The Daily Trope

Ennoia (en-no’-i-a): A kind of purposeful holding back of information that nevertheless hints at what is meant. A kind of circuitous speaking.

The kitchen counter is covered with spillage from your most recent heartfelt attempt to make a figgy pudding (by the way, if I have to listen to any more Bing Crosby Christmas songs, I’m going to pull off my ears and feed them to our neighbor’s Wolf-a-poo).

Anyway, the counter-top cleanser is under the sink. You can see the sponges from where you’re standing, and the scrub brush (just in case) is under the sink too, next to the cleanser. There’s a huge roll of paper towels on the sink too.

But before I go to bed, let’s have some “figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer” and talk briefly about the “good tidings” Bing has supposedly brought us.

Here’s my problem: Bing has been making the “tidings”promise to me for the past 51 Christmases–and so far nothing’s shown up, either glad or sad, and to make things worse, Bing has been dead for awhile. Can he bring tidings from the other side? Maybe I don’t know what a “tiding” is? I’m going to look “tiding” up.

I looked it up!

What’s the point of singing about tidings–giving musical  announcements at Christmas in lieu of something more substantial:  I’d much rather have some cool driving gloves from Santa than an ‘announcement’ from Bing. The way it’s set up in the song, tidings are just an excuse to indulge in figgy pudding and alcoholic beverages. So Bing’s tiding is an excuse to eat a desert cake and down a few hot toddys. I guess that’s ok with me.

Merry Christmas! Good tidings to you (with a side order of cake and rum).

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Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).

Enthymeme (en’-thy-meem): 1. The informal method [or figure] of reasoning typical of rhetorical discourse. The enthymeme is sometimes defined as a “truncated syllogism” since either the major or minor premise found in that more formal method of reasoning is left implied. The enthymeme typically occurs as a conclusion coupled with a reason. When several enthymemes are linked together, this becomes sorites. 2.  A figure of speech which bases a conclusion on the truth of its contrary. [Depending on its grammatical structure and specific word choice, it may be chiasmus].

1. You better take an umbrella. It is raining outside. (Possible implied premises: you want to stay dry.  The umbrella will keep you dry because it is specifically designed to do so [if you use it properly].)

2. If virtue is an ideal that should be pursued, vice should be avoided. (Vice is contrary to virtue.)

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Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.