Ellipsis (el-lip’-sis): Omission of a word or short phrase easily understood in context.
I woke up in a used crib at the Salvation Army Family Thrift Store. All tucked in. 66 years old. Cold. For sale. I started crying. She called me “Ootsie Wootsie” and hit me with a lamp.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in ellipsis
Tagged crib, ellipsis, elocutio, example, family thrift store, figures of speech, rhetoric, Salvation Army, trope
Thaumasmus (thau-mas’-mus): To marvel at something rather than to state it in a matter of fact way.
Huh? What? OMG! No way! Am I dreaming? It can’t be! There must be LSD in my MU TEA! You actually got me a Father’s Day card? You used your own money? I need to sit down. Call 911. Ha! Ha! Just kidding! Call CNN.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in thaumasmus
Tagged 911, CNN, elocutio, example, Father's Day, figures of speech, LSD, Mu Tea, rhetoric, tea, thaumasmus, trope
Paromologia (par-o-mo-lo’-gi-a): Conceding an argument, either jestingly and contemptuously, or to prove a more important point. A synonym for concessio.
Yes, you’re right! NSA: Big Bad Big Brother. Yes, that’s right, big enough and bad enough to keep you and your loved ones out of harm’s way! You should be grateful.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in paromologia
Tagged Big Brother, concessio, current-events, elocutio, example, figures of speech, NSA, paromologia, politics, rhetoric, trope
Comprobatio (com-pro-ba’-ti-o): Approving and commending a virtue, especially in the hearers.
For the past 35 years you have acted within, and not over, the call of duty. We are neither glad nor sad to see you go. However, it is expected by somebody more important than me that I present you with this dishwasher safe coffee mug inscribed with our corporate motto: “Good Enough is Good Enough.” Thank you for being compliant, courteous, and not a problem. Don’t miss your bus!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in comprobatio
Tagged call of duty, coffee mug, comprobatio, corporate motto, dishwasher, elocutio, example, figures of speech, retirement, rhetoric, trope
Prozeugma (pro-zoog’-ma): A series of clauses in which the verb employed in the first is elided (and thus implied) in the others.
Spring is up north somewhere. Summer, right here in my little yard! Fall, somewhere in the southern hemisphere. Winter, hanging out in Melbourne’s outskirts, freezing kangaroos.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Accismus (ak-iz’-mus): A feigned refusal of that which is earnestly desired.
What? A poodle for Father’s Day? My rêve come true! He must’ve cost a bundle. I can’t let you do this! You’re too generous. Let’s name him Rousseau! Should we have him neutered? Can I take him for a walk?
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in accismus
Tagged accismus, elocutio, example, Father's Day, figures of speech, neutered pet, poodle, rêve, rhetoric, Rousseau, trope
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.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in synathroesmus
Tagged accumulatio, climax, congeries, current-events, elocutio, example, figures of speech, gratitude, justice, Lance Armstrong, politics, prayer, rhetoric, synathroesmus, synonymia, trope, trust
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!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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?
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in hypallage
Tagged elocutio, example, figures of speech, hypallage, metonymy, Quintilian, rhetoric, trope
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!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
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 epistrophe, coenotes 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!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Auxesis (ok-see’-sis): (1) Arranging words or clauses in a sequence of increasing force. In this sense, auxesis is comparable to climax and has sometimes been called incrementum. (2) A figure of speech in which something is referred to in terms disproportionately large (a kind of exaggeration or hyperbole). (3) Amplification in general.
(1) First it was a protest, then it was a revolution, now it is a civil war.
70,000 killed and countless victims living in misery: hungry, horrified and maimed. Where’s the Red Line? In Obama’s head? In the bloodstains on the streets of Damascus? On Satan’s tachometer? Or, on the flatlined puffy faces of the UN’s living dead?
(2) The world’s tribulations churn in whirlpools of misery–from Mali to Manhattan spinning in the wake of speedy Catastrophe: Hell’s flagship luxury liner.
The Brochure: “Powered by Greed and commanded by Captain Temerity! Stow your immortal souls below, cast off all hope, and lose the 21st century! Enjoy the cruise–it lasts for eternity!”
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in effictio
Tagged 1983, cars, effictio, elocutio, example, figures of speech, moon boots, rhetoric, trope
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 . . .”
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in systrophe
Tagged agrostis canina, elocutio, example, figures of speech, greensward, lawn care, lawn mower, nature, outdoors, rhetoric, systrophe, trope, zero-turn
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.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in epexegesis
Tagged bees, death, drones, electric chair, elocutio, epexegesis, example, figures of speech, metonymy, middle-east, rhetoric, trope
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.
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.
If you don’t know the truth, tell the truth.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in enantiosis
Tagged elocutio, enantiosis, example, figures of speech, lies, paradox, politics, religion, rhetoric, style, trope, truth
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!”
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in ecphonesis
Tagged ecphonesis, elocutio, example, figures of speech, food, rhetoric, trope, vodka
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.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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!
Definition and commentary courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
Posted in homoioptoton
Tagged elocutio, example, figures of speech, homoioptoton, homoioteleuton, hyperope, rhetoric, trope
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?
Definition courtesy of Silva Rhetoricae (rhetoric.byu.edu)
Posted in antirrhesis
Tagged antirrhesis, current-events, elocutio, example, figures of speech, politics, rhetoric, social security, trope, Tweet
Congeries (con’-ger-eez): Piling up words of differing meaning but for a similar emotional effect [(akin to climax)].
The new Appple iGod is indestructible, immutable, and runs on pure sweet love beamed from above by iDove. Its media player will supposedly “restoreth your soul” with endlessly looping ambient angelic music available on iHymn for all eternity for only 99¢! Bottom line: like all things Appple, it’s beyond biblical, man! It’s like, hyperousion!
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.
Posted in congeries
Tagged congeries, elocutio, example, figures of speech, hyperousion, rhetoric, trope
The Daily Trope 