"because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. (1 Corinthians 15:9–10) Meiosis (figure of speech) In rhetoric, meiosis is a euphemistic figure of speech that intentionally understates something or implies that it is lesser in significance or size than it really is. Meiosis is the opposite of auxesis, and also sometimes used as a synonym for litotes. The term is derived from the Greek ""μειόω"" (“to make smaller”, ""to diminish""). The scientific term of meiosis was first developed by J. B."
"Pejorative A pejorative (also called a derogatory term, a slur, a term of abuse, or a term of disparagement) is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative connotation or a low opinion of someone or something, showing a lack of respect for someone or something. It is also used to express criticism, hostility, or disregard. A term can be regarded as pejorative in some social or cultural groups but not in others. Sometimes, a term may begin as a pejorative and eventually be adopted in a non-pejorative sense (or vice versa) in some or all contexts. Name slurs can"
"in historical linguistics. It may also be called ""amelioration"", reclaiming, or semantic change. Some examples of melioration are ""punk"", ""dude"" and ""nerd"". Pejorative A pejorative (also called a derogatory term, a slur, a term of abuse, or a term of disparagement) is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative connotation or a low opinion of someone or something, showing a lack of respect for someone or something. It is also used to express criticism, hostility, or disregard. A term can be regarded as pejorative in some social or cultural groups but not in others. Sometimes, a term may begin"
"Bdelygmia Bdelygmia, deriving from a Greek word meaning ""filth"" or ""nastiness"", is a technique used in rhetoric to express hatred of a person, word or action through a series of criticisms. Bdelygmia often appears as an ""abusive description of a character"" or ""by strong and inappropriate critique"". It is synonymous with abominatio. It is believed that since common people do not belong to major decision-making groups, they cannot easily be swayed to feel a certain way. Violence in rhetoric, according to Lynette Hunter, arose because of this notion. It has become the dominant form of commentary on social media sites"
"placing an unfavorable point of view on the shoulders of an imaginary stereotype. The audience's reactions are predisposed to go towards this figment rather than the communicator himself. This term also refers to a figure of speech in which an animal or inanimate object is ascribed human characteristics or is spoken of in anthropomorphic language. Quintilian writes of the power of this figure of speech to ""bring down the gods from heaven, evoke the dead, and give voices to cities and states"" (""Institutes of Oratory"" [see ref.]). A classic example of this usage can be found in the deuterocanonical book"
"Profanity Profanity is socially offensive language, which may also be called curse words, cuss words, swear words, crude language, coarse language, oaths, blasphemous language, vulgar language, lewd language, choice words, or expletives. Used in this sense, profanity is language that is generally considered to be strongly impolite, rude or offensive. It can show a debasement of someone or something, or show intense emotion. In its older, more literal sense, ""profanity"" refers to a lack of respect for things that are held to be sacred, which implies anything inspiring deserving of reverence, as well as behaviour showing similar disrespect or causing"
"Litotes In rhetoric, litotes (, or ) is a figure of speech that uses understatement to emphasize a point by stating a negative to further affirm a positive, often incorporating double negatives for effect. For example, ""He's not bad looking"" could express that someone is gorgeous—or could convey that he's neither particularly ugly nor attractive. The degree of emphasis depends on context. For instance, the commonly used phrase ""not bad"" can indicate that something is either average or excellent. Along the same lines, litotes can be used to diminish the harshness of an observation; ""He isn't the cleanest person I"
"road.) Litotes In rhetoric, litotes (, or ) is a figure of speech that uses understatement to emphasize a point by stating a negative to further affirm a positive, often incorporating double negatives for effect. For example, ""He's not bad looking"" could express that someone is gorgeous—or could convey that he's neither particularly ugly nor attractive. The degree of emphasis depends on context. For instance, the commonly used phrase ""not bad"" can indicate that something is either average or excellent. Along the same lines, litotes can be used to diminish the harshness of an observation; ""He isn't the cleanest person"
"Slang abbreviation Offensive words are often abbreviated for politeness, or decency. This is not limited to slang, or words that are always offensive- it can include words that are offensive to a certain party. For instance, abortion may be so offensive to a pro-life family that during normal conversation, if the pregnant daughter was to suggest getting an abortion, the mother would shout ""HEY! Don't use the 'A' word in this house!"" This practice has existed for centuries. Some very common examples are below. The ""N Word"" is often used to mean the word ""nigger"", and is the title of"
