Tag Archives: elocutio

Anesis

Anesis (an’-e-sis): Adding a concluding sentence that diminishes the effect of what has been said previously. The opposite of epitasis.

Kim Jong-un loves basketball and went to school in Switzerland.  Not only that, his mother’s an opera singer, he’s building the Masik Pass Ski Resort, and he enjoys riding roller coasters and watching 4D movies  at Rungna People’s Amusement Park.

Oh, one other thing, he’s also a ruthless dictator who runs a totalitarian state, purges political rivals, and executes them.  Most recently, his Uncle Chang Song-thaek, AKA “Despicable Human Scum.”

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

 

Appositio

Appositio (ap-po-sit’-i-o): Addition of an adjacent, coordinate, explanatory or descriptive element.

My new Livescribe Echo Smartpen, given my severe hearing loss, enables me to record audio on my pen while I’m taking notes, download the audio to my i-Phone, listen to it, and check it against my notes to make sure they’re accurate.

No more asking in meetings “Could you repeat that please?” Together with my Phonak Audéo Q’s, my smart pen has improved my quality of life!

It’s like having a third ear in my hand!

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

Enantiosis

Enantiosis (e-nan-ti-o’-sis): Using opposing or contrary descriptions together, typically in a somewhat paradoxical manner.

Generosity is a good thing, but it can leave you all alone and empty-handed.

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

Epanorthosis

Epanorthosis (ep-an-or-tho’-sis): Amending a first thought by altering it to make it stronger or more vehement.

The future does not exist. Neither does the past. Yet, they are theaters of hope, fear, remorse, happiness and all that is well or unwell as it is inscribed in the meat in our heads–in the brain–the house of joy and pain–but it is not the synapses, the neurons, and the flesh, and the blood that make the brain a home.

NO!

The past and the future are magically manifest spirits haunting our heads with the symbolic scent of life’s meaning and purpose, incarnate in the tongue-cut air blowing between us that bears the pollen of good and evil–that propagates the mind, making minding the address of the home that is nowhere, with no exit, no entrance, no windows, no doors, no roof, no floor, no walls–where WE are never alone, but I am.

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

Enallage

Enallage (e-nal’-la-ge): The substitution of grammatically different but semantically equivalent constructions.

Today, a burst of winter weather is slowing the whole US–from Maine to Montana, from Phoenix to Tallahassee–an icer snower fogger blower.

Now, let’s see what’s happening in your neck of the woods!

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

Charientismus

Charientismus (kar-i-en-tia’-mus): Mollifying harsh words by answering them with a smooth and appeasing mock.

Sure, I broke the bank, but at least I didn’t break your heart, your chachkas, your poodle, or anything else that’s near and dear to you (including me).

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

Diaphora

Diaphora (di-a’-pho-ra): Repetition of a common name so as to perform two logical functions: to designate an individual and to signify the qualities connoted by that individual’s name or title.

This bill is certainly a bill, but it’s not my bill. It’s Bill’s bill! Where’s my bill? Bill, do you have my bill? Where’s Bill? You better find Bill and  bill Bill.  After all, bills are bills, and when the bills are Bill’s, they’re Bill’s bills, not my bills! Now, I want my bill, not Bill’s!!!

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

Adnominatio

Adnominatio (ad-no-mi-na’-ti-o): 1. A synonym for paronomasia [punning].  2. A synonym for polyptoton.  3. Assigning to a proper name its literal or homophonic meaning.

1. You write like you’re using a pig pen.

2. Your empty promises promise to undermine what seemed to me to be a promising career.

3. Headline: “Cocaine Charge Served on Trey”

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

Skotison

Skotison (sko’-ti-son): Purposeful obscurity.

We will never meet again, but we’ll see the sun go down together–one, two, three! Killing time and making history–a fallen dove, an endless mystery.

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

Epistrophe

Epistrophe (e-pis’-tro-fee): Ending a series of lines, phrases, clauses, or sentences with the same word or words.

Your promises are broken. My heart is broken. I wish your nose was broken.

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

Antimetathesis

Antimetathesis (an-ti-me-ta’-the-sis): Inversion of the members of an antithesis.

At the border of hope and fear, fear hopes and hope fears.

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

Colon

Colon (ko’-lon): Roughly equivalent to “clause” in English, except that the emphasis is on seeing this part of a sentence as needing completion, either with a second colon (or membrum) or with two others (forming a tricolon). When cola (or membra) are of equal length, they form isocolon.

Colon or membrum is also best understood in terms of differing speeds of style that depend upon the length of the elements of a sentence. The Ad Herennium author contrasts the slower speed of concatenated membra to the quicker speed of words joined together without conjunction (articulus).

After the so-called “partial” US government shutdown, I bought a plane ticket, packed my bags, and flew to Canada.

Hello Vancouver! Goodbye “Teddy and the Texas Cruza-a-Nuts.”

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

Protrope

Protrope (pro-tro’-pe): A call to action, often by using threats or promises.

If you don’t eat your spinach your ears will fall off and you may have a heart attack! Ha! Ha! Just kidding! Actually, you’ll be grounded for life without parole. Eat the spinach! Now!

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

Paenismus

Paenismus (pai-nis’-mus): Expressing joy for blessings obtained or an evil avoided.

I am blessed: the drugstore is well-stocked with gallon-sized bottles of Malox. Now I’m ready to drink mint-flavored liquid chalk and ride out “Brinky Boehner and the Conserva-Nuts” cacophonus rendition of “Bye Bye American Pie.”

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

Aphaeresis

Aphaeresis (aph-aer’-e-sis): The omission of a syllable or letter at the beginning of a word. A kind of metaplasm.

