Paregmenon (pa-reg’-men-on): A general term for the repetition of a word or its cognates in a short sentence. Often, but not always, polyptoton.
This victory is our victory. This day is our day. The time has come to seize the future!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, paregmenon, polyptoton, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Exouthenismos (ex-ou-then-is’-mos): An expression of contempt.
You cheated. You lied. You broke my heart. You are vile.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in exouthenismos
Tagged elocutio, exouthenismos, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Dilemma (di-lem’-ma): Offering to an opponent a choice between two (equally unfavorable) alternatives.
Either you made a mistake, or you did it on purpose–either way, you must respond to the accusation.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
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Tagged dilemma, elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Perclusio (per-clu’-si-o): A threat against someone, or something.
If you walk out now–when we need you more than ever–I will make sure that you never see the inside of this house again.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, perclusio, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Pareuresis (par-yur-ee’-sis): To put forward a convincing excuse.
The power went out last night while I was asleep & my alarm clock shut down–that’s why I’m a little late. Sorry. I’m going to put fresh back-up batteries in it when I get home tonight.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, pareuresis, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Enigma (e-nig’-ma): Obscuring one’s meaning by presenting it within a riddle or by means of metaphors that purposefully challenge the reader or hearer to understand.
You always win and always lose when you compete against whom?
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged elocutio, enigma, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Ara (a’-ra): Cursing or expressing detest towards a person or thing for the evils they bring, or for inherent evil.
According to Global Health Reporting.Org, “Malaria, one of the world’s most common and serious tropical diseases, causes at least one million deaths every year–the majority of which occur in the most resource-poor countries.”
The persistence of this disease and the death toll it annually exacts on “at least one million” of our fellow human beings are truly deserving of a depth of anger, a degree of disgust, and yes, a pointed feeling of guilt on our part for failing to demand every day that the world’s leaders allocate the medical and material resources to help those who are stricken, and to eradicate this evil disease from the face of the earth forever.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged ara, elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Apoplanesis (a-po-plan’-e-sis): Promising to address the issue but effectively dodging it through a digression.
You’ve asked me to elaborate on my health care policy, and I will. These questions are good questions and our face-to-face engagement of these pressing issues is one of the best ways to sort out our differences and provide people with a clear-cut avenue of choice. Making choices and . . .
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged apoplanesis, elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Asphalia (as-fay’-li-a): Offering oneself as a guarantee, usually for another.
If my brother can’t come through for you, take it out on me–he’s too young and too idealistic to take that kind of hit.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged asphalia, elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Palilogia (pa-li-lo’-gi-a): Repetition of the same word, with none between, for vehemence. Synonym for epizeuxis.
That was bad, bad, bad!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged elocutio, epizeuxis, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, palilogia, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Mesodiplosis (mes-o-dip-lo’-sis): Repetition of the same word or words in the middle of successive sentences.
We didn’t win today, and I’m not going to give up. Today, we haven’t achieved our highest hopes, and I’m not going to feel disheartened. I am not the winner today, and I’m not going to be the loser tomorrow. It isn’t over yet. There’s a long way to go. We will prevail. We will win.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in mesodiplosis
Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, mesodiplosis, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Hysterologia (his-ter-o-lo’-gi-a): A form of hyperbaton or parenthesis in which one interposes a phrase between a preposition and its object. Also, a synonym for hysteron proteron.
We sent a package filled with her favorite goodies to (with love and affection) our wonderful daughter. We miss her.
Posted in hyperbaton
Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, hyperbaton, hysterologia, hysteron proteron, parenthesis, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Inter se pugnantia (in’-ter-say-pug-nan’-ti-a): Using direct address to reprove someone before an audience, pointing out the contradictions in that person’s character, often between what a person does and says.
You say you’re committed to working on behalf of the American people. Yet, when we look at your voting record, it seems that you consistently support legislation that favors the haves and leaves out the have-nots. The “American people” means all of us. Why divide the American people when you can unite the American people by serving their common interests–pushing for affordable health care, educational opportunities, a healthy environment, and world peace. In short, by pushing for a better future for all of us.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged elocutio, example, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, inter se pugnantia, rhetoric, The Daily Trope, trope
Hypallage (hy-pal’-la-ge): Shifting the application of words. Mixing the order of which words should correspond with which others. Also, sometimes, a synonym for metonymy.
Our starry singing rose to meet the jubilant sky.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhtoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, hypallage, metonymy, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Paenismus (pai-nis’-mus): Expressing joy for blessings obtained or an evil avoided.
I am so thankful that I made no moves in the stock market last week–I was ‘this close’ to selling! Close call!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged elocutio, example, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, paenismus, rhetoric, The Daily Trope, trope
Onedismus (on-e-dis’-mus): Reproaching someone for being impious or ungrateful.
Don’t ask me what I’ve done for you lately! Instead, you better ask what you’ve done for me! How about just saying thanks for once?
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.ed).
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Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, onedismus, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Exuscitatio (ex-us-ci-ta’-ti-o): Stirring others by one’s own vehement feeling (sometimes by means of a rhetorical question, and often for the sake of exciting anger).
How many times do we have to be told “Not yet”? How many times do we have to stand outside in the cold and be told “Wait your turn”? Well, it is your turn–it’s always your turn when truth and justice open the door wide so everybody has a chance to go on through. Let’s call on truth and justice to open that door–let’s hope they come and hold it open so we don’t have to tear it off its hinges!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in exuscitatio
Tagged elocutio, exuscitatio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Mempsis (memp’-sis): Expressing complaint and seeking help.
Something is very wrong and it needs a lot of fixing. You work hard, yet you can’t afford college for your children. You work hard, yet you can’t afford health insurance for your children. In some cases, even though you work hard–maybe even at two jobs–you can’t provide your children with a nice place to live. And what’s worse, you can’t even look your children straight in the eye and say, “Don’t worry, everything’s going to be all right.” Well, the only way to make everything all right–to make it better–is to join together and help me help you make everything all right. In less than a year, with your vote, we can turn things around. The future can be better. I need your help. But, I need your help now. I need to be on that ballot in November if we’re going make everything all right. So, . . .
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged elocutio, example, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, mempsis, rhetoric, The Daily Trope, trope
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.
What are the top three things I can’t even imagine?
Number three: I can’t imagine a world without taxes.
Number two: I can’t imagine what it would be like not to have a credit card.*
Number one: I can’t imagine what it would be like not to imagine what I can’t imagine.
*My 14-year-old daughter just told me she doesn’t have a credit card and she knows what it’s like: I buy her stuff with my credit card.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
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Tagged aporia, elocutio, erotema, inopinatum, paradox, rhetoric, rhetorical question, The Daily Trope
Meiosis (mei-o’-sis): Reference to something with a name disproportionately lesser than its nature (a kind of litotes). This term is equivalent to tapinosis.
We’ve got to cross those mountains to get to California? Hey–they’re just a couple of snow-capped bumps on the trail. Right?
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, litotes, meiosis, rhetoric, tapinosis, The Daily Trope
Medela (me-de’-la): When you can’t deny or defend friends’ faults and seek to heal them with good words.
You’ve got to stop saying things like that–you must, even after all these years, try to find a way to hold your tongue. Your enthusiasm is what we need. What we don’t need are the misdirected outbursts. They don’t help. Go home for awhile, get some rest, spend some quality time with your family, and think it over. We need you, and you’ve always been there when we’ve needed you. We’ll see you in Florida in a little while. Keep the faith. Give my best to your wonderful wife and kids. Get some R&R.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, medela, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
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