FIGURES OF SPEECH AND EXAMPLES

Alliteration: Alliteration refers to the repetition of any particular sound

among words placed close together, in a sentence. These are mainly consonant sounds, but can be vowel sounds too. It is often used as a figure of speech in poetry. "Alliteration, or front rhyme, has been traditionally more acceptable in prose than end-rhyme but both do the same thing--capitalize on chance. . . . This powerful glue can connect elements without logical relationship." The repetition of an initial consonant sound, as in "a peck of pickled peppers." Adjective: alliterative.

Anastrophe: This refers to the inversion of the normal order of speech

in a particular sentence. It can also be said, that the language is interrupted, and speech takes a sudden turn. This is used for the purpose of emphasis. Direct address of an absent or dead person or personified thing. "Anastrophe is an unusual arrangement, an inversion of what is logical or normal, in literature of the words of a sentence, in film of the image, in angle, in focus, and in lighting. It comprises all forms of technical distortion. It is clearly a figure to be used rarely, and it is not always certain if it has the effect intended.

Examples of anastrophe are:

y Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. Edgar Allan Poe, The Tell-Tale Heart (Original Sentence: There was no object. There was no passion. I loved the old man.) Why should their liberty than ours be more? - Adriana, Comedy of Errors, William Shakespeare (Original Sentence: Why should their liberty be more than ours?) God help me!" "Ambition, you're a cruel master!" "Milton! Thou shouldnt be living at this hour: England hath need of thee." "Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art" "Science! True daughter of Old Time thou art!"

Some examples of alliteration are:

y y y y y y Don't delay dawns disarming display. Dusk demands daylight. Sara's seven sisters slept soundly in sand. "You'll never put a better bit of butter on your knife." "Good men are gruff and grumpy, cranky, crabbed, and cross." y "A moist young moon hung above the mist of a neighboring meadow." y "Guinness is good for you." y y y

Anaphora: Anaphora refers to a repetition of one particular word

purposely, at the start of consecutive sentences or paragraphs. This is again in order to emphasize a point. A grammatical term for the use of a pronoun or other linguistic unit to refer back to another word or phrase. Adjective: anaphoric. Anaphora is a type of endophora. Some linguists use anaphora as a generic term for both forward and backward reference. The term forward(s) anaphora is equivalent to cataphora.

Antonomasia: Antonomasia refers to the substitution of a proper name,

with a phrase, which then becomes a way of recognition for the person in question. A rhetorical term for the substitution of a title, epithet, or descriptive phrase for a proper name (or of a personal name for a common name) to designate a member of a group or class. "Antonomasia. This trope is of the same nature as metonymy, although it can not be said to exhibit the idea more vividly. It consists in putting in place of a proper name, another notion which may be either in apposition to it or predicated of it. Its principal use is to avoid the repetition of the same name, and the too frequent use of the pronoun. The most frequent forms of it are, naming a person from his parentage or country; as, Achilles is called Pelides; Napoleon Bonaparte, the Corsican: or naming him from some of his deeds; as, instead of Scipio, the destroyer of Carthage; instead of Wellington, the hero of Waterloo. In making use of this trope such designations should be selected as are well known, or can be easily understood from the connection, and free from ambiguity--that is, are not equally applicable to other well-known persons."

Examples of anaphora are:

y I'm not afraid to die. I'm not afraid to live. I'm not afraid to fail. I'm not afraid to succeed. I'm not afraid to fall in love. I'm not afraidto be alone. I'm just afraid I might have to stop talking about myself for five minutes. - Kinky Friedman, When the Cat's Away Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink ; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink. - Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Rime of the Ancient Mariner "If a man has talent and can't use it, he's failed." "If a man has talent and can't use it, he's failed." "No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously whether she will or will not be a mother." "In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons."

Some examples of this figure of speech are:

y y The King of Pop - Michael Jackson The Bard - William Shakespeare The Dark Knight Batman " The King of Rock" for Elvis Presley "The Great Bard" for William Shakespeare "The Voice" for Frank Sinatra "The Scottish play" for Macbeth

y y y

y y

y "Laws are like sausages; it is better not to see them being made." y

Euphemism: A euphemism is the use of neutral language to remark

something that may be offensive to the receiver. Euphemism is often used by people who are diplomatic, and who wish to be politically correct. The substitution of an inoffensive term (such as "passed away") for one considered offensively explicit ("died"). Contrast with dysphemism. Adjective: euphemistic. "Euphemisms are not, as many young people think, useless verbiage for that which can and should be said bluntly; they are like secret agents on a delicate mission, they must airily pass by a stinking mess with barely so much as a nod of the head. Euphemisms are unpleasant truths wearing diplomatic cologne."

Hyperbole: A hyperbole is a figure of speech used for the

purpose of exaggeration. It mainly forms the basis of several jokes, is used as a way of insults, or could simply be used to dramatize a situation, where in reality, the situation may not be that bad. A figure of speech (a form of irony) in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect; an extravagant statement. Adjective: hyperbolic. Contrast with understatement. "Hyperbole is the polished mirror into which the black imagination gazes with every other rhyme, laughing as it sees itself refracted and distorted in a phantasmagoria kaleidoscope. The language of hyperbole amplifies reality by carrying us beyond the boundaries of rational thought.

Some examples of this figure of speech are:

y I'm so busy trying to accomplish ten million things at once. - I'm trying to accomplish several things at one time. Your dog is so ugly, we had to pay the fleas to live on him. - Here the hyperbole has been used as an insult. Your mama's hair is so short she could stand on her head and her hair wouldn't touch the ground. . . . Your father is so low he has to look up to tie his shoes. You're so low down you need an umbrella to protect yourself from ant piss. I'm so hungry I could eat a goose with its beak! I have told you a million times not to lie! You snore louder than a freight train

Some examples of this figure of speech are:

y y y y y y y y y We have to let you go. Read: You're fired. You're well fed. Read: You're fat. Bun in the oven: Pregnant Between jobs: Unemployed Character line: Wrinkle Batting for the other side: Homosexual Disinformation: Lie Revenue enhancement: Taxes Lose your lunch: Vomit

y y

y y y

Irony: Irony refers to the use of certain words that actually intend to
convey the opposite. Irony forms the basis of sarcasm, and of humor. It is also a way of expressing the ugly truth in a slightly gentle manner. The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; a statement or situation where the meaning is contradicted by the appearance or presentation of the idea. Three kinds of irony are commonly recognized: Verbal irony is a trope in which the intended meaning of a statement differs from the meaning that the words appear to express.