"Oxymoron An oxymoron (usual plural oxymorons, more rarely oxymora) is a rhetorical device that uses an ostensible self-contradiction to illustrate a rhetorical point or to reveal a paradox. A more general meaning of ""contradiction in terms"" (not necessarily for rhetoric effect) is recorded by the ""OED"" for 1902.. The term is first recorded as latinized Greek ', in Maurus Servius Honoratus (c. AD 400); it is derived from the Greek ' ""sharp, keen, pointed"" and ""dull, stupid, foolish""; as it were, ""sharp-dull"", ""keenly stupid"", or ""pointedly foolish"". The word ""oxymoron"" is autological, i.e. it is itself an example of an"
"Diatribe A diatribe (from the Greek ""διατριβή""), also known less formally as rant, is a lengthy oration, though often reduced to writing, made in criticism of someone or something, often employing humor, sarcasm, and appeals to emotion. The terms, diatribe and rant (and to a lesser extent tirade and harangue) have at times been subtly distinguished, but in modern discourse are often used interchangeably. A diatribe or rant is not a formal classification of argument, and religious author Alistair Stewart-Sykes notes that ""[t]he form of the diatribe is difficult precisely to ascertain"". It has been proposed that the terms, diatribe,"
"of those listed may be considered rhetorical devices, which are similar in many ways. Figure of speech A figure of speech or rhetorical figure is figurative language in the form of a single word or phrase. It can be a special repetition, arrangement or omission of words with literal meaning, or a phrase with a specialized meaning not based on the literal meaning of the words. Figures of speech often provide emphasis, freshness of expression, or clarity. However, clarity may also suffer from their use, as figures of speech can introduce an ambiguity between literal and figurative interpretation. Classical rhetoricians"
"language"" in a ""loud and boisterous manner"" within earshot of two or more people on any public road or highway was struck down as unconstitutional. Minced oaths are euphemistic expressions made by altering or clipping profane words and expressions to make them less objectionable. Although minced oaths are often acceptable in situations where profanity is not (including the radio), some people still consider them profanity. In 1941, a judge threatened a lawyer with contempt of court for using the word ""darn"". Profanity Profanity is socially offensive language, which may also be called curse words, cuss words, swear words, crude language,"
"Microaggression A microaggression is a term used for brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioural, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative prejudicial slights and insults toward any group. The term was coined by psychiatrist and Harvard University professor Chester M. Pierce in 1970 to describe insults and dismissals which he regularly witnessed non-black Americans inflicting on African Americans. By the early 21st century, use of the term was applied to the casual degradation of any socially marginalized group, including LGBT, the poor and the disabled. Psychologist Derald Wing Sue defines microaggressions as ""brief, everyday"
"Insult An insult is an expression or statement (or sometimes behavior) which is disrespectful or scornful. Insults may be intentional or accidental. An insult may be factual, but at the same time pejorative, such as the word ""inbred"". Lacan considered insults a primary form of social interaction, central to the imaginary order – ""a situation that is symbolised in the 'Yah-boo, so are you' of the transitivist quarrel, the original form of aggressive communication"". Erving Goffman points out that every ""crack or remark set up the possibility of a counter-riposte, topper, or squelch, that is, a comeback"". He cites the"
"also involve an insulting or disparaging innuendo, rather than being a direct pejorative. In some cases, a person's name can be redefined with an unpleasant or insulting meaning, or be applied to a group of people considered by anyone to be inferior or lower in social class, as a group label with a disparaging meaning. According to the ""Online Etymology Dictionary"", the word pejorative is derived from a Late Latin past participle stem of ""peiorare"", meaning ""to make worse"", from ""peior"" ""worse"". When a term begins as pejorative and eventually is adopted in a non-pejorative sense, this is called ""melioration"""
"Sarcasm Sarcasm is ""a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter gibe or taunt"". Sarcasm may employ ambivalence, although sarcasm is not necessarily ironic. Most noticeable in spoken word, sarcasm is mainly distinguished by the inflection with which it is spoken and is largely context-dependent. The word comes from the Greek σαρκασμός (""sarkasmós"") which is taken from σαρκάζειν (""sarkázein"") meaning ""to tear flesh, bite the lip in rage, sneer"". It is first recorded in English in 1579, in an annotation to ""The Shepheardes Calender"" by Edmund Spenser: However, the word ""sarcastic"", meaning ""Characterized by or involving sarcasm; given"
"Dysphemism A dysphemism is an expression with connotations that are offensive either about the subject matter or to the audience, or both. Dysphemisms contrast with neutral or euphemistic expressions. Dysphemism is sometimes motivated by feelings such as fear, distaste, hatred, and contempt. Worded simply, a dysphemism is a derogatory or unpleasant term used instead of a pleasant or neutral one, such as ""loony bin"" for ""mental hospital"". The word ""dysphemism"" comes from the Greek ""dys"" δύς ""mis-"" and ""pheme"" φήμη ""speech, voice, reputation"". Related terms include ""malphemism"" (from the Latin ""malus"" ""bad""), and ""cacophemism"" (from the Greek ""kakos"" κακός ""bad"")."
