Abating: English term for anesis: adding a concluding sentence that diminishes the effect of what has been said previously. The opposite of epitasis (the addition of a concluding sentence that merely emphasizes what has already been stated. A kind of amplification).
His new job is great, but it keeps him away from his family and friends.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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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.
Either with luck, hope is realized, or with hard work.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Graecismus (gree-kis’-mus): Using Greek words, examples, or grammatical structures. Sometimes considered an affectation of erudition.
There’s a kairos for everything.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Exouthenismos (ex-ou-then-is’-mos): An expression of contempt.
You are a stain.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Epilogus (e-pi-lo’-gus): Providing an inference of what is likely to follow.
They will not live happily ever after. They will be hunted, caught, tried, convicted, and punished. That will be their fate. That is their future. The end.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Distinctio (dis-tinc’-ti-o): Eliminating ambiguity surrounding a word by explicitly specifying each of its distinct meanings.
This “bar” is not a bar of soap, candy, or silver. This bar isn’t named Joe’s Place. It isn’t a tool to pry things loose. It isn’t made of sand. This bar is where we bring our disputes and settle them in accord with principles of justice!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Anastrophe (an-as’-tro-phee): Departure from normal word order for the sake of emphasis. Anastrophe is most often a synonym for hyperbaton, but is occasionally referred to as a more specific instance of hyperbaton: the changing of the position of only a single word.
Perfect, nobody is.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Aschematiston: The use of plain, unadorned or unornamented language. Or, the unskilled use of figurative language. A vice. [Outside of any particular context of use or sense of its motive, it may be difficult to determine what’s “plain, unadorned or unornamented language.” The same is true of the “unskilled use of figurative language.”]
1. I am.
2. It’s time to put the brakes on that tomato–it’s permeating my mind like a frozen pants suit.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
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Ratiocinatio (ra’-ti-o-cin-a’-ti-o): Reasoning (typically with oneself) by asking questions. Sometimes equivalent to anthypophora. More specifically, ratiocinatio can mean making statements, then asking the reason (ratio) for such an affirmation, then answering oneself. In this latter sense ratiocinatio is closely related to aetiologia. [As a questioning strategy, it is also related to erotima {the general term for a rhetorical question}.]
We must buy a more fuel efficient car–maybe a hybrid. Why? Gasoline prices are are rising every week. I’m paying nearly $500 per month just to drive to and from work. Even if fuel prices go down, we’ll still be ahead of the game. No matter what, saving fuel is a good thing.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
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Tagged aetiologia, anthypophora, elocutio, erotema, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, ratiocinatio, rhetoric, style, The Daily Trope
Dicaeologia (di-kay-o-lo’-gi-a): Admitting what’s charged against one, but excusing it by necessity.
A: I got your message. One more promise broken. One more weekend blown off!
B: I’m sorry. Yes, it’s true–one more promise broken. I should’ve told you in my message why I can’t come up. I have poison ivy all over my legs. They’re coated with lotion and they’re so swollen that I can’t drive. In fact, I can hardly walk. I really don’t have a choice about coming up. How about next weekend? I hope the poison ivy will be gone by then.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Diaporesis: Deliberating with oneself as though in doubt over some matter; asking oneself (or rhetorically asking one’s hearers) what is the best or appropriate way to approach something [=aporia].
Many people are asking: “What does Helen want?” Well, Helen wants to know: should she stay or should she go? Come on! I really want to know! Should she stay or should she go?
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
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Articulus (ar-tic’-u-lus): Roughly equivalent to “phrase” in English, except that the emphasis is on joining several phrases (or words) successively without any conjunctions (in which case articulus is simply synonymous with the Greek term asyndeton). See also brachylogia.
Articulus 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 the slower speed of concatenated membra (see membrum) to the quicker speed possible via articulus.
My yard is big, gigantic, huge! I need some sheep to keep it clipped.
Definition and commentary courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Ennoia (en-no’-i-a): A kind of purposeful holding back of information that nevertheless hints at what is meant. A kind of circuitous speaking.
Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Repotia (re-po’-ti-a): 1. The repetition of a phrase with slight differences in style, diction, tone, etc. 2. A discourse celebrating a wedding feast.
1. A. Love’s constancy is the closest thing to Truth that we’ll ever experience here on earth. Here’s to you. For love!
1. B. Love’s constancy guides us like Truth through this jumble of uncertainty called life. Love takes us home. Welcome home! For you! For love!
2. Weddings celebrate and publicize life’s most important promise. Weddings are front-page news–at their best, they boldly headline love’s expectation of lasting passionate goodness that bridges our days and nights together, as together we grow together and go hopefully together into the unknowable unforeseeable future. So, as we participate in this joyful occasion together–as we dance, sing, laugh, drink, eat and talk, let’s never forget this day’s design and carry its memory with us to gauge the beauty and the truth of all of the relationships that we create together, that we maintain together, that we celebrate together.
To love and marriage!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, repotia, rhetoric, style, The Daily Trope
Periergia (pe-ri-er’-gi-a): Overuse of words or figures of speech. As such, it may simply be considered synonymous with macrologia. However, as Puttenham’s term suggests, periergia may differ from simple superfluity in that the language appears over-labored.
The previously considered prior point (i.e., the point-before-the-last point) would utilize its aspects in conjuction with their connection with what came after them subsequently.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Systrophe (si’-stro-fee): The listing of many qualities or descriptions of someone or something, without providing an explicit definition.
Human beings are complicated creatures! How caring, how filled with rage, how attentive, how lost in space, how loyal, how unfaithful, how obedient, how rebellious, how generous, how stingy–how completely dialectical–how vexed, how mercurial!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
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Tagged elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, rhetoric, style, systrophe, The Daily Trope
Ellipsis (el-lip’-sis): Omission of a word or short phrase easily understood in context.
I gave a book to my daughter and my daughter, a book to me!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
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Mesozeugma (me’-so-zyoog’-ma): A zeugma in which one places a common verb for many subjects in the middle of a construction.
Neither hope nor fear could move her; neither bright promises nor beligerent threats.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Diasyrmus (di’-a-syrm-os): Rejecting an argument through ridiculous comparison.
Letting your kids roam the streets at night so they can “learn about life” is like putting herbicides on your garden to make it grow!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged comparatio, composition, diasyrmus, elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, rhetoric, style, trope
Brachylogia (brach-y-lo’-gi-a): The absence of conjunctions between single words. Compare asyndeton. The effect of brachylogia is a broken, hurried delivery.
Love, hate, fear, joy, anger, pity, hope, guilt, disgust–all banging together in his pulsing head. He was flipping out! He needed more than a vacation–he needed a medical leave.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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Tagged asyndeton, brachylogia, composition, elocutio, figures of speech, Gorgias's Weblog, public speaking, rhetoric, style, The Daily Trope
Merismus (mer-is’-mus): The dividing of a whole into its parts.
The USA is made up of states, counties, parishes, townships, towns, cities, neighborhoods & more–so much more!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
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Simile (si’-mi-lee): An explicit comparison, often (but not necessarily) employing “like” or “as.”
He was so closed-minded that trying to get him to change his mind was like trying to push an armored car up a hill with a lawn tractor.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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