If you don’t ‘ear me, I can’t say much that’ll ‘fluence you! [ear for hear; fluence for influence]

Or:

Self-conceit ‘dores the looking glass when lights are low, and shadows ‘mooth the wrinkled truth, filling ruts of time. [dores for adores, mooth for smooth]

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

Aganactesis

Aganactesis (ag’-an-ak-tee’-sis): An exclamation proceeding from deep indignation.

You cheated. You lied. You broke my heart. Now, my father’s going to break your legs.

Crawl to hell, you worthless bag of DNA!

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

Synaloepha

Synaloepha (sin-a-lif’-a): Omitting one of two vowels which occur together at the end of one word and the beginning of another. A contraction of neighboring syllables. A kind of metaplasm.

Shutdown, meltdown, showdown, fall down.

Screw up, mess up, give up, throw up.

Up or down, down or up, one thing’s for sure: Those politicians are headed straight t’election day with hell to pay–a debt with no ceiling eternally funding the wages of their sins.

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

Bdelygmia

Bdelygmia (del-ig’-mi-a): Expressing hatred and abhorrence of a person, word, or deed.

“Negotiate” has lost its lustre as politicians shamelessly defame it in their obscene media machinations, as if refusing their cynical call to “negotiate” somehow signifies a Presidential character flaw.

Do we negoitiate with terrorists? No.

Do we negotiate with hostage takers? No.

Do we negotiate with highjackers? No.

We say that it’s a sign of courage to do one’s duty and refuse to negotiate when there’s a metaphorical gun to one’s head.

We say give back “negotiation’s” promising and hopeful meaning so it may further our shared democratic project. Let’s negotiate so that we may fill the political fissure with a common ground wherupon we may charitably pursue the common good.

Put down the gun.

Pick up the phone.

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

Inopinatum

Inopinatum (in-o-pi-na’-tum): The expression of one’s inability to believe or conceive of something; a type of faux wondering. As such, this kind of paradox is much like aporia and functions much like a rhetorical question or erotema. [A paradox is] a statement that is self-contradictory on the surface, yet seems to evoke a truth nonetheless [can include oxymoron].

What exactly does the US House of Representatives represent?

Constipated regularity?

Sincere insincerity?

Adult adolescence?

Who exactly does the US House of Representatives represent?

John Galt?

John Birch?

John Calvin?

John Belushi?

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

Metallage

Metallage (me-tal’-la-gee): When a word or phrase is treated as an object within another expression.

Today, the US finds out what “government shutdown” means.

Here are some possibilities:

Congressional Sabotage

Obamasnare

What Happens in Washington Stays in Bed

Swing Low Sweet Patriot, Your Government’s Going to Carry You Nowhere

Mad Hatter Tea Party Celebrates Un-Government Day

Business as Usual

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

Mempsis

Mempsis (memp’-sis): Expressing complaint and seeking help.

When the US government shuts down tomorrow, the US Congress will be paid as usual and the US military will get government I.O.U.s.

You can’t pay a utility bill with an I.O.U.

We continuously hear from Congress how it owes the military a debt of gratitude.  Clearly, Congress has already gone into default on that debt.

As far as I can see, Congress can pay its biggest debt today by offering the entire US an APOLOGY for failing to govern, and by donating their bloated paychecks to the men and women in uniform who actually deserve to be paid!

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

Anapodoton

Anapodoton (an’-a-po’-do-ton): A figure in which a main clause is suggested by the introduction of a subordinate clause, but that main clause never occurs.

Anapodoton is a kind of anacoluthon, since grammatical expectations are interrupted. If the expression trails off, leaving the subordinate clause incomplete, this is sometimes more specifically called anantapodotonAnapodoton has also named what occurs when a main clause is omitted because the speaker interrupts himself/herself to revise the thought, leaving the initial clause grammatically unresolved but making use of it nonetheless by recasting its content into a new, grammatically complete sentence.

If you think I’m going to shop my head off . . .

Or:

Marriage is always an option–living in a two-person cage, having to share everything, tripping over each other’s dirty clothes, entertaining each other’s friends until one of us dies–an option that seems bleak until you realize that, no matter what, we are here together and that there’s something singularly beautiful about love’s desolation and the spacious emptyness it provides for the negotiation of our otherness in a spirit of endless openness.

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

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Paragoge

Paragoge (par-a-go’-ge): The addition of a letter or syllable to the end of a word. A kind of metaplasm.

Compared to “Mahmoud the Iraniac‘s” tirades against the US, Rouhoni’s overtures and phone call with Obama are encouraging!

Let’s just hope their future meetings aren’t like “Carrying carpets to Kerman” or “Carrying coal to Schuylkill”!

Togther, may they “Carry peace to the world”!

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

Amphibologia

Amphibologia (am’-fi-bo-lo’-gi-a): Ambiguity of grammatical structure, often occasioned by mispunctuation. [A vice of ambiguity.]

I held a meeting in my tank top. 

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

Procatalepsis

Procatalepsis (pro-cat-a-lep’-sis): Refuting anticipated objections.

The opposition believes that our proposal is not warranted by what it believes is moral or by what it believes is practical. We believe, in this particular case, that the opposition’s got it wrong. So wrong, in fact, that their reasoning will take us to a place where none of us want to go be: standing on the side of immorality, mired in a twisted vision of what we should do next, as we waste material and human resources in pursuit of yet another blunder.

Contrary to their vision of what’s expedient and good, our proposal is grounded in what will work and is guided by principles that are pertinent to brining our hoped-for outcome to fruition. All this, without underming our status as a morally sound, reasonable, and forward-looking assembly. In short, our proposal explicitly and prudently assesses the likely pitfalls and prospects that lie ahead, and ecompasses them with a principled and productive plan.

First, as far as our proposal’s practicality is concerned . . .

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