What kind of statement is this?
March 13, 2023 10:36 AM Subscribe
If I say, "Show me a reason, I'll give you a rhyme. For reason, you see, there's no little time," what am I doing (besides a poem I just made up)? Is it a figure of speech?
I've always wanted a list of the definitions, with examples, of things like aphorisms, epigrams, mottos, etc. Can I be pointed to one?
I've always wanted a list of the definitions, with examples, of things like aphorisms, epigrams, mottos, etc. Can I be pointed to one?
Response by poster: Classical rhetorical devices -- see, I didn't even know what to call these things! Thankyou!
posted by noelpratt2nd at 10:51 AM on March 13, 2023
posted by noelpratt2nd at 10:51 AM on March 13, 2023
I suggest checking out the Forest of Rhetoric. It has major categories that then break down to each concept. There are examples, how they relate to other concepts, and sources.
posted by carrioncomfort at 10:54 AM on March 13, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by carrioncomfort at 10:54 AM on March 13, 2023 [2 favorites]
There's also A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms by Richard Lanham if you wanna go far, far down that particular rabbit hole.
posted by xenization at 10:54 AM on March 13, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by xenization at 10:54 AM on March 13, 2023 [2 favorites]
I don't know if there can be a complete list, but this is the longest online one I could easily find (here are others).
posted by box at 10:58 AM on March 13, 2023
posted by box at 10:58 AM on March 13, 2023
You probably have some lyrics from Pippin burrowed in your head from years ago (“Everything has its season/everything has its time/show me a reason and I’ll soon show you a rhyme” from “Corner of the Sky”).
posted by holborne at 1:42 PM on March 13, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by holborne at 1:42 PM on March 13, 2023 [2 favorites]
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Your example is best described as symploce, I think, but there are frequently multiple terms that can apply to a phrase, with differing levels of precision.
Tip: I didn't know that it was symploce when I first read. I thought it was sort of like chiasmus, but knew that wasn't quite right. WP page for chiasmus led me to antimetabole, which linked to symploce. So Wikipedia is good for clicking around and seeing how all these constructs relate, and discovering terms for similar constructions.
posted by SaltySalticid at 10:46 AM on March 13, 2023 [2 favorites]