Tag Archives: figures of speech

Synathroesmus

Synathroesmus (sin-ath-res’-mus): 1. The conglomeration of many words and expressions either with similar meaning (= synonymia) or not (= congeries).  2. A gathering together of things scattered throughout a speech (= accumulatio [:Bringing together various points made throughout a speech and presenting them again in a forceful, climactic way. A blend of summary and climax.])

It’s unfair, unjust, and inequitable! It’s not morally right! It’s cheating! It’s  peddling lies! It’s pedaling on EPO! Lance Armstrong, loser of his own Tour de Farce!

Or

He shoved. He hugged. He closed his eyes. He ran. He stopped. He sat. He listened. He cleared his throat. He tied his shoe. It was a boot. It was a balloon. He woke up. It was his birthday.

Or

We were grateful for the shelter. We trusted the soldiers who had led us there. We prayed for our brothers and sisters who died without warning in the catastrophe’s wake. Gratitude, trust, and prayer drew us together and cradled our grief, and softened the blows of despair.

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

Synzeugma

Synzeugma (sin-zoog’-ma): That kind of zeugma in which a verb joins (and governs) two phrases by coming between them. A synonym for mesozeugma.

Your love’s embryonic desire was smothered by his rage, and your trust, your hope, your promise!

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

Hypallage

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 (see Quintilian).

Can I trust you? Is a mountain a mudflat?

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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.

Here comes Harry–do you think he’s going to harry us again? I wish he’d mellow out!

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

Coenotes

Coenotes (cee’-no-tees): Repetition of two different phrases: one at the beginning and the other at the end of successive paragraphs. Note: Composed of anaphora and epistrophecoenotes is simply a more specific kind of symploce (the repetition of phrases, not merely words).

You’re already covered with tasteless tats! You promised me the bowling ball with your mother’s face on it was the last chapter in the incoherent mess plastered all over your skin! Now Cheepy? Jeez! Your body’s a Rorschach of impulsive mistakes!

You’re already covered with tasteless tats! Poor little Cheepy inked on your hand! I know you feel guilty because you stepped on Cheepy.  If you must do a new tattoo, why not just have “BIGGEST IMPULSIVE MISTAKE EVER” tattooed on your forehead?  It’ll title your skin’s story and give meaning to the mess! Why not? Your body’s a Rorschach of impulsive mistakes!

Go for it!

Oh, wait a minute, putting a caption on your head will de-Rorschach the rest of your skin! Besides, it won’t be an impulsive mistake–it’s even worse–it’ll be a calculated mistake!

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

Antiprosopopoeia

Antiprosopopoeia (an-ti-pro-so-po-pe’-i-a): The representation of persons [or other animate beings] as inanimate objects. This inversion of prosopopoeia or personification can simply be the use of a metaphor to depict or describe a person [or other animate being].

I’m rubber and you’re rubber too! Everything we say bounces around between me and you.

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

Effictio

Effictio (ef-fik’-ti-o): A verbal depiction of someone’s body, often from head to toe.

Note: This figure was used in forensic rhetoric (legal argumentation) for purposes of clearly identifying an alleged criminal. It has often been adapted to poetical uses.

His head was almost perfectly oval–like a giant egg with a face and hair. His ears stuck way out from each side of his head.  If he could wiggle them real fast, he could fly. His shoulders were perpendicular to the ground and his arms looked like bowling pins with hands. He was wearing a T-shirt that said “Makin’ Bacon” with a picture on the front of two pigs making piglets.

His pants were so low-slung that you could see his fruits of the loom flashing in the sunlight as he crossed the street–jaywalking his way toward me, clumping along in a pair of moon boots, circa 1983.

“My God!” I thought,  “It’s the guy I bought the used car from that exploded on my way to the senior prom back in ’85!”

I picked up a rock from the gutter and threw it at him.

Revenge is sweet.

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

Systrophe

Systrophe (si’-stro-fee): The listing of many qualities or descriptions of someone or something, without providing an explicit definition.

What a mower! Fast, big, red, zero-turner.

Grass flies, neighbors applaud, I sing: “Get your mower running, head out on the greensward, looking for adventure in any agrostis canina that gets in my way. I’m going to make it happen–catch the weeds in a blade’s embrace. Buy all of my overhauls at once and properly rusticate! For I’m a true haymeister’s child and I’m born to mow wild, born to mow wild, born to mow wild . . .”

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

Epexegesis

Epexegesis (ep-ex-e-ge’-sis): When one interprets what one has just said. A kind of redefinition or self-interpretation (often signaled by constructions such as “that is to say. . .”).

A beehive’s drones’ sole function is to procreate, that is, they are genetically devoted to perpetuating their species.  Their stingers have morphed into penises. They benignly target the Queen, mate, and make more bees.

Question: Why does the US call its remote-controlled killer aircraft “Drones”?  Answer: because they’re drudges that fly and make a droning sound! But, their sole purpose is to serve King Death.

As a metonymy, calling a flying remote-controlled killing machine a drone is like calling a seat used for executing people an electric chair.

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

Mesarchia

Mesarchia (mes-ar’-chi-a): The repetition of the same word or words at the beginning and middle of successive sentences.

Truth is a picture of hope fulfilled, eternally titled “The End.”

Truth is a parasite attached to your soul, eternally weakening its will to let go.

Truth is a red-eyed pig eternally oinking in the barnyard of your mind.

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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.

If you don’t know the truth, tell the truth.

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

Ecphonesis

Ecphonesis (ec-pho-nee’-sis): An emotional exclamation.

