greek terms

Aposiopesis

“A silence.” You stop suddenly in midsentence as if words fail, or as if a word to your wise reader has been completely sufficient.

ex: But the cat... Do you believe that he can cope...? And in the name of common sense-!

Apostrophe

“A turning away” You “turn away” from your audience to address someone knew- God, the angels, heaven, the dead, or anyone not present.

ex: Hear. O heavens.
Death, where is thy sting?
Blush, America, for this stupidity.

Antonomasia

You substitute an epithet, a label, for a person’s real name, usually with ironic emphasis.

Example: The Philosopher. The Blowhard. A Solomon. A Castro. A Mickey Mouse. The Swede.

Apophasis

Also called paralepsis or preteritio. “A passing over.” You pretend not to mention something in the very act of mentioning it.

Example: I shall not mention the time he failed to come home at all, or his somewhat wobbly condition at
breakfast. I shall not go into all his broken promises, his campaign speeches, or his scandalous treatment of his
aged mother.

Aporia

“Doubting.” You hesitate ironically between alternatives.

ex: Whether he is more stupid than negligent, I hesitate to guess. One hardly knows what to call it, folly
or forgetfulness, ignorance or igonimy.