Tag Archives: figures of speech

Tasis

Posted on December 24, 2013 | Leave a comment

Tasis (ta’-sis): Sustaining the pronunciation of a word or phrase because of its pleasant sound. A figure apparent in delivery.

Today, we pray for a time when charity will-ll-ll-ll prevail-,-,-,-,.  Upon our hearts and in our homes, our cities, our states, our nations, and all-ll-ll-ll around our troubled globe—for peace on earth is-s-s-s peace for us—for you, for me, for one, for all-ll-ll-ll!

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

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Thaumasmus

Posted on December 21, 2013 | Leave a comment

Thaumasmus (thau-mas’-mus): To marvel at something rather than to state it in a matter of fact way.

I had no idea! You’re not my wife?  This isn’t my car? These aren’t my pants? Where did this Barbie Doll come from?  Captain Morgan? I’ve never been in the navy!

Stop the car!  I’m going to be sick!

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

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Tmesis

Posted on December 20, 2013 | Leave a comment

Tmesis (tmee’-sis): Interjecting a word or phrase between parts of a compound word or between syllables of a word.

Thanks for making me a target, Target! So far, I’ve “spent” $11,000 on my Master-hack-it-card.

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

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Topographia

Posted on December 18, 2013 | Leave a comment

Topographia (top-o-graf’-i-a): Description of a place. A kind of enargia [: {en-ar’-gi-a} generic name for a group of figures aiming at vivid, lively description].

The Blue Lagoon

Iceland—nice land! That’s where the Blue Lagoon is. It is at least two acres of water—but not just any water! As its name suggests, it’s blue—turquoise blue—like a lovely liquid pendant set in volcanic stone!

It springs hot.

It’s silky warmth unfurls and curls around the naked flesh below and flashes and splashes the bobbing heads set like shiny little moving speckles on its surface, in the night, under the stars—lit by the small slice of ice-white moon lying low on the horizon, resting on the fuzzy rising steam. 

Iceland—nice land!

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

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Traductio

Posted on December 17, 2013 | Leave a comment

Traductio (tra-duk’-ti-o): Repeating the same word variously throughout a sentence or thought. Some authorities restrict traductio further to mean repeating the same word but with a different meaning (see ploce, antanaclasis, and diaphora), or in a different form (polyptoton). If the repeated word occurs in parallel fashion at the beginnings of phrases or clauses, it becomes anaphora; at the endings of phrases or clauses, epistrophe.

A whole bunch of stuff will happen today that I can’t foresee right now—even though, right now, it’s today.

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

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Tricolon

Posted on December 16, 2013 | Leave a comment

Tricolon (tri-co-lon): Three parallel elements of the same length occurring together in a series.

I Googled. I copied. I pasted.

Got caught. Got accused. Got expelled.

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

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Anesis

Posted on December 16, 2013 | Leave a comment

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)

 

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Appositio

Posted on December 12, 2013 | Leave a comment

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)

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Enantiosis

Posted on December 8, 2013 | 1 comment

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)

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Epanorthosis

Posted on December 6, 2013 | Leave a comment

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)

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Enallage

Posted on November 27, 2013 | Leave a comment

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)

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Charientismus

Posted on November 26, 2013 | Leave a comment

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)

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Diaphora

Posted on November 25, 2013 | Leave a comment

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)

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Adnominatio

Posted on November 21, 2013 | Leave a comment

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.

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Skotison

Posted on November 20, 2013 | Leave a comment

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).

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Epistrophe

Posted on November 15, 2013 | Leave a comment

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)

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Antimetathesis

Posted on October 27, 2013 | Leave a comment

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).

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Colon

Posted on October 25, 2013 | Leave a comment

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).

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Protrope

Posted on October 22, 2013 | Leave a comment

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).

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Paenismus

Posted on October 16, 2013 | Leave a comment

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).

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Aphaeresis

Posted on October 15, 2013 | Leave a comment

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).

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Synaloepha

Posted on October 11, 2013 | Leave a comment

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).

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Inopinatum

Posted on October 9, 2013 | Leave a comment

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.

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Metallage

Posted on October 1, 2013 | Leave a comment

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).

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Mempsis

Posted on September 30, 2013 | Leave a comment

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).

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