"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room." (Peter Sellers as President Merkin Muffley in Dr. Strangelove, 1964) "Math was my worst subject because I could never persuade the teacher that my answers were meant ironically." (Calvin Trillin) "I'm aware of the irony of appearing on TV in order to decry it." (Sideshow Bob, The Simpsons)

1.

Paralipsis: This figure of speech is used by people who do not wish

to speak on a subject, but still manage to disclose it. A pretended or suggested omission for rhetorical effect, usually introduced by I say nothing of, not to mention, or the like. The rhetorical strategy (and logical fallacy) of emphasizing a point by seeming to pass over it. Also spelled paralipsis. Adjective: paraleptic or paraliptic. Similar to apophasis. "Paralepsis, or Omission, is a figure by which the orator pretends to conceal or pass by what he really means to declare and strongly to enforce.

2. Situational irony involves an incongruity between what is expected or intended and what actually occurs. 3. Dramatic irony is an effect produced by anarrative in which the audience knows more about present or future circumstances than a character in the story.

Some irony examples are:

y Bill Gates winning a computer. - Situational Irony (He is the owner of the world's largest software company.) Having a fight with your best friend just before your birthday, and commenting -"Great, this is just what I needed". - Verbal Irony (It is probably the worst thing that could happen before your birthday.) In Romeo and Juliet, when Juliet is drugged, Romeo assumes her to be dead, and kills himself. Upon waking up Juliet finds him dead, and kills herself. - Dramatic Irony (mainly based on miscommunication and misunderstanding)

Some examples are:

y It would be unseemly for me to dwell on Senator Kennedy's drinking problem, and too many have already sensationalized his womanizing... I will not dwell on the senator's shady history with the criminal underworld, or on her alcoholic son... such issues should not be brought up in a reasoned debate. "The music, the service at the feast, The noble gifts for the great and small, The rich adornment of Theseus's palace . . . All these things I do not mention now." (Chaucer, "The Knight's Tale," The Canterbury Tales)

Metaphor: Used for the purpose of comparison, a metaphor is a

figure of speech that implies the meaning of an object with its reference to another completely unrelated object. A figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between two unlike things that actually have something in common. Adjective: metaphorical. A metaphor expresses the unfamiliar (the tenor) in terms of the familiar (the vehicle). When Neil Young sings, "Love is a rose," "rose" is the vehicle for "love," the tenor. (In cognitive linguistics, the terms target andsource are roughly equivalent to tenor and vehicle.)

Metonymy: Metonymy refers to the use of a phrase regarding

associated concept, in order to describe the actual concept. A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated (such as "crown" for "royalty"). Metonymy is also the rhetorical strategy of describing something indirectly by referring to things around it, such as describing someone's clothing to characterize the individual. Adjective: metonymic.

For instance:
y y The sofa is fertile soil for a couch potato. But my heart is a lonely hunter that hunts on a lonely hill. - William Sharp, The Lonely Hunter "Love is an alchemist that can transmute poison into food--and a spaniel that prefers even punishment from one hand to caresses from another." (Charles Colton, Lacon) "Men's words are bullets, that their enemies take up and make use of against them." (George Savile, Maxims) "A man may break a word with you, sir, and words are but wind." (William Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors) "The rain came down in long knitting needles." (Enid Bagnold, National Velvet) "The streets were a furnace, the sun an executioner." (Cynthia Ozick, "Rosa")

Some metonymy are:

y The 'editorial page' has always believed... - This refers to the belief of the editors who write the editorial page. He writes a fine hand - It means he has good handwriting. "Fear gives wings." (Romanian proverb) "Detroit is still hard at work on an SUV that runs on rain forest trees and panda blood." (Conan O'Brien) The suits on Wall Street walked off with most of our savings. "The B.L.T. left without paying." (waitress referring to a customer)

y y

y y

Oxymoron: An oxymoron uses a contradictory adjective to define an

object, situation or event. A figure of speech in which incongruous or contradictory terms appear side by side; a compressed paradox. Plural: oxymora oroxymorons. Adjective: oxymoronic or oxymoric. Here are some common examples of oxymoronic expressions: act naturally, random order, original copy, conspicuous absence, found missing, alone together, criminal justice, old news, peace force, even odds, awful good, student teacher, deafening silence, definite possibility, definite maybe, terribly pleased, ill health, turn up missing, jumbo shrimp, loose tights, small crowd, and clearly misunderstood. "An oxymoron is formed when two words that don't normally go together are conjoined, creating a compressed paradox. A paradox is interesting because it is false and true at the same time. Paradoxical observations are often extraordinarily thought provoking, helping us see old realities in new ways. Somebody once said--quite wisely--that a paradox is a truth standing on its head to get our attention."

Onomatopoeia: Such words imitate the sounds made by certain

objects or actions. The use of words (such as hiss or murmur) that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to. Adjective: onomatopoeic or onomatopoetic.

