From: Ralph Betza <gnohmon@ssiny.com>
Newsgroups: alt.prose.d,alt.quotations,alt.usage.english,bit.listserv.words-l,misc.writing,misc.misc
Subject: Figures of Speech and Their Names
Keywords: metonymy, oxymoron, zeugma
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 93 11:18:19 GMT
Organization: Mantis Consultants, Cambridge. UK.
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As there seems to be no newsgroup whose scope is perfect for the
following, I intend to post it to several groups; but for the
moment, I am not posting it -- I am simply including it so that you
can judge whether or not it is appropriate for this group.

:-) The joke in the above paragraph is a form of apophasis, or
    paraleipsis. Apophasis is the name of a figure of speech.

There are many figures of speech that have names. I love them,
I love their names, I love to use the figures, I love to name them
when I see them used. (( parataxis )) Alas, I cannot find a
comprehensive list of them; there is no Audobon Guide (( eponymy? )).

I append a sketch of such a list. Each entry is accompanied by
either a (possibly paraphrased) dictionary definition or by an
example so perfect that it renders the definition unnecessary.

I am posting this in the hopes that some erudite net.people can help
construct a fuller list, and I am including only a few of the known
figure-of-speech names in this posting because it is possible that
someone might point me to an existing list,
	Is there not some book that lists them all?
	Some ancient work on rhetoric?
or a more appropriate newsgroup to which to seek help.

Please note that I cannot read "alt.*" groups, nor in fact anything
but "comp.*", and therefore I request email replies. Flames, on the
other hand, should be posted publicly to those groups I am unable to
read.

And here is an example of what I am looking for:

aposiopesis: "I used to use aposiopesis, but now I just..."
apophasis: paraleipsis: a mentioning of something by denying that it
	will be mentioned
apostrophe: a digression from a discourse, specifically turning
	aside from the audience to address an absent person or deity
	attribute

metaphor: comparison with no use of "like"
metastasis: in rhetoric, a rapid change from one point to another
metonymy: naming a thing by one of its attributes; much overused by
	sportscasters.

oxymoron: "military intelligence".

parable: allegory; a story told by Lincoln or by Jesus is called a
	parable, one told by ordinary mortals, an allegory
paradox: "the more things change the more they stay the same"
paraleipsis: apophasis: "not to mention xxx"
paronomasia: pun, specifically where the similarity of sound is the
	prominent characteristic.
		Note: "In Alabama the tusks are looser" is paranomasia,
		but "How an elephant got into my pajamas I'll never know"
		is zeugma.

simile: "time flies like an arrow"
syncrisis: fig. formed by comparison of opposites
synecdoche: part for whole, or vice versa; "Have you got wheels?"
synesis: construction in accordance with sense rather than syntax,
	e.g. using plural verb with collective noun to emphasize the
	individual members of the collective.

zeugma: use of a word in two senses; "he opened the door and his
	heart to her"

-Ralph Betza (FM),
 uunet!ssiny!gnohmon

"The question of whether a computer can swim is more interesting
 than the question of whether a submarine can think" - Lenny Dykstra
Newsgroups: alt.prose.d