figures of speech Flashcards
what is a repetitio?
a word/ phrase is repeated a number of times
what figure of speech is this phrase?
It is not going well, in fact, it is going badly, really badly
repetitio
what is an anaphora?
a repetitio at the start of a number of sentences/ lines of verse
What figure of speech is this phrase?
I have a dream… (MLK)
anaphora
what is the rule of three?
using three arguments
(rhetorically very relevant/ effective)
What figure of speech is this phrase?
liberty, equality, fraternity
rule of three
what is a chiasmus?
two related sentences are each other´s syntatctical mirror image
What figure of speech is this phrase?
I say what I think and I do what I say
chiasmus
what is a rhetorical question?
a question, which is a definite statement in the shape of a question
-> it is not meant to be answered
What figure of speech is this phrase?
Who would not protect their child from this madness?
rhetorical question
what is a metaphor?
calling something by another name directly, comparing that which is really meant, with what it is called
What figure of speech is this phrase?
Julia, Sarah, and Elena are angels
metaphor
what is a tautology?
A concept is repeated using a different word, that has roughly the same meaning
-> both words belong to the same lexical category
What figure of speech is this phrase?
all well and good
tautology
what is pleonasm?
repeating an obvious quality of an object or a concept
What figure of speech is this phrase?
a round circle
pleonasm
what is a hyperbole?
a more or less appropriate exaggeration
= has a comical effect
What figure of speech is this phrase?
one second
hyperbole
what is an enumeration?
a number of names, facts, arguments following each other, giving each element of the enumeration an emphatic and convincing ring
What figure of speech is this phrase?
he did not notic where he was going, throgh alleys, passing gardens, and factories, running blindly
enumeration
what is a paradox?
an apparent contradiction
= something appears not to be right, but turns out to be correct after all
What figure of speech is this phrase?
those who want to live in peace must often apply force to themselves
paradox
what is an understatement?
opposite of the hyperbole
= intentional trivilisation
What figure of speech is this phrase?
he is not bad on a bike (about a professional cyclist)
understatement
what is a euphemism
a term which sounds too harsh is replaced with another, less direct term
= used for fear of calling something by its real name
often used ironically
What figure of speech is this phrase?
peacekeeping force
euphemism
(= intervention force)
what is an oxymoron?
combination of two contradictory terms
What figure of speech is this phrase?
speaking by keeping silent
oxymoron
what is a litotes?
a special kind of understatement
= something is strongly emphasised by denying the opposite
What figure of speech is this phrase?
that is not a bad idea at all
litotes