Some examples of onomatopoeia are:

y "Chug, chug, chug. Puff, puff, puff. Ding-dong, ding-dong. The little train rumbled over the tracks." ("Watty Piper" [Arnold Munk], The Little Engine That Could) "Brrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinng! An alarm clock clanged in the dark and silent room." (Richard Wright, Native Son, 1940) "I'm getting married in the morning! Ding dong! the bells are gonna chime." (Lerner and Loewe, "Get Me to the Church on Time," My Fair Lady) "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is." (slogan of Alka Seltzer, U.S.) "Plink, plink, fizz, fizz" (Alka Seltzer, U.K.) "Klunk! Klick! Every trip" (U.K. promotion for seat belts)

Oxymoron examples are:

y y y y y y y y Loners club A stripper's dressing room I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous! "The best cure for insomnia is to get a lot of sleep." "We picked a bad year to have a good year." "We have to believe in free will. We have no choice." "That building is a little bit big and pretty ugly." "I want to die young at a ripe old age."

Litotes: This figure of speech refers to the use of understatement, to

affirm a particular situation or event with the use of a negative opposite. "Litotes describes the object to which it refers not directly, but through the negation of the opposite.

Personification: This refers to the art of bringing to life an

inanimate object, trait, or action, by associating it with a human quality Personification is when you assign the qualities of a person to something that isn't human or, in some cases, to something that isn't even alive. There are many reasons for using personification. It can be used as a method of describing something so that others can understand. It can be used to emphasize a point. It is a commonly favored literary tool, and you may in fact use personification without even knowing it.

Examples include:
y He was not unfamiliar with the work of Shakespeare. - He was familiar with the work of Shakespeare. Einstein is not a bad mathematician. - Einstein is a great mathematician. "Now we have a refuge to go to. A refuge that the Cylons know nothing about! It won't be an easy journey." (Battlestar Galactica, 2003) "I am not unaware how the productions of the Grub Street brotherhood have of late years fallen under many prejudices." (Jonathan Swift, A Tale of a Tub, 1704) "for life's not a paragraph And death I think is no parenthesis" (e.e. cummings, "since feeling is first") "The grave's a fine a private place, But none, I think, do there embrace." (Andrew Marvell, "To His Coy Mistress") "Keep an eye on your mother whom we both know doesn't have both oars in the water." (Jim Harrison, The Road Home. Grove Press, 1999)

y y

Examples of personification are:

y y y The picture in that magazine screamed for attention. The carved pumpkin smiled at me. The river swallowed the earth as the water continued to rise higher and higher. Time flew and before we knew it, it was time for me to go home. The ocean waves lashed out at the boat and the storm continued to brew. y y y My computer throws a fit every time I try to use it. The thunder grumbled like an old man. The flowers waltzed in the gentle breeze. Her life passed her by. The sun glared down at me from the sky. The moon winked at me through the clouds above. The wind sang through the meadow.

y y

y y y y

Pun:

Puns refer to the deliberate substitution of similar sounding words,

Rhetoric:

Rhetoric refers to the art of persuasion through effective

to create a humorous effect. The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similarsounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic, homographic, metonymic, or metaphorical language. A pun differs from a malapropism in that a malapropism uses an incorrect expression that alludes to another (usually correct) expression, but a pun uses a correct expression that alludes to another (sometimes correct but more often absurdly humorous) expression. Henri Bergson defined a pun as a sentence or utterance in which "two different sets of ideas are expressed, and we are confronted with only one series of words"

speech. Questions that have an obvious answer are known as rhetorical questions. Such questions are not expected to be answered, as the answer is already known. These are included in persuasive speech. The Three Branches of Classical Rhetoric y deliberative (legislative, to exhort or dissuade) y judicial (forensic, to accuse or defend) y epideictic (ceremonial, to commemorate or blame) Examples of Rhetorical Devices y Onomatopoeia (sounds suggest meaning) y Metaphor (a thing is spoken of as being that which it only resembles) y Syllogism (a logical argument in three parts - two premises and a conclusion which folows necessarily from them) y Irony (deliberate use of words to mean the opposite of their literal meaning) y Allegory (a symbolic narrative) y Isocolon (the use of clauses or phrases of equal length) y Antithesis (words balanced in contrast) y Anaphora (repetition of a word at the beginning of consecutive sentences) y Hyperbole (exaggeration)

For example:
y I bet the butcher the other day that he couldn't reach the meat that was on the top shelf. He refused to take the bet, saying that the steaks were too high. Santa's helpers are subordinate Clauses. A vulture boards a plane, carrying two dead possums. The attendant looks at him and says, "I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger." Kings worry about a receding heir line. I would like to go to Holland someday. Wooden shoe? "Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight" "Look deep into our eyes."

y y

Some examples include:

y If practice makes perfect, and no one's perfect, then why practice? Billy Corgan Why do you need a drivers license to buy liquor when you cannot drink and drive?

y y y y

Simile: A simile is similar to a metaphor. However, here, a reference

between two concepts is made by using the terms 'like' or 'as'. A figure of speech in which two fundamentally unlike things are explicitly compared, usually in a phrase introduced by like or as. Similes can be found just about anywhere; from the printed word to oral conversation; in language, literature, and music. A simile is an analogy that compares two things that are alike in one way. To help you identify a simile, know that the words like or as are always used.

Zeugma: This figure of speech refers to the use of only one word to
describe two actions or events. The word however, logically applies only to one of the actions. A rhetorical term for the use of a word to modify or govern two or more words although its use may be grammatically or logically correct with only one. Adjective: zeugmatic. Rhetorician Edward P.J. Corbett offers this distinction between zeugma and syllepsis: in zeugma, unlike syllepsis, the single word does not fit grammatically or idiomatically with one member of the pair. Thus, in Corbett's view, the first example below would be syllepsis, the second zeugma:

Some simile examples are:

y Because she looks like a flower but she stings like a bee/Like every girl in history. George felt as worn out as an old joke that was never very funny in the first place. "Good coffee is like friendship: rich and warm and strong." "You know life; life is rather like opening a tin of sardines. We're all of us looking for the key." "When Lee Mellon finished the apple he smacked his lips together like a pair of cymbals." "He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow." cute as a kitten, comparing the way someone looks to the way a kitten looks as busy as a bee comparing someones level of energy to a fast-flying bee

