A paradox is a statement or situation that seems absurd initially but can be true or make sense upon further reflection. Because a paradox invites deeper contemplation, it can be used to challenge conventional thinking.
Paradoxes are often used in literature, philosophy, and logic.
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A paraprosdokian is a sentence or statement with an unexpected and often humorous ending. The surprising twist makes us think and reinterpret the entire phrase.
Paraprosdokians are often used in satire and comedy because they keep the audience engaged and entertained.
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A “play on words” is a clever manipulation of language to create a humorous or rhetorical effect. It involves exploiting multiple meanings of a word or phrase or using words that sound alike but have different meanings.
It’s a form of wordplay, also known as verbal wit, that adds a layer of cleverness to communication. Due to this, we often encounter it in literature, advertising, and everyday conversations.
โTalking of axes,โ said the Duchess, โchop off her head!โ
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Juxtaposition is placing two objects, images, or ideas side by side to create a certain effect or make a point. The fact that two things are placed together highlights their differences and similarities, creating contrast. Juxtaposition is common in literature, visual arts, and public speaking.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
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Paronomasia is a type of play on words. It involves the use of words that are similar in sound or appearance but different in meaning, like โblueโ and โblew.โ
Because of the possible interpretations, paronomasia creates ambiguous, funny, or thought-provoking sentences. Due to this, we often encounter it in comedy, theatrical plays, and news headlines.
โBakeโ or โbakedโ is a slang term for drug intoxication, and โbakingโ sounds like โbreaking,โ an allusion to Breaking Bad, a popular TV series about the illegal drug trade. โHighโ has a double meaning: it means feeling euphoric due to drugs or something being great in quantity.
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An allusion is an indirect reference to a person, event, or literary work that the audience is expected to recognize and understand. Allusions provide a shortcut to more complex ideas. Because of this, they are often used in literature, poetry, and everyday conversations.
He is such a Scrooge with the project budget and gives a hard time to his colleagues. (a stingy character from Charles Dickensโ A Christmas Carol)
Chocolate is my Achillesโ heel. (weakness)
The recent election was a Waterloo for the incumbent governor. (a decisive defeat)
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Pathos is an emotional appeal employed to elicit a specific emotional response from an audience. This usually involves feelings of pity, sympathy, or sorrow. The intention is to make an audience feel the way the author or speaker wants them to feel.
โPathosโ is a term mostly used in persuasive speaking and writing, but we also encounter it in literature, film, and advertising.
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Foreshadowing provides hints, clues, or indications about what happens later in a story. By preparing readers for future developments, foreshadowing creates anticipation and suspense. This makes it an effective technique used in most types of storytelling, including novels, plays, and movies.
In these lines from Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2), Romeo declares that he would rather die at the hands of Juliaโs family, the Capulets, than live without her. These words foreshadow the events leading to their deaths: they take their lives due to their families’ feud.
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Enjambment is when a sentence or phrase spans over more than one line of poetry. Because of this, a thought or idea carries on from one line to the next without a pause or punctuation mark at the end of the line.
Enjambment can affect the rhythm and pace of a poem.
Enjambment can be found in different types of poems, including haikus, sonnets, and free verse.
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Logos is an appeal to an audienceโs sense of logic and rationality and usually involves objective facts and figures. With the use of solid evidence, the speaker or writer can support their argument and persuade their audience or readers.
โLogosโ is a term mostly used in persuasive speaking and writing, including political speeches, marketing, and legal arguments.
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