"Hyperbole Hyperbole (; , ""huperbolḗ"", from (""hupér"", 'above') and (""bállō"", 'I throw')) is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. In rhetoric, it is also sometimes known as auxesis (literally 'growth'). In poetry and oratory, it emphasizes, evokes strong feelings, and creates strong impressions. As a figure of speech, it is usually not meant to be taken literally. Hyperbole may also be used for instances such as, exaggerations for emphasis or effect. Hyperboles are often used in casual speech as intensifiers, such as saying ""the bag weighed a ton"". Hyperbole makes the point that the"
"Exaggeration Exaggeration is a representation of something in an excessive manner. The exaggerator has been a familiar figure in Western culture since at least Aristotle's discussion of the alazon: 'the boaster is regarded as one who pretends to have distinguished qualities which he possesses either not at all or to a lesser degree than he pretends...exaggerating'. It is the opposite of minimisation. Words or expressions associated with exaggeration include: Contexts of exaggeration include: The boasting and bragging by arrogant or manipulative people has been sent up on stage since the first appearance of the alazon – 'a stock character in"
"of the tragic hero as well: the touch of ""miles gloriosus"" in Tamburlaine, even in Othello, is unmistakable, as is the touch of the obsessed philosopher in Faustus and Hamlet'. '""Expressionist art""...attempted to intensify the expression of feeling and attitude by exaggeration'. In its wake, even the 'new and hard realism...kept much of the distortion and exaggeration which had been one of the chief devices of earlier Expressionism'. Exaggeration Exaggeration is a representation of something in an excessive manner. The exaggerator has been a familiar figure in Western culture since at least Aristotle's discussion of the alazon: 'the boaster is"
"used to add features to a statement. In rhetoric, amplification refers to the act and means of extending thoughts or statements: Amplification may refer to exaggeration or to stylistic vices such as figures of excess or superfluity (e.g., hyperbole). Amplification involves identifying parts of a text by means of a process of division; each part of the text may be subjected to amplification. Amplification is thus a set of strategies which, taken together, constitute Inventio, one of the five classical canons of rhetoric. As a means of developing multiple forms of expression for a thought, amplification “names an important point"
"speech which uses an extravagant or exaggerated statement to express strong feelings. Allusion is a reference to a famous character or event. An idiom is an expression that has a figurative meaning unrelated to the literal meaning of the phrase. A pun is an expression intended for a humorous or rhetorical effect by exploiting different meanings of words. Prior to the 1980s, the ""standard pragmatic"" model of comprehension was widely believed. In that model, it was thought the recipient would first attempt to comprehend the meaning as if literal, but when an appropriate literal inference could not be made, the"
"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"" is a standard format."
"Apostrophe (figure of speech) Apostrophe (Greek ἀποστροφή, ""apostrophé"", ""turning away""; the final ""e"" being sounded) is an exclamatory figure of speech. It occurs when a speaker breaks off from addressing the audience (e.g. in a play) and directs speech to a 3rd party such as an opposing litigant or some other individual, sometimes absent from the scene. Often the addressee is a personified abstract quality or inanimate object. In dramatic works and poetry written in or translated into English, such a figure of speech is often introduced by the vocative exclamation, ""O"". Poets may apostrophize a beloved, the Muse, God,"
"vice, sin, crime etc.), the less frequently used ""positive nimism"" indicates something good (a virtue or something heroic). Nimism In aesthetics, nimism is a particular kind of trope or symbol characterized by exaggeration. The term is derived from Latin (""nimis""), ""too much"" and (""nimietas""), ""excess"". Unlike a hyperbole or paradox, it is not applied to linguistic or rhetorical phenomena only, but usually refers to other forms of disparity, e.g. disproportions in sculptures and paintings, or certain sorts of discrepancies in appearance or behaviour (in theatre plays, movies etc.). Thus nimism, by means of symbolic parallels or analogies, is meant to"
"luscious ice cream, dripping with gooey syrup and calories."" This example illustrates the rhetorical use of amplification to motivate readers to recognize the significance of this sentence, not just ignore it. According to the Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, the word amplification is one of the ""special"" topics used in epideictic poetry or ceremonial discourse, usually for praise, but it has been used to refer to both the expansion and the diminution of an idea or an argument. The use of the word needs to be defined precisely and used with care. The Princeton Encyclopedia also states that, ""limits"
"This is a grammar. Enallage Enallage (; , ""enallagḗ"", ""interchange"") is a figure of speech used to refer to the use of tense, form, or person for a grammatically incorrect counterpart. One use of enallage is to give a sentence improper form quite deliberately. Shakespeare wrote, ""‘Is there not wars? Is there not employment?’"" (2nd Henry IV, I, ii) In these cases, he uses enallage to achieve parallel structure. Byron stated, ""The idols are broke in the temple of Baal."" Here he used the past tense form of ""break"" instead of the past participle, ""broken,"" which should have been used."