For instance:
y y y She opened the door and her heart to the orphan. She lowered her standards by raising her glass, her courage, her eyes and his hopes. She arrived in a taxi and a flaming rage. He carried a strobe light and the responsibility for the lives of his men. You held your breath and the door for me. The addict kicked the habit and then the bucket. He lost his coat and his temper. To wage war and peace

y y

y y y

y y

y y y

Chiasmus:

A figure of speech in which words, grammatical

Apostrophe: A figure of speech in which some absent or nonexistent

person or thing is addressed as if present and capable of understanding. A rhetorical device which is used to directly address an absent or imaginary person or object as if alive and present and could reply. Addressing an abstract idea or nonhuman object, often begins with the exclamation "O" or "Oh"

constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or a modified form. In other words the clauses display inverted parallelism. In rhetoric, a verbal pattern (a type of antithesis) in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first with the parts reversed. Essentially the same as antimetabole. Adjective: chiastic. Note that a chiasmus includes anadiplosis, but not everyanadiplosis reverses itself in the manner of a chiasmus.

These are examples of Apostrophe:

y "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky." (Jane Taylor, "The Star," 1806) "Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own." (Lorenz Hart, "Blue Moon") "Oh! Stars and clouds and winds, ye are all about to mock me; if ye really pity me, crush sensation and memory; let me become as nought; but if not, depart, depart, and leave me in darkness." (Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818) "O western wind, when wilt thou blow That the small rain down can rain?" (anonymous, 16th c.)

These are examples of chiasmus:

y y y He knowingly led and we followed blindly Swift as an arrow flying, fleeing like a hare afraid Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink that they may live.' "Nice to see you, to see you, nice!" "You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget." "In the end, the true test is not the speeches a president delivers; its whether the president delivers on the speeches." y y "I had a teacher I liked who used to say good fiction's job was to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable." "Roll on thou dark and deep blue ocean." from "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" by Lord Byron y y

y y

Antithesis: It is a figure of speech which refers to the juxtaposition

of opposing or contrasting ideas. It involves the bringing out of a contrast in the ideas by an obvious contrast in the words, clauses, or sentences, within a parallel grammatical structure. A rhetorical term for the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases or clauses. Plural: antitheses. Adjective:antithetical. A figure of speech in which sharply contrasting ideas are juxtaposed in a balanced or parallel phrase or grammatical structure, as in "Hee for God only, shee for God in him" (John Milton).

Assonance: The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds in

neighboring words. Adjective: assonant. Resemblance of sound, especially of the vowel sounds in words, as in: "that dolphin-torn, that gong-tormented sea" (William Butler Yeats). The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds, especially in stressed syllables, with changes in the intervening consonants, as in the phrase tilting at windmills.

These are examples of assonance:

y "If I bleat when I speak it's because I just got . . . fleeced." "It beats . . . as it sweeps . . . as it cleans!" "Those images that yet Fresh images beget, That dolphin-torn, that gong-tormented sea." "Flash with a rash gimme my cash flickin' my ash Runnin with my money, son, go out with a blast." "The spider skins lie on their sides, translucent and ragged, their legs drying in knots. "The setting sun was licking the hard bright machine like some great invisible beast on its knees." "A lanky, six-foot, pale boy with an active Adam's apple, ogling Lo and her orange-brown bare midriff, which I kissed five minutes later, Jack." (Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita, 1955)

These are examples of antithesis:

y y y Man proposes, God disposes. "Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing." Goethe "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." Martin Luther King, Jr. y y y y y y Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice Many are called, but few are chosen. "Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing." y "Everybody doesn't like something, but nobody doesn't like Sara Lee." "You're easy on the eyes Hard on the heart." "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." y y y y

Anticlimax: Are figures of speech in which statements or Paradox: A figure of speech in which a statement appears to contradict
itself. Adjective: paradoxical. From the Greek, "incredible, contrary to opinion or expectation." One exhibiting inexplicable or contradictory aspects: "The silence of midnight, to speak truly, though apparently a paradox, rung in my ears" (Mary Shelley). A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true: the paradox that standing is more tiring than walking. ideas descend according to their importance. To put it in simpler words, a serial arrangement of phrases, words or clauses in an order of higher to lower priority. It is usually exciting to find sentences with an anticlimax but they have a negative effect and are a let-down. This occurs when the audience expects a climax that is more entertaining or thrilling. Even in spoken language, you might have often encountered people who speak in a meaningless manner that is contrary to their conclusion and buildup.

These are examples of Anticlimax:

y The Rape of the Lock' by Alexander Pope, liberally uses anticlimax in the following verses: "Here thou, great Anna, whom three realms obey, Dost sometimes counsel take, and sometimes tea." "The holy passion of Friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and enduring a nature that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked to lend money." - Mark Twain. "Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumber on weekends." Woody Allen. "Jones was having his first date with Miss Smith and was utterly captivated by her. She was beautiful and intelligent as well, and as dinner proceeded, he was further impressed by her faultless taste." (Isaac Asimov's Treasure of Humor) The enemies had conquered about three fourth of the Empire and the Emperor realized he didn't have his breakfast.

These are examples of paradox:

y "The swiftest traveler is he that goes afoot." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854)

y y "If you wish to preserve your secret, wrap it up in frankness." (Alexander Smith, "On the Writing of Essays." Dreamthorp, 1854) y "I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love." (Mother Teresa) y "War is peace." "Freedom is slavery." "Ignorance is strength." (George Orwell, 1984) y y y

Antimetaboles: Antimetaboles are figures of speech that you

might have come across a dozen of times in course of a conversation or while reading a piece of literature, but just ignored it as any other phrase or idiomatic expression. An antimetabole refers to two unique arrangements of words in a particular sentence. Here ideas, expressions, or a series of numbers appear in two unique patterns, where the second pattern or order appears in a sequence that is in opposite direction to the first pattern or order.