"Odium theologicum The Latin phrase odium theologicum (literally ""theological hatred"") is the name originally given to the often intense anger and hatred generated by disputes over theology. It has also been adopted to describe non-theological disputes of a rancorous nature. John Stuart Mill, discussing the fallibility of the moral consensus in his essay ""On Liberty"" (1859) refers scornfully to the ""odium theologicum"", saying that, in a sincere bigot, it is one of the most unequivocal cases of moral feeling. In this essay, he takes issue with those who rely on moral feeling rather than reasoned argument to justify their beliefs."
"Figure of speech A figure of speech or rhetorical figure is figurative language in the form of a single word or phrase. It can be a special repetition, arrangement or omission of words with literal meaning, or a phrase with a specialized meaning not based on the literal meaning of the words. Figures of speech often provide emphasis, freshness of expression, or clarity. However, clarity may also suffer from their use, as figures of speech can introduce an ambiguity between literal and figurative interpretation. Classical rhetoricians classified figures of speech into four categories or ""quadripartita ratio"": These categories are often"
"is the emotion most directly opposed to pity.” Aristotle also writes “Indignation is pain caused by the sight of undeserved good fortune.” The terms indignation and indignatio are closely related in part by their common negative emotionality and anger. A speaker may successfully employ indignatio and the audience will feel indignation towards the opponent. Indignation (word) The word indignation is used to describe strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting or unrighteous. The term was coined in France during the 12th Century. It comes from the Latin word ""indignationem"", meaning displeasure. In nominative form, ""indignationem"" is ""indignatio"". ""Indignation"" is"
"Brigade (pejorative) The word brigade, originally used to describe a military unit, can also be used as a pejorative collective noun to describe an informal group of like-minded individuals with views with which the speaker disagrees. It is used as a mild term of disapproval or contempt, or in an attempt to belittle and ridicule the subject. For example, ""PC brigade"" is used to describe a supposed group of people who go around enforcing political correctness rules. ""Green welly brigade"" refers in a deprecating way to well-heeled people who find their recreation in the countryside. The term 'Hang 'em and"
"Invective Invective (from Middle English ""invectif"", or Old French and Late Latin ""invectus"") is abusive, reproachful, or venomous language used to express blame or censure; or, a form of rude expression or discourse intended to offend or hurt; vituperation, or deeply seated ill will, vitriol. The Latin adjective ""invectivus"" means 'scolding.' The ""genre of invective"" or ""invective (genre)"" or """"vituperatio"""" in Latin is a form of classical libel used in Greek and Roman polemical verse as well as in prose, but its primary context is rhetoric. The rhetorical genre of ""vituperatio"" belongs to the ""genus demonstrativum"", which is composed by"
"Bashing (pejorative) Bashing is a harsh, gratuitous, prejudicial attack on a person, group, or subject. Literally, bashing is a term meaning to hit or assault, but when it is used as a suffix, or in conjunction with a noun indicating the subject being attacked, it is normally used to imply that the act is motivated by bigotry. The term is also used metaphorically, to describe verbal or critical assaults. Topics which attract bashing tend to be highly partisan and personally sensitive topics for the bashers, the victims, or both. Common areas include religion, nationality, sexuality, and politics. Physical bashing is"
"of the word locution and the word anti, to express a counterproductive way to employ locution. Antilocution is considered the least aggressive form of prejudice and represented by conversations of individuals in a society sharing similar opinions, which often are biased and result in negative reputation of the target of antilocution. Although this form of prejudice maybe the least aggressive, it nevertheless can be very destructive and life-changing for the subject. Those who employ antilocution may not be aware or consider themselves as involved in any discriminatory act. Antilocution is perhaps the most common form of discriminative act, and is"