"using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others. Slapstick is the recourse to humor involving exaggerated physical activity which exceeds the boundaries of common sense. These exaggerated depictions are often found in cartoons, and light film comedies aimed at younger audiences. Paradoxical laughter is an exaggerated expression of humor which is unwarranted by external events. It may be uncontrollable laughter which may be recognised as inappropriate by the person involved. Freud considered 'the compulsive laughter which so often occurs on mournful occasions' the by-product of ambivalence. The boastful soldier or Miles Gloriosus has for thousands of years formed part"
"speaker found the bag to be extremely heavy, although it was nothing like a literal ton. Understanding hyperboles and their use in context can further one's ability to understand the messages being sent from the speaker. The use of hyperboles generally relays feelings or emotions from the speaker, or from those who the speaker may talk about. Hyperbole can be used in a form of humour, excitement, distress, and many other emotions, all depending on the context in which the speaker uses it. Hyperbole Hyperbole (; , ""huperbolḗ"", from (""hupér"", 'above') and (""bállō"", 'I throw')) is the use of exaggeration"
"Enallage Enallage (; , ""enallagḗ"", ""interchange"") is a figure of speech used to refer to the use of tense, form, or person for a grammatically incorrect counterpart. One use of enallage is to give a sentence improper form quite deliberately. Shakespeare wrote, ""‘Is there not wars? Is there not employment?’"" (2nd Henry IV, I, ii) In these cases, he uses enallage to achieve parallel structure. Byron stated, ""The idols are broke in the temple of Baal."" Here he used the past tense form of ""break"" instead of the past participle, ""broken,"" which should have been used. In the opening lines"
"Allegory As a literary device, an allegory is a metaphor in which a character, place or event is used to deliver a broader message about real-world issues and occurrences. Allegory (in the sense of the practice and use of allegorical devices and works) has occurred widely throughout history in all forms of art, largely because it can readily illustrate or convey complex ideas and concepts in ways that are comprehensible or striking to its viewers, readers, or listeners. Writers or speakers typically use allegories as literary devices or as rhetorical devices that convey (semi-)hidden or complex meanings through symbolic figures,"
"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"
"Apophasis Apophasis (; Greek: ἀπόφασις from ἀπόφημι ""apophemi"", ""to say no"") is a rhetorical device wherein the speaker or writer brings up a subject by either denying it, or denying that it should be brought up. Accordingly, it can be seen as a rhetorical relative of irony. The device is also called paralipsis (παράλειψις) – also spelled paraleipsis or paralepsis – or occupatio, and known also as praeteritio, preterition, or parasiopesis (παρασιώπησις). As a rhetorical device, apophasis can serve a number of purposes. It can be employed to raise an ""ad hominem"" or otherwise controversial attack while disclaiming responsibility for"
"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"
"new image. The similarities between the objects being compared may be implied rather than directly stated. An extended metaphor is a metaphor that is continued over multiple sentences. Onomatopoeia is a word designed to be an imitation of a sound. Personification is the attribution of a personal nature or character to inanimate objects or abstract notions, especially as a rhetorical figure. An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which a pair of opposite or contradictory terms is used together for emphasis. A paradox is a statement or proposition which is self-contradictory, unreasonable, or illogical. Hyperbole is a figure of"
"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"""
"trivial matters, or a speech that is excessively wordy or diffuse The noun ""expatiation"" and the verb ""expatiate"" come from Latin ""expatiātus"", past participle from ""spatiārī"", ""to wander"". They refer to enlarging a discourse, text, or description. The word ""logorrhea"" is often used pejoratively to describe highly abstract prose that contains little concrete language. Since abstract writing is hard to visualize, it often seems confusing or excessive. Works in academic fields that involve many abstract ideas, such as philosophy, often fail to include extensive concrete examples of their ideas. In an attempt to prove that ""logorrhea"" accompanies a lack of"
"Caricature A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or through other artistic drawings. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others. Caricatures can be insulting or complimentary and can serve a political purpose or be drawn solely for entertainment. Caricatures of politicians are commonly used in editorial cartoons, while caricatures of movie stars are often found in entertainment magazines. The term is derived from the Italian ""caricare""—to charge or load. An early definition occurs"
"of something when they only ate half would be considered an exaggeration. An exaggeration might be easily found to be a hyperbole where a person's statement (i.e. in informal speech, such as ""He did this like one million times already!"") is meant not to be understood literally. Fake news is a type of yellow journalism that consists of deliberate misinformation or hoaxes spread via traditional print and broadcast news media or online social media. A fib is a lie that is considered easy to forgive due to revolving around trivial matters, e.g. a child fibbing that the family dog broke"
"rear""; life imitated art in the Second World War headline ""Eighth Army Push Bottles Up Germans"". Additional examples: Syntactic or structural ambiguities are frequently found in humor and advertising. One of the most enduring jokes from the famous comedian Groucho Marx was his quip that used a modifier attachment ambiguity: ""I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas I don't know."" Another sentence sometimes attributed to Groucho (though without evidence he actually said it) is ""Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana"". More than one movie has used the comic line ""The"