Enthymeme: It is one of the most frequently used rhetorical devices

in English language that have been in vogue ever since the time of Aristotle. Also called as rhetorical syllogism, this technique employs subtle art of persuasion to engage one's emotions, reasoning, and morals by virtue of rhetoric. It is an informally stated reasoning that deliberately omits one part of the deduction - the premise or the conclusion - and is often based on probabilities, examples, signs or indications. Usually the conclusions are not explicit and at times, it might tax your ability to figure out the hidden connotation behind it. The usage of enthymemes is extensive in humor and is commonly employed in advertorials. All said and done, enthymemes aren't always inexplicit. At times there are major assumptions written largely over it. Enthymeme was first used in Standard English sometime during the early part of 19th century and is still prominently used in our day-to-day life. In simple terms, enthymeme is just an incomplete syllogism.

Examples of Antimetabole:
y "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." "Virtue that transgressed is but patch'd with sin, And sin that amends is but patch'd with virtue." "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." "This man I thought had been a Lord among wits, but, I find, he is only a wit among Lords." "Let us preach what we practice - Let us practice what we preach." "It is not even the beginning of the end but is perhaps, the end of the beginning." "Those of us who have been granted a disproportionate ability to express ourselves may not always have the best selves to express."

y y

Examples Of Enthymeme:
y "With a name like Smucker's, it has to be good." - slogan of Smucker's jams, jellies, and preserves "But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man." Mark Antony from Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar'

"Mark'd ye his words? He would not take the crown. Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious." - (Mark Antony speaking of Julius Caesar

Remember, antimetaboles can only be deemed effective when they make enough sense. If they fail to make sense, they cannot really be considered as antimetaboles. People who believe that they have mastered the art of churning out antimetaboles often come up with phrases or sentences that are very different from what they really imply.

in William Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar') Ed is allergic to foods containing monosodium glutamate, so he cannot eat Chinese food seasoned with it.

Euphemism: This figure of speech can be best defined as coded

words or phrases, which we use to express ourselves when caught in an awkward situation, without sounding uncivil or being downright vague. Euphemism is one figure of speech that camouflages direct, unfriendly or disagreeable expressions with more pleasant and ethically correct words or phrases. The word euphemism originated from the Greek word "euphemia" meaning "the use of words of good omen." They are deemed as secret means or spies on a delicate task, which easily go in the tense environment without making the situation worse. Euphemisms have become a significant part of our everyday conversation as it helps us tackle any offensive situation diplomatically. Examples Of Euphemism Used To Amplify Or Exaggerate y Secretary - executive assistant, personal assistant y School - academy, conservatory y Boss - manager, supervisor, director Euphemisms To Speak Politely And Courteously y Fat - chubby, full-figured, plump, voluptuous, overweight, big boned y Poor - underprivileged, unable to make ends meet, modest, financially embarrassed y Lazy - unmotivated y Bankrupt - in reduced circumstances y Lying - economical with the truth y Lover - gentleman friend y Illegitimate - the wrong side of the blanket y Other Examples Of Euphemism y Politicians don't commit crimes, they 'make mistakes.' y People don't fart, they 'pass wind.' y Married men don't commit adultery, they 'cheat.'

Epithet:

It is a figure of speech that is quite commonly used, but is

considered to be poor writing choice, as most often it doesn't relate to the action at hand. They were more prevalent in epic poems and writings, where proper names and nouns were bolstered with an adjective for a more dramatic and descriptive effect. The epithet is used to denote a certain characteristic in a person or a thing, which the reader can identify with. Epithets were widely used in earlier times to help the reader visualize the characters and bring color and vividness to the narrative. Nowadays, good writings rely on good description rather than on epithets. Epithets were also used as descriptive titles in earlier times like Charles the Bald or Charles the Fat to distinguish the bearers. They were also used as a mark of respect as in Alexander the Great. In contemporary usage, epithets generally carry a negative connotation as in racial epithets.

Examples Of Epithet:
y y y y y y y Sitting by his side, I watched the peaceful dawn. My careful steps reached the attic. Her stifled laughter made everybody nervous. In the face of such a tragedy, his laughing happiness seemed queer. I had reached a delicate corner. The idle road stretched for miles. All I can say is that he had an honest end

Parallelism: It is a rhetorical device that employs back-to-back

verbal constructions in prose or poetry that corresponds in sound, structure, meter, meaning, etc. Besides adding certain symmetry to your writing, parallelism helps accentuate the main ideas and adds force to your expression. In poetry, it encompasses the arrangement of synchronized thoughts and feelings to the effect that the correlation between them is commendably emphasized and the meaning becomes more prominent. The writers, on the other hand, use this rhetorical device to produce sentences in an effective manner, especially when they want to go beyond the obvious, put their thoughts in an appealing way, and present their sentences in different style, rhythm and intensity.

Idioms:

Idioms are ideas, or expressions, forming an integral part of any

Examples Of Parallelism:
y Dhenize hopes to visit his parents and see his old friends when he goes home. She advised me to find some new friends and forget about the event. I have always sought but seldom obtained a parking space near the door. She said that she was having fun but not that she was meeting people. He enjoys playing tennis and working out. They don't mind waiting and talking while you get ready. Having fun is as important as working hard. Sam drives quickly and aggressively Apples are as good for you as oranges.

language and literature as they explain different situations using minimum phrases. Idioms challenge the conventional usage of words which otherwise would have reduced to the literal definitions. But remember that learning idioms is not easy - a casual reading can make those idioms look hilarious and they make the already difficult English language even more intricate. But, you are left with less option as being a master of those complicated idioms is essential to make your language similar to that of the native speakers. Idioms can be learned only by looking at the context and figuring out the hidden meanings of a word. These tricky figures of speech originate from older usages where the literal meaning of the words is somewhat different than what they suggest. Idioms are also effective in replacing a literal word or expression and there are times when they describe a word with its complete shades of meaning

Example Of Idioms In Poetry

y y y y y y y y y y y "A rolling stone gathers no moss" - Something which is in motion does not collect problems. "Curiosity killed the cat" - inquisitive about things can be risky. "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" Healthy and good practices benefit your life.

