccer match I have ever seen!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in catacosmesis
Tagged catacosmesis, elocutio, example, figures of speech, rhetoric, trope
Thaumasmus (thau-mas’-mus): To marvel at something rather than to state it in a matter of fact way.
I can’t believe how much oil has poured into the Gulf of Mexico since April! Can it really be 12 million gallons? All that oil from one blown-out well? What a disaster!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Paromologia (par-o-mo-lo’-gi-a): Conceding an argument, either jestingly and contemptuously, or to prove a more important point. A synonym for concessio.
Yes–you’re absolutely right. It’s true. I was mistaken. I was mistaken to think that you’re a decent human being! That mistake has been corrected and now it’s time for me to move on. Goodbye.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in paromologia
Tagged concessio, figures of speech, paromologia, rhetoric, The Daily Trope, trope
Hendiadys (hen-di’-a-dis): Expressing a single idea by two nouns [joined by a conjunction] instead of a noun and its qualifier. A method of amplification that adds force. Hendiadys can be considered a specific application of anthimeria, the more general term indicating the substitution of one part of speech for another. Hendiadys [is realted to polysyndeton–it] increases the use of conjunctions in a sentence in the very act of transforming an adjective-noun combination into two nouns. [In addition,] making an adjective a noun changes it from a subordinate to an ordinate or parallel position, inviting one to consider the nouns as related but distinct. Like hendiadys, paradiastole divides out and distinguishes terms normally considered completely consistent with one another.
In the US on the night of July 4th, everywhere the sky will be filled with fireworks and boom!
vs.
In the US on the night of July 4th, everywhere the sky will be filled with booming fireworks!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in hendiadys
Tagged anthimeria, figures of speech, hendiadys, paradiastole, polysyndeton, rhetoric, trope
Chronographia (chro-no-graph’-i-a): Vivid representation of a certain historical or recurring time (such as a season) to create an illusion of reality. A kind of enargia: [the] generic name for a group of figures aiming at vivid, lively description.
Butterflies flutter by. Tree Swallows swallow the sky. It’s humid and hot. The drinks are poured. Summer’s back in town. Time to sit, relax, and look around.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in chronographia
Tagged chronographia, enargia, figures of speech, rhetoric, trope
Anthypophora (an’-thi-po’-phor-a): A figure of reasoning in which one asks and then immediately answers one’s own questions (or raises and then settles imaginary objections). Reasoning aloud. Anthypophora sometimes takes the form of asking the audience or one’s adversary what can be said on a matter, and thus can involve both anacoenosis and apostrophe.
Why am I here? Because I care. Why are you here? Because you care. I care. You care. We care! What are we waiting for? Let’s get this thing cleaned up!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in anthypophora
Tagged anacoenosis, anthypophora, apostrophe, figures of speech, rhetoric, trope
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