"Catachresis Catachresis (from Greek , ""abuse""), originally meaning a semantic misuse or error—e.g., using ""militate"" for ""mitigate"", ""chronic"" for ""severe"", ""travesty"" for ""tragedy, ""anachronism"" for ""anomaly"", ""alibi"" for ""excuse"", etc.—is also the name given to many different types of figures of speech in which a word or phrase is being applied in a way that significantly departs from conventional (or traditional) usage. There are various subdefinitions of catachresis. Dead people in a graveyard being referred to as inhabitants is an example of catachresis. Catachresis is often used to convey extreme emotion or alienation. It is prominent in baroque literature and,"
"is the act of exaggerating a product's worth through the use of meaningless unsubstantiated terms, based on opinion rather than fact, and in some cases through the manipulation of data. Examples of this include many superlatives and statements such as “greatest of all time”, “best in town” and “out of this world” or a restaurant claiming it had ""the world’s best tasting food"". Typically puffing is not an illegal form of false advertising and can be looked at as a humorous way to grab and attract the attention of the consumer. Puffing may be able to be used as a"
"features of a character; or elements in the storyline itself. It is important to employ a certain level of restraint when using exaggeration. If a scene contains several elements, there should be a balance in how those elements are exaggerated in relation to each other, to avoid confusing or overawing the viewer. A shock jock is a type of radio broadcaster or disc jockey who entertains listeners or attracts attention using humor and/or melodramatic exaggeration that some portion of the listening audience may find offensive. Although the boaster (alazon) is primarily a comic figure, 'the ""alazon"" may be one aspect"
"Comedic device Repetition is the essential comedic device and is often used in combination with other devices to reinforce them. The ""callback"" in comedy writing—in which a statement or theme is recalled as the punchline or close of a scene—is a classic example of the tension and release that are possible using repetition. It is also the basis for ""Englishman, Irishman, and Scotsman"" jokes, where repetition is used to set up a modus operandi and build tension before the Irishman (usually assumed to be the stupid one) provides the resolving juxtaposition. Hyperbole, an overstatement, is a figure of speech in"
"Bomphiologia Bomphiologia, also known as verborum bombus, is a rhetorical technique wherein the speaker brags excessively. The term ""verborum bombus"" is used by the sixteenth-century English rhetorician Richard Sherry in his 1550 book ""A treatise of Schemes & Tropes"". In it, Sherry says Verborum bombus, when small & triflyng thynges are set out wyth great gasyng wordes. Example of this have you in Terrence of the boasting souldiar. Sherry mentions the ""miles gloriosus"" character from the plays of the Roman playwright Plautus. The ""miles gloriosus"" (meaning ""braggart soldier"") is a stock character from Plautus established in a play by Plautus."
"Greek comedy'. Inflated praise in the form of flattery and puffery has a similarly lengthy history. Amplifying achievements, obstacles and problems to seek attention is an everyday occurrence, as 'in ""exaggerating"" what one feels by magnifying the emotional expression: this is the ploy used by the six-year-old who dramatically twists her face into a pathetic frown, lips quivering, as she runs to complain to her mother about being teased'. Exaggerating is also a type of deception, as well as a means of malingering – magnifying small injuries or discomforts as an excuse to avoid responsibilities. Character assassination typically involves deliberate"
"to this manipulation technique in public discourse; US Congressman Luke Messer's use of it in reference to President Barack Obama's 2016 State of the Union address generated headlines. In an unplanned debate or presentation, an off-the-cuff essay, or an informal discussion, the proponent may have little or no time for preparation. Participants in such exchanges may use the term in reference to their own arguments, in the same sense as an author admitting a minor plot flaw . When the proponents use the term, they are conceding that they know an ancillary point of or intermediate step in their arguments"
"are most common.[1] The hair pulling is to such a degree that it results in distress Verbigeration is a verbal stereotypy in which usually one or several sentences or strings of fragmented words are repeated continuously. Sometimes patients will produce incomprehensible jargon in which stereotypies are embedded. The tone of voice is usually monotonous. This can be produced spontaneously or precipitated by questioning. The term verbigeration was first used in psychiatry by Karl Kahlbaum in 1874, and it referred to a manner of talking which was very fast and incomprehensible. At the time verbigeration was seen as a ‘disorder of"
"catastrophizing – of always expecting the worst of possible futures. 'Some theoreticians of the comic consider exaggeration to be a universal comic device'. It may take different forms in different genres, but all rely on the fact that 'the easiest way to make things laughable is to exaggerate to the point of absurdity their salient traits'. A caricature can refer to a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness: 'disproportionately increasing and emphasizing the defects of the features'. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person"
"which statements are exaggerated or extravagant. It may be used to reflect or affect strong feelings or a strong impression. An understatement is a figure of speech in which statements are purposely understated. It may be used to indicate the speaker's nonchalance (or obliviousness) regarding an often important or otherwise remarkable situation. It often results in irony where, for instance, the speaker's response to an event does not match how the viewer expects the speaker to react. A double entendre is a spoken phrase that can be understood in either of two ways. The first, literal meaning is an innocent"