Examples Of Animal Idioms

y y y Act like an ape - behaving badly, foolishly and wildly Bark up the wrong tree - selecting the wrong course of way In the doghouse - In disfavour or in disgrace

Examples Of Idioms For Kids

y y y "Hat trick" - Scoring successively three times in a sport "Fill someone's shoes" - Get someone else's place. "The fat's in the fire" - The damage is already complete.

Synecdoche:

The term 'synecdoche' might seem unfamiliar but you

Understatement:

It is a figure of speech in which there is a

would've surely come across such words or sentences in written text. It can be defined as a figure of speech where part of a sentence describes the entirety. The usage of synecdoche, thus, emphasizes a sentence delivering the right context and embellishing the literary work. In addition to this, synecdoches also add variation, elegance, floweriness and present the language luxuriously. Depending upon where it is portrayed, either a part or the whole of the synecdoche is used to describe certain forms of poetry or instances in literature. Once you have a clear idea of what the words indicate then its significance becomes more evident.

contrast between the description and reality. As such, understatement can be used to reflect modesty, sarcasm, derogatory or complimentary tone. Understatement literally refers to what is not being said. In short, the gravity of the statement is undervalued. Consider this example. In David Edding's 'The Tamuli', Emperor Sarabian refers to a hurricane as "a light breeze", the loss of half his fleet as "a minor inconvenience", the imminent collapse of his empire as "some civil unrest." The Tamulis, according to the novel, have a tendency towards extreme politeness, which makes them understate every serious thing so as not to offend. The meaning of the understatement changes according to the context. Understatement is an important rhetorical device that is just the opposite of hyperbole. In hyperbole, everything is overblown, while in understatement the strength of the statement is considerably lessened.

Examples Of Synecdoche:
y y y y y y y y y The ship was lost with all hands. (sailors) His parents bought him a new set of wheels. (new car) He has many mouths to feed. (to look after many) White hair. (elderly people) 9/11 tragedy. White-collar criminals. Lend me your ears. All hands on deck "The rustler bragged he'd absconded with five hundred head of longhorns." (Both 'head' and 'longhorns' are parts of cattle representing them as wholes). "He shall think differently," the musketeer threatened, "When he feels the point of my steel." ('Steel' refers to sword in this context).

Examples Of Understatement:
y y y y y "It's a bit yellow" - while describing a very yellow canary. "There is some music by Beethoven in his Ninth Symphony" - while describing Beethoven's famous work. "The desert is sometimes dry and sandy" - While describing the driest desert in the world. "It is just a little cool today" - when the temperature outside is 5 below zero. "The food was tolerable" - on the food that was prepared by the best chef in the world. "You have this wonderfully evocative way about you, Luke, of reducing the most excruciatingly uncomfortable circumstances to the merely mundane." - In 'Splinter of the Mind's Eye'. Dhein: "I lost my temper." - In 'Emperor Mage', when Dhein finds out that her teacher was killed, she resurrects an army of dinosaur skeletons, sets half of the killer's imperial palace on fire, destroys the other half, and sets a pack of angry hyenas on him.

Others Synecdoches:
y

In Literature:

Antecedents:

There are certain sets of rules in grammar that you

Symbolism: Alfred North Whitehead once said, 'Symbolism is no

mere idle, fancy or corrupt degeneration; it is inherent in the very texture of human life'. The use of symbols has been employed since ancient times by various groups of people in the fields of art, literature, science, mathematics, religion, philosophy, dream interpretation, health etc.

have to follow in order to ensure right usage of the language. Antecedents, with which you might be quite familiar, assist you in framing sentences on your own. Antecedents can be understood as words, phrases or even clauses that have been substituted with pronouns. In a sentence, pronouns are used to avoid the repetitive usage of the subject and in order to make the sentence simpler and presentable. This article helps you develop a clear understanding of the manner in which antecedents are clearly distinguished from pronouns. After going through the article, work out unsolved exercises of antecedents and make sure you get you basics clear and firm. Antecedents are concepts that are simple to absorb and rather easy to use, with ample practice. Usually, negative scenarios arise due to the miss-match of the pronouns and the antecedents.

Examples of Antecedent Pronoun: Agreement

A pronoun, while substituting its noun, has to cater to the antecedent by keeping intact the following entities. y Person: It refers to maintain the quality of being throughout the sentence. y Number: This entity distinguishes between the singular and plural quantities mentioned in the sentences. y Gender: Describes whether the subject is masculine or feminine.

Some Other Examples

y Students in on-line classes have to be organized to keep up with their assignments. Antecedent: Students Pronoun: Their School psychologists note the importance for every student to express his/her emotions. Antecedent: student Pronoun: his/her

Examples Of Symbolism: Dream Analysis What is the first thing that comes to mind when you say symbolism in dreams? Today's generation would definitely relate it to the movie 'Inception'. The analysis and interpretation of dreams has become quite a rage, owing to the various dimensions that it opens out to. A small fragment of the visualization, such as a person, scenery, relationship, activity or event, is sufficient to figure out the association that it has with various hidden meanings. For example, when recorded and remembered correctly, if a person envisions abandonment in the dream then it is supposed to signify leaving behind past feelings. Someone once said that dreams are ways of 'transferring symbols from one consciousness to another and meet parts of ourselves that we never considered possible'. Dream analysis is said to be one of the most progressive types of symbolism study or semiotics. The Meaning Of Art It is not surprising to watch art lovers stare at paintings or sketches for hours together! This is all because the artist includes a range of symbols in an abstract form to convey an emotion or a message. Different artists have different techniques, but what results from the piece of work is entirely up to the mind of the observer. Consider a painting which shows the shadow of an individual i.e. an art work in the form of 'light' and 'dark' shades. This can be understood as a dualistic and divided mind that a single person can possess, underneath his superficial self. Simple lighting and colours are effective in symbolizing certain hidden meanings and deeper feelings. Paintings with mathematical representations of the x and y axis are symbolic of symmetry and working in harmony with nature.

