Aetiologia (ae-ti-o-log’-i-a): A figure of reasoning by which one attributes a cause for a statement or claim made, often as a simple relative clause of explanation.
I do not support that candidate, for he misspeaks too much!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Aposiopesis (a-pos-i-o-pee’-sis): Breaking off suddenly in the middle of speaking, usually to portray being overcome with emotion.
10 years from now:
I am appalled that the media would bring up my fifth wife’s allegation that I routinely beat our toy poodle Scruffy with a garden hose! Little Scruffy–poor little guy. He was my best . . . my. . . my best . . . friend. Peachy hated Scruffy almost as much as she hates me!
Scruffy’s gone forever but her lies live on!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Merismus (mer-is’-mus): The dividing of a whole into its parts.
The most advantageous plan has six key ingredients: money, more money, lots more money, money, money, money. Get it? It’s going to take money–a whole lot of money to do it right.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in merismus
Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, merismus, rhetoric, style, The Daily Trope
Simile (si’-mi-lee): An explicit comparison, often (but not necessarily) employing “like” or “as.”
That candidate’s position on unemployment is like a parking lot out in the middle of the desert: empty and useless.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in simile
Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, public speaking, rhetoric, simile, style
Prolepsis (pro-lep’-sis): (1) A synonym for procatalepsis [refuting anticipated objections]; (2) speaking of something future as though already done or existing. A figure of anticipation.
1. They’re going to keep telling you that my economic policies have failed. I’m going to keep telling you that they have failed to adopt my economic policies. How can something that’s never been tried fail?
2. What’s done is done. We are dead, but we will not be forgotten. Onward!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in prolepsis
Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, procatalepsis, prolepsis, public speaking, rhetoric, style
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.
I built my deck. I used my truck. I did the work. I saved some dough.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in consonance
Tagged alliteration, consonance, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, style
Apocarteresis (a-po-car-ter’-e-sis): Casting of all hope away from one thing and placing it on another source altogether.
I thought hard work, intelligence, and honesty counted the most around here! I work hard. I’m smart. I’m honest, and I’m still the lowest paid employee! I can’t stop being smart, but maybe if I stop working so hard and cheat a little things will go better for me. Whoops–that’s not very smart. I think I’ll just quit and go to work where intelligence, hard work, and honesty are actually appreciated.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in apocarteresis
Tagged apocarteresis, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, style
Antisagoge (an-tis-a-go’-gee): 1. Making a concession before making one’s point (=paromologia); 2. Using a hypothetical situation or a precept to illustrate antithetical alternative consequences, typically promises of reward and punishment.
1. There’s no doubt that we’re running out of time, but time is of the essence: we’ll be more likely to get a better deal if we don’t make any concessions until the last possible minute. I think we have at least another two weeks of no, no, no.
2. You want to go to France to visit your friends. Where’s the money coming from? Imagine this: you ask your parents for the money & they refuse to give you a dime: no trip to France. Or, imagine this: you get a part-time job, make some money, and ask your parents to pay for part of your trip: fun trip to France. Which will it be: No work, no France? Or, part-time job, bon voyage?
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Catacosmesis (kat-a-kos-mees’-is): Ordering words from greatest to least in dignity, or in correct order of time.
Years of hard work, months of anguish, days and days and days filled with hope and fear and loss and gain, and today, we stand at the threshold of a promise fulfilled. Tomorrow, we go home.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Thaumasmus (thau-mas’-mus): To marvel at something rather than to state it in a matter of fact way.
Wow! That pile of dirty dishes has to be a world record!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Chronographia (chro-no-graph’-i-a): Vivid representation of a certain historical or recurring time (such as a season) to create an illusion of reality. A kind of enargia: [the] generic name for a group of figures aiming at vivid, lively description.
The air is warming–winding through the sunlight on a hardly breathing breeze. The fresh green field is spangled with a thousand (or more) dandelions. In the dim damp woods Jack is standing in his pulpit among droopy trillium and fiddle headed ferns. There’s a fleck of purple violets growing by the brook! I don’t care what the calendar says–today is spring! Just breathe the air and have a look!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in chronographia
Tagged chronographia, elocutio, enargia, figures of speech, rhetoric
Anthypophora (an’-thi-po’-phor-a): A figure of reasoning in which one asks and then immediately answers one’s own questions (or raises and then settles imaginary objections). Reasoning aloud. Anthypophora sometimes takes the form of asking the audience or one’s adversary what can be said on a matter, and thus can involve both anacoenosis and apostrophe.
