Types of figurative language: Antonomasia Paradox Litotes

Types of figurative language: Antonomasia Paradox Litotes

Antonomasia

• I. What is Antonomasia?
• Antonomasia (pronounced an-tuh-nuh–mey-zhuh) is a literary term in which a descriptive phrase replaces a person’s name. Antonomasia can range from lighthearted nicknames to epic names.
• The phrase antonomasia is derived from the Greek phrase antonomazein meaning “to name differently.”

II. Examples of Antonomasia

• II. Examples of Antonomasia
• Often antonomasia is used to call attention to a certain characteristic.
• Example 1
• Imagine that you have a friend who is a fantastic chef, and you want to say hello.
• Normal sentence:
• “Oh, look! Sam’s arrived!”
• Sentence with Antonomasia:
• “Oh, look! The great chef has arrived!”
• Here, the use of antonomasia allows you to greet your friend with a nickname which also reveals something about his character: he’s a great chef.
• Example 2
• For another example, consider that you have a grumpy teacher:
• Normal sentence:
• “He’s grumpy, boring, doesn’t want to listen to anyone, and definitely doesn’t want to help anyone.”
• Sentence with Antonomasia:
• “Mr. Grumps doesn’t want to listen to anyone, and definitely doesn’t want to help anyone.”
• Replacing the teacher’s actual name with his defining characteristic, grumpiness, serves to highlight just how much the mood is associated with the man.
• Example 3
• For a commonly use example of antonomasia, consider two women discussing men:
• Normal sentence:
• “He’s such a good guy. I enjoy his company so much! I just hope he’s the right guy for me.”
• With the addition of antonomasia, we can emphasize the quality she hopes to find in this man:
• Sentence with Antonomasia:
• “He’s such a good guy. I enjoy his company so much! I just hope he’s Mr. Right.“
• Giving a man the title “Mr. Right” is an everyday example of antonomasia in conversation.
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Antonomasia is important in literature, as it can tell more about characters just by their titles. Consider a few examples:

• Antonomasia is important in literature, as it can tell more about characters just by their titles. Consider a few examples:
• Example
• One instance of antonomasia is the treatment of Voldemort in J.K.Rowling’s Harry Potter Series. Rather than calling the dangerous man by name, all must call him “You-Know-Who” or “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.” This usage of antonomasia emphasizes just how dangerous the man is, as most wizards and witches are too afraid to say his actual name aloud.

What is a Paradox?

• What is a Paradox?
• What does paradox mean? A paradox is written as a logical statement. However, elements of the statement seem or are self-contradictory, making the proposition unlikely.
• A paradox presents a situation. A paradox is generally a sentence or multiple sentences in length. Example of Paradox:
• Here’s an example of paradox from George Orwell’s Animal Farm:
• “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”
• This is a paradox because, as a situation, these two events are contradictory. It seems unlikely for animals to be more equal than others when they are all equal.

Litotes is a figure of speech featuring a phrase that utilizes negative wording or terms to express a positive assertion or statement. Litotes is a common literary device, most often used in speech, rhetoric, and nonfiction. As a figure of speech, the meaning of litotes is not literal. Instead, litotes is intended to be a form of understatement by using negation to express the contrary meaning. This is a clever use of language in its combination of negative terms as a function to express a positive sentiment or statement.

• Litotes is a figure of speech featuring a phrase that utilizes negative wording or terms to express a positive assertion or statement. Litotes is a common literary device, most often used in speech, rhetoric, and nonfiction. As a figure of speech, the meaning of litotes is not literal. Instead, litotes is intended to be a form of understatement by using negation to express the contrary meaning. This is a clever use of language in its combination of negative terms as a function to express a positive sentiment or statement.

The novel is not bad.

• The novel is not bad.
• You’re not wrong.
• I can’t disagree with your logic.
• My feelings are not unhurt.
• He is hardly unattractive.
• That lesson is not hard.
• My car was not cheap.
• I won’t argue with the referee.
• Visiting family is not uncommon.
• The results are not inaccurate.
• That compliment is not unwelcome.
• I can’t turn down that offer.
• The weather is not unpleasant.
• His answer was hardly a whisper.
• Her decision is not the worst.
• The test came back not negative.
• That dress is not unlike mine.
• I can’t say that I won’t try the dessert.
• Your effort has not gone unnoticed.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!