Adjunctions:

Is fun to play with and can be a single word, a

Tautology: is one of the key figures of speech and hence, it is

important to know what the word signifies. Tautology is the redundant or pointless use of words, which effectually delivers the same meaning. In other words, it can be defined as the term used for retelling the same thing by using different words and phrases. At times, it is used to emphasize on something. However, at times, it can be inadvertent. Henry Fowler, a lexicographer describes tautology as, "saying exactly the same factor twice". Reiteration of words was a common trend during the 19th century, where writers deliberately used it as a literary tool. Many 19th century writers and poets exploited this literary device to highlight important points, convey important message, and spruce up the beauty of their literary work.

phrase or a clause. Adjuncts have adverbial functions and are used to describe time, place or location - meditative, casual, instrumental or conditional. Adjunctions are extra nuclear - they are added or joined to a well-phrased sentence to enhance its meaning. But then, it would not make much of a difference to a sentence, if removed. Adjunctions are more or less like the saucing on the food, which is used for extra flavor and adds to the look of the food. However, you cannot add adjunct as you wish; it has to be positioned rightly to make the statement look unambiguous. In simple terms, adjuncts can be best described as the use of grammar that gives you the answers to - why, where, how and when.

Examples of Tautology in Daily Usage: Examples Of Adjunctions:

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y I need your answer by tomorrow. She spoke quickly. The joining of hands around the table There was a connection via the internet Angry am I, storms across the sky. Good, it is, that fights the master with his dark lord. She would buy a new car, if she won the lottery She will leave after she has had breakfast. The cute dog in that compound is very friendly The class was very silent when the principal walked by The alarm went off again last night. Physical beauty fades with age or disease. I go to church twice a week. He visits his aunt's place every Sunday. That bird sits on that tree every morning. The student asked nervously if the police had found the culprit yet. y y y y

I am feeling very sleepily sleepy as I got up at 5 am in the morning. They are giving free gifts! My best friend likes to watch suspense thrillers. She ate a salmon fish sandwich.

Tautology Examples in Acronyms:

y y y CD-ROM disk ATM machine PIN number

Some More Examples of Tautology:

y y This is a short summary of... One after the other in succession...

Consonance: It is one such rhetoric gimmick that is employed to add

aural appeal to any prose or poetry. It is very similar to assonance, which is another interesting literary trope. However, the only difference between the two is that a consonance repeats a consonant sound, while assonance stresses on the repetition of a vowel sound. To put in other words, consonance stresses on the repetition of consonant sounds, done in small pauses. For example - "Pitter-patter, pitterpatter!" In this line, the repetitive use of 'p', 'tt' and 'r' lends a unique rhythm to it, thereby bolstering up its acoustic appeal.

Palindrome: This term draws its inspiration from the Greek word
'palindromos', which means 'running back again'. Ben Jonson coined the word in the 17th century. However, the earliest use of palindrome can be traced back to 79 A.D. In English, the most common and the longest palindrome word is 'redivider'. Another interesting example is 'tattarrattat', the longest palindrome in the Oxford English Dictionary, which means a knock on the door. There are many other such words, phrases, names of places and persons, which are palindromes by nature. They may sound funny, but are attention grabbing. Examples Of Palindrome y Radar y Eye y Pop y Mom y Dad y Madam y Deed y Alula y Noon y Detartrated y Kayak y Racecar y Reifier y Tenet y Civic y Peep y Reviver y Toot y Wow y Repaper y Eve y Murdrum

Examples of Consonance in Poetry:

Example 1 "'T was later when the summer went Than when the cricket came, And yet we knew that gentle clock Meant nought but going home. 'T was sooner when the cricket went Than when the winter came, Yet that pathetic pendulum Keeps esoteric time." Description: In these lines, Emily Dickinson has used the consonant 'm' frequently through the poem to emphasize the words. Example 2 "Rap rejects my tape deck, ejects projectile Whether Jew or gentile, I rank top percentile Many styles, More powerful than gamma rays My grammar pays, like Carlos Santana plays." Description: Following lines have been taken from the song 'Zealots 'by Fugees. In this poem, consonant sounds like 'ile' and 'ays' have been frequently repeated.

Asyndeton: This is not just another figure of speech. The power,

force, intensity and vehemence this device infuses into any writer's, or speaker's, work can be commendable. The rapid effect while keeping the audience hooked on to the edge is what an asyndeton statement does. Evolved from the Greek word asyndetos; asyndetism means unconnected or not bound together. The conjunctions connecting a series of words, phrases or clauses in this technique are omitted and instead, only commas are used. This continuous flow of thought speeds up the rhythm of the passage and a single idea tends to be more memorable. If you are familiar with the polysyndetons, a figure of speech which encourages overuse of conjunctions, then asyndetons are the complete opposite. An elimination of conjunctions enhances a reader's thought process, giving a natural sense of spontaneity to the overall piece.

Double negative: It is an important figure of speech wherein

two negatives unite to make one affirmative sentence. In English, two negatives are understood to resolve into a positive, which is exactly why double negation is widely used when making backhanded compliments. Bishop Robert Lowth was the first to introduce this rule into Standard English in 1762. However, today a double negative is considered as unacceptable in Standard English. Nevertheless, in certain other languages, double negatives are still favored and used. In Ancient Greek and Modern Greek, it is used for affirmation (litotes) or emphasizing the negation. In Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian and Russian, double negative is deemed as grammatically correct whereas usage of a single negative is considered as faulty. Using double negative in a line is not wrong unless it gives out the right idea - whether positive or negative.

Examples of Asyndeton
y y y y y y y He received applause, prizes, money, fame. He provided her education, allowance, dignity. I could have gone to war, I didn't. He tried to betray you, to cheat you, to deceive you. Smile, talk, bye-bye. We met, we got engaged, we married. She is addicted to chocolates, cakes, cookies.