"have been many instances of new theories (e.g., germ theory of disease, finitude of the speed of light, radioactivity) being ridiculed and shunned by the greater scientific community when first proposed or discovered, only later to be adopted as more probably accurate. Odium theologicum The Latin phrase odium theologicum (literally ""theological hatred"") is the name originally given to the often intense anger and hatred generated by disputes over theology. It has also been adopted to describe non-theological disputes of a rancorous nature. John Stuart Mill, discussing the fallibility of the moral consensus in his essay ""On Liberty"" (1859) refers scornfully"
"also the term is also used to jokingly refer to the appearance of unattractive people, ugly peoples. Minjuhwa Minjuhwa or Minjoohwa () is a political satire on the word ""democratization"" in South Korea. It was originally used by anonymous apolitical undergraduate netizens to describe violent opposition, and used to mock annihilation of minority opinion, created in 1991. Then used of suffer damage, receive unfair treatment. usually expression of ""Minjuhwadanghaetda"" (민주화당했다) or ""Minjuhwadanghada"" (민주화당하다). also mockery, satire is fat mouth democratic and action is totalitaric, have no regard for other persons. ""Minjuhwa"" originally meant ""democratic"" in the Korean language pronunciation and"
"Anti-proverb An anti-proverb or a perverb is the transformation of a standard proverb for humorous effect. Paremiologist Wolfgang Mieder defines them as ""parodied, twisted, or fractured proverbs that reveal humorous or satirical speech play with traditional proverbial wisdom"". Anti-proverbs are ancient, Aristophanes having used one in his play ""Peace"", substituting κώẟων 'bell' (in the unique compound ""bellfinch"") for κύων 'bitch, female dog', twisting the standard and familiar ""The hasty bitch gives birth to blind"" to ""The hasty bellfinch gives birth to blind"". Anti-proverbs have also been defined as ""an allusive distortion, parody, misapplication, or unexpected contextualization of a recognized proverb,"
"which can range from disdain to anger, will help to define its meaning: “Said lightly, it's a jerk or a bumbler. Said with a harsher punchier intonation it can mean something far nastier. Say, ‘Don't be such a prick’ vs. ‘You prick!’” In modern times, says Tony Thorne, “in polite company it is the least acceptable of the many terms for the male member (""cock"", ""tool,"" etc.) , it is nevertheless commonly used, together with dick, by women in preference to those alternatives.” The word comes from the Middle English ""prikke"", which originates in the Old English, ""prica"" “point, puncture,"
"Irony Irony (), in its broadest sense, is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or event in which what appears, on the surface, to be the case, differs radically from what is actually the case. Irony can be categorized into different types, including: ""verbal irony"", ""dramatic irony"", and ""situational irony"". Verbal, dramatic, and situational irony are often used for emphasis in the assertion of a truth. The ironic form of simile, used in sarcasm, and some forms of litotes can emphasize one's meaning by the deliberate use of language which states the opposite of the truth, denies the contrary of the"
"Indignation (word) The word indignation is used to describe strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting or unrighteous. The term was coined in France during the 12th Century. It comes from the Latin word ""indignationem"", meaning displeasure. In nominative form, ""indignationem"" is ""indignatio"". ""Indignation"" is a noun of action from the past participle stem of ""indignari"", meaning unworthy, to be angry at, or to be displeased with. According to Cicero’s ""De Inventione"", Book I, “indignation is a kind of speech by which the effect produced is, that great hatred is excited against a man, or dislike of some proceeding"
"of antithesis, as in: Climax (rhetoric) In rhetoric, a climax (, ""klîmax"", ""staircase"" or ""ladder"") is a figure of speech in which words, phrases, or clauses are arranged in order of increasing importance. In its use with clauses, it is also sometimes known as auxesis ( ""growth""). Climax is frequently used in persuasion (particularly advertising) to create false dilemmas and to focus attention on the positive aspects of the subject at hand. The initial inferior options make the final term seem still better by comparison than it would appear in isolation: ""X is good, Y is better, Z is best"""
"Lashon hara The Hebrew term lashon hara (or loshon horo) (Hebrew לשון הרע; ""evil tongue"") is the halakhic term for derogatory speech about another person. ""Lashon hara"" differs from defamation in that its focus is on the use of true speech for a wrongful purpose, rather than falsehood and harm arising. Speech is considered to be ""lashon hara"" (detraction) if it says something negative about a person or party, is not seriously intended to correct or improve a negative situation, and is true. Statements that fit this description are considered to be ""lashon hara"", regardless of the method of communication"