We’re hungry. Where should we eat? Rosie’s? Pricewhakers? Barnacle Bob’s? Barnacle Bob’s! That’s it! Barnacle Bob’s! We haven’t had fish in months! It’s right down the street. It’s cheap. What are we waiting for? Let’s go!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in anthypophora
Tagged anacoenosis, anthypophora, apostrophe, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric
Anacoluthon (an-a-co-lu’-thon): A grammatical interruption or lack of implied sequence within a sentence. That is, beginning a sentence in a way that implies a certain logical resolution, but concluding it differently than the grammar leads one to expect. Anacoluthon can be either a grammatical fault or a stylistic virtue, depending on its use. In either case, it is an interruption or a verbal lack of symmetry. Anacoluthon is characteristic of spoken language or interior thought, and thus suggests those domains when it occurs in writing.
What a beautiful spring day–I’m going shopping!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Procatalepsis (pro-cat-a-lep’-sis): Refuting anticipated objections.
You will say it is too expensive. They will say it is impractical. Everybody will say it is unjust. I say it is cheap, easy, and fair. Now, I’m going to tell you why. First . . .
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in procatalepsis
Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, procatalepsis, public speaking, rhetoric
Eucharistia (eu-cha-ris’-ti-a): Giving thanks for a benefit received, sometimes adding one’s inability to repay.
Thank you for saving my dog. There is nothing I can ever do that will be enough to repay your courage and kindness.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Enantiosis (e-nan-ti-o’-sis): Using opposing or contrary descriptions together, typically in a somewhat paradoxical manner.
Love is a burden that carries you.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in enantiosis
Tagged elocutio, enantiosis, figures of speech, paradox, rhetoric, trope
Simile (si’-mi-lee): An explicit comparison, often (but not necessarily) employing “like” or “as.”
Truth is like an endless tube of toothpaste–the more you squeeze it, the more you get out of it.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in simile
Tagged comparatio, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, simile, The Daily Trope
Prolepsis (pro-lep’-sis): (1) A synonym for procatalepsis [refuting anticipated objections]; (2) speaking of something future as though already done or existing. A figure of anticipation.
1. They’re going to say we don’t have the competence or depth of commitment to make this plan succeed. Well, we say that we’ve never yet undertaken a project that we didn’t have the brains to carry through to successful completion. We’re not in the business of proposing to do things that we’re unable to do! As far as commitment is concerned–we’ve been at this for the past 5 years, forging ahead and making good things happen for this organization. Given our steady 5-year track record, we don’t think it’s too hard to believe we’re dedicated to the cause and that our resolve is unwavering. Bottom line: same old reservations, same old show them that they’re wrong!
2. The die is cast. There’s no turning back. Tomorrow is tomorrow, but today might as well be tomorrow. It’s all over.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in prolepsis
Tagged elocutio, example, figures of speech, procatalepsis, prolepsis, rhetoric, The Daily Trope, trope
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.
The Dead Head said, “Bed plus bad equals bead. Wow, like that’s consonance man.”
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in consonance
Tagged alliteration, consonance, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, style, The Daily Trope
Adianoeta: An expression that, in addition to an obvious meaning, carries a second, subtle meaning (often at variance with the ostensible meaning).
During and after my angioplasty she touched my heart in so many ways! I never thought I’d fall in love with a surgeon!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in adianoeta
Tagged adianoeta, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Syllepsis (sil-lep’-sis): When a single word that governs or modifies two or more others must be understood differently with respect to each of those words. A combination of grammatical parallelism and semantic incongruity, often with a witty or comical effect. Not to be confused with zeugma: [a general term describing when one part of speech {most often the main verb, but sometimes a noun} governs two or more other parts of a sentence {often in a series}].
You opened my heart, my front door, and my wallet–now it’s time to open my eyes and see you for what you really are: a teabag filled with sawdust.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Congeries (con’-ger-eez): Piling up words of differing meaning but for a similar emotional effect [(akin to climax)].
Your proposal is unrealistic, dangerous, insulting, immoral, and muddled. In short, it’s ready for the shredder.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in congeries
Tagged climax, congeries, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Alleotheta (al-le-o-the’-ta): Substitution of one case, gender, mood, number, tense, or person for another. Synonymous with enallage. [Some rhetoricians claim that alleotheta is a] general category that includes antiptosis [(a type of enallage in which one grammatical case is substituted for another)] and all forms of enallage [(the substitution of grammatically different but semantically equivalent constructions)].
Tomorrow you are leaving. Tomorrow, you are gone.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in alleotheta
Tagged alleotheta, antiptosis, elocutio, enallage, figures of speech, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
Conduplicatio (con-du-pli-ca’-ti-o): The repetition of a word or words. A general term for repetition sometimes carrying the more specific meaning of repetition of words in adjacent phrases or clauses. Sometimes used to name either ploce or epizeuxis.
If one knows the truth, one does not have to like the truth. What’s the difference between liking the truth and knowing the truth? Maybe it’s the difference between freedom and necessity–to be sure one may love a lie (and lying too) & that’s the truth!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in conduplicatio
Tagged conduplicatio, elocutio, figures of speech, rhetoric, The Daily Trope
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