Examples Of Double Negative

y y y y y y She was so disappointed because she couldn't go neither. It wasn't uninteresting. I cannot say that I do not disagree with you. - A quote by Groucho Marx Mr. Jones was not incompetent. She is not unattractive. It's not unusual to be loved by anyone.

Asyndeton in Poetry And Lyrics

Asyndeton's work well in poetry and songs as, the elimination of conjunctions enables the words and ideas to dissolve into each other without any formal bond. y "I have found the warm caves in the woods, filled them with skillets, carvings, shelves, closets, silks, innumerable goods." By Anne Sexton, "Her Kind"

Double Negative Examples In Literature

y By innocence I swear, And by my youth I have one heart, one bosom and one truth, And that no woman has; nor never none Shall mistress be of it, save I alone. - Double Negative in The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer, The Friar's Portrait

False Analogy: Which color suits me best-blue or Purple? We

often compare things because that makes it easier to find out the best option available. It also helps to communicate things easily and effectively. For example, if you want to buy the best cell phone available in the market, you compare the different models which suit your budget to find out the best one. But, have you ever tried to compare a cell phone with an LCD TV? Hopefully, never! They are totally different from each other and it does not make any sense to compare the two. Their purpose and characteristics are entirely different from each other. However, at times it happens that we compare two things which do not share any common characteristics. This often happens when we react to something spontaneously or randomly pick up things to put forth an idea; such comparisons are known as false analogy.

Funny Metaphors:

A normal speaker of English language can

Examples For False Analogy Social

Employees are like nails. Just as nails must be hit in the head in order to make them work, so must employees. Explanation: Comparing employees with nails is totally illogical as both of them do not share any common features. y Government is like business. Just as business, government also must be sensitive primarily to the bottom line. Explanation: The objectives of government and business are completely different, so it doesn't make sense if you compare both these institution. y "A school is not so different from a business. It needs a clear competitive strategy that will lead to profitable growth." Explanation: The ultimate goal of both organizations differs greatly from each other and hence you cannot compare both of them. y

get scared hearing the word 'metaphor'. But remember - they are not magic words that appear only in poems and novels. Metaphors are created by all of us, perhaps unknowingly, even as when we sit relaxed. When we say that our bosses "bark a command", we are comparing them to dogs and that is what exactly a metaphor is. The word metaphor originated from the term 'metaphore' in old French which means "carrying over". But, now we use it as a literary device which includes describing a person or a certain thing without using words such as 'like', 'as' and so on. To put in simple terms, metaphor means using one concept to understand another. But, compared to simile, it is more indicative and forceful. Metaphors also mean symbolism in writing. As humans, we love symbolism and metaphorical comparisons help paint a clear picture in our minds using this symbolism. Coming to literature, there are plenty of poets and writers who make use of metaphors to convey emotions and concepts in a clear and simple manner. Of course, it generally so happens that some of these metaphors, which communicate the intended message, tend to become humorous and make the reader roll with beaming laughter.

Regularly Used Funny Metaphor Examples

y y y y y y Her house was a wild circus act, decked out in hot pink and lavender, coated with green dots. She was a walking color wheel, always wearing just about every shade possible, all at once Her hair was a fierce lion's mane, never washed and sticking out in wild directions. Her elderly fingers were thin gnarled branches, twisting oddly from the stem of her palms. His teeth were hardened blue cheese nuggets, speckled with green and blue. When he ate, he was a crocodile, opening wide and snapping his jaws suddenly for the kill.

Anadiplosis: the difficulty in pronouncing the word itself scares a

normal reader. But it is not a big deal - it is a stylistic device, often used and utilized by politicians in their essays and even by CEO's in their sales pitches in order to intensify the curiosity and emotions of the readers. In simpler terms, it is a rhetoric device in which the last word or phrase of the preceding clause is repeated at the beginning of the next sentence as you can see in lines, 'Strength through unity, unity through faith'. The origin of the word anadiplosis comes from two Greek words which mean "to reduplicate' or to 'double back again'. It is a powerful device that enables us to sharpen our eloquence and make speech memorable. It is extensively used in literature, especially in poems and in speeches, and you can find it in biblical quotes too. As experts say, in literature, anadiplosis takes a reader from pits to heights. It is very effective in the hands of a speaker who tries to instill hope in a group of people about a glorious present.

Rhetorical Questions: In simple words, rhetorical questions are

those, which do not expect any answer from you. They are just used to provoke your thoughts. In some cases, it can be used to poke fun as well. Just think, how you will answer if someone asks you "Do your parents know that you are a dump? As a part of figures of speech, rhetoric questions have its own importance in language and literature. Though it might appear to be senseless and irrelevant, it nevertheless helps make any conversation lively and funny. Rhetorical questions are often used as a tool in a debate to avoid getting into immediate declaration. Again, it is also employed to put forward one's point i.e. a tentative statement in disguise of a question

Common Rhetorical Questions:

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y "If your friend jumped off the bridge would you do it too?" "You don't think I'm that stupid, do you?" "Are you kids still awake?" "Who let the dogs out?" "What is so rare as a day in June?" "How did that idiot ever get elected?" "What business is it of yours?" "Aren't you ashamed of yourself? "You're not really going to wear that, are you?" "Are you stupid?" "You don't expect me to go along with that crazy scheme, do you?" "How much longer must our people endure this injustice?" "Can you do anything right?" "Is the sky blue?" "Is the Pope Catholic?" "How corrupt is the government?" "If everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?" "Are you kidding?"

Examples Of Anadiplosis
y y y y y "Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task." - Henry James "All service ranks the same with God, With God, whose puppets, best and worst, Are we' - Robert Browning in 'Pippa Passes' "For Lycidas is dead, dead ere his prime,.........' - John Milton in 'Lycidas' 'The years to come seemed waste of breath, waste of breath the years behind - William Butler Yeats in 'An Irish Airman Foresees his Death'. 'The land of my fathers. My fathers can have it.' - Dylan Thomas on 'Wales'