Rhetorