I need a term for something that is an example of itself
October 11, 2011 9:55 AM Subscribe
Is there a term for when a word or piece of media or other undefined thing is an example of itself?
So like the word macrologia is itself macrologic (a longer than necessary word used in order to appear smart)
http://rhetoric.byu.edu/figures/M/macrologia.html
and there are propoganda-awareness slogans/ads/etc that are themselves pieces of propoganda
Is there a term for when something is an example, perhaps ironically of itself?
So like the word macrologia is itself macrologic (a longer than necessary word used in order to appear smart)
http://rhetoric.byu.edu/figures/M/macrologia.html
and there are propoganda-awareness slogans/ads/etc that are themselves pieces of propoganda
Is there a term for when something is an example, perhaps ironically of itself?
So like the word macrologia is itself macrologic (a longer than necessary word used in order to appear smart)
Not to derail, but is it, really?
What's the shorter, less smart-sounding word for using a longer word than necessary to seem smart?
posted by General Tonic at 10:10 AM on October 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
Not to derail, but is it, really?
What's the shorter, less smart-sounding word for using a longer word than necessary to seem smart?
posted by General Tonic at 10:10 AM on October 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
Not exactly what you're looking for, but I've always thought it was sort of ironic that phonetic is not spelled phonetically.
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 10:17 AM on October 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 10:17 AM on October 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
Self-similarity?
I remember reading somewhere that a major theme of the writing of Derrida was that a text should do what it describes.
If you're interested in the topic, GEB is a pretty good examination of things that are examples of themselves / self-similar.
With respect to the sounds of words, onomatopoeia is a good example for this.*
*As a young classicist, I always hoped someone would ask me what "onomatopoeia" meant, so that I could answer, "well, what does it sound like?"
posted by gauche at 10:22 AM on October 11, 2011
I remember reading somewhere that a major theme of the writing of Derrida was that a text should do what it describes.
If you're interested in the topic, GEB is a pretty good examination of things that are examples of themselves / self-similar.
With respect to the sounds of words, onomatopoeia is a good example for this.*
*As a young classicist, I always hoped someone would ask me what "onomatopoeia" meant, so that I could answer, "well, what does it sound like?"
posted by gauche at 10:22 AM on October 11, 2011
I think sunnychef88 and justkevin already nailed it, but since no thread is complete without a link to the great timesink of the universe, here's the TVTropes page for Self-Demonstrating Article.
posted by McCoy Pauley at 10:47 AM on October 11, 2011
posted by McCoy Pauley at 10:47 AM on October 11, 2011
This happens in astronomy all. the. time. Cephid variables (which allowed Hubble to determine the distance to the andromeda galaxy) are named for delta cepheus, a classic example of this kind of star. Something strange will turn up in the sky, and then, because the sky is big, it'll turn up all over the place, getting named for the first or easiest to detect version of it.
posted by sexyrobot at 11:28 AM on October 11, 2011
posted by sexyrobot at 11:28 AM on October 11, 2011
I think you're talking about two separate things in your examples, the first (a better word that macrologia might be "polysyllabic", which seems to be the standard example e.g. in an explication of Grelling's paradox) being specifically language-related. These would be autonyms, though I think autological and homological are better descriptors.
The second example is ironic, but doesn't fall into the same category since while the example is propaganda, but doesn't somehow encode propaganda as a concept.
posted by j.edwards at 11:45 AM on October 11, 2011
The second example is ironic, but doesn't fall into the same category since while the example is propaganda, but doesn't somehow encode propaganda as a concept.
posted by j.edwards at 11:45 AM on October 11, 2011
In a fit of silliness I coined the term "oxyecho" (the opposite of "oxymoron") to describe such terms--like a smelly perfume.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 1:22 PM on October 11, 2011
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 1:22 PM on October 11, 2011
Verbs can also be performative: for example, to say "thanks" or "I thank you" is to have accomplished the act of thanking someone, and to say "I promise" is to accomplish the act of promising.
posted by en forme de poire at 1:26 PM on October 11, 2011
posted by en forme de poire at 1:26 PM on October 11, 2011
The dictionary doesn't seem to agree with me, but I would refer to such things as "iconic".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 2:13 PM on October 11, 2011
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 2:13 PM on October 11, 2011
self-referential
posted by daisystomper at 4:08 PM on October 11, 2011
posted by daisystomper at 4:08 PM on October 11, 2011
What's the shorter, less smart-sounding word for using a longer word than necessary to seem smart?
50-cent word.
posted by Miko at 6:36 PM on October 11, 2011
50-cent word.
posted by Miko at 6:36 PM on October 11, 2011
Does Sui generis (of its own kind) fit in here anywhere?
posted by exlotuseater at 7:48 PM on October 11, 2011
posted by exlotuseater at 7:48 PM on October 11, 2011
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posted by KathrynT at 10:00 AM on October 11, 2011