Pat: “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

Terry: “You’re exactly where you belong! You’re lucky your cheap vodka comes in plastic bottles or you’d probably be cut on broken glass and bleeding all over the kitchen floor!”

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

Eutrepismus

Eutrepismus (eu-tre-pis’-mus): Numbering and ordering the parts under consideration. A figure of division, and of ordering.

It’s as easy as one, two, three: 1. Buy it; 2. Use it; 3. Use it again! Batteries not included.*

*Caution: May cause slothfulness, hallucinations, gas, self-loathing, and loss of appetite. Not recommended for use when driving, standing, walking, jumping, swimming, meditating, or consuming alcohol. If you can’t stop using it, call the Better Business Bureau and ask for Pat.

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

Consonance

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.

Sad dreaded bard speaks to my heart–his lamentation sifts through the ashes of my war-torn life–son gone, blood on the wall, twilight beckons, darkness calls. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. How can I believe that God is just?

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

Epergesis

Epergesis (e-per-gee’-sis): Interposing an apposition, often in order to clarify what has just been stated.

When my new Roomba 700, the robo-vacuum, showed up late last night I was slightly alarmed.

At 11:00 pm the doorbell rang. I opened the door and  there there was Roomba, all charged up and sweetly humming on the stoop. I let Roomba in. We had a drink.

It was late.  Roomba put me to bed, and went to work sucking the dirt out of the filthy shag carpet in my man cave.

As Roomba’s sweetly droning hum sent me off to sleepy land, I thought, I love you Roomba, nighty-night.

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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.

I can’t imagine what the world would be like without the internet–if John Lennon were still alive I bet he could write a song about it–

“Imagine there’s no email, push notifications, tweets, or chats:

No emoticons or Facebooks, no stupid threaded gmail spats.

Imagine all the people living face-to-face:

Smelling and touching each other, dancing, and hugging and actually being some place.

I know I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one:

If we shut down the internet the world would be more fun.”

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

Oxymoron

Oxymoron (ox-y-mo’-ron): Placing two ordinarily opposing terms adjacent to one another. A compressed paradox.

We live in a dictatorial democracy.

Our political system is like a supermarket where all the shelves are already stocked by the management and the only freedom that shoppers have is the freedom to choose from what’s already on the shelf–as dictated by the  management.

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

Eucharistia

Eucharistia (eu-cha-ris’-ti-a): Giving thanks for a benefit received, sometimes adding one’s inability to repay.

Thanks for the kidney Uncle Eddy! I owe you my life! There’s no way I’ll ever be able to do the same for you, but if you need a lung or some other body part or organ & I’ve got one to spare, I’m here for you!

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

Antimetabole

Antimetabole (an’-ti-me-ta’-bo-lee): Repetition of words, in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order.

Plant what you can. Can what you plant. You’ll save a bundle at the grocery store!

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

Abbaser

Abbaser [George] Puttenham’s English term for tapinosis. Also equivalent to meiosis: reference to something with a name disproportionately lesser than its nature (a kind of litotes: deliberate understatement, especially when expressing a thought by denying its opposite).

Love: Not bad for a four-letter word!

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

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Exouthenismos

Exouthenismos (ex-ou-then-is’-mos): An expression of contempt.

Your so-called advice is a fatal plague spread by the infectious stench of your speech.

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

Homoioptoton

Homoioptoton (ho-mee-op-to’-ton): The repetition of similar case endings in adjacent words or in words in parallel position.

Note: Since this figure only works with inflected languages, it has often been conflated with homoioteleuton and (at least in English) has sometimes become equivalent to simple rhyme: “To no avail, I ate a snail.”

We have come to the edge of hope. Here we stand, looking ahead toward the steep divide, down a rock-strewn slope. On the upward breeze of sunset’s onset we are inspired by the smell of wild heliotrope. As sunset’s orange shadows start to stretch across the hard terrain, at last, in the day-ending glow we see what we had begun to think was a brutal hateful joke–the chiseled steps of the ancient long-lost stope!  As the stars begin to appear in the humid sky, we fall asleep on billowy beds made of freshened hope. We dream of gold–a snoring band of bliss-filled hyperopes!

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

Antirrhesis

Antirrhesis (an-tir-rhee’-sis): Rejecting reprehensively the opinion or authority of someone.

You keep telling us to stop talking and do something. Instead of telling us to stop talking, why don’t you just shut up? That’s something actually worth doing! Go sit in the corner and send Tweets to your nutty friends, Rand.

Now, let’s continue our discussion. Let’s see . . . where were we?  Mitch, what are your thoughts on furloughing the Coast Guard so we won’t be forced to close the Senate Cafeteria while the sequester’s up and running?  Seems like a classic case of guns vs. butter.  What say, Mitch? Send the Coasties home?

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

Hysterologia

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 climbed up and over (despite the rain and falling rocks) the steep canyon wall so we could reach the tomb ahead of the band of looters who took the lazy trail about six miles up the canyon. We would get there first. We would save the sacred site and, with luck, capture the craven thieves.

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

Metaplasm

Metaplasm (met’-a-plazm): A general term for orthographical figures (changes to the spelling of words). This includes alteration of the letters or syllables in single words, including additions, omissions, inversions, and substitutions. Such changes are considered conscious choices made by the artist or orator for the sake of eloquence or meter, in contrast to the same kinds of changes done accidentally and discussed by grammarians as vices (see barbarism). See: antisthecon, aphaeresis, apocope, epenthesis (example below: the addition of a letter, sound, or syllable to the middle of a word), paragoge, synaloepha.

Those cupcakes are de-cuppa-wuppa-huppa-duppa-licious! Where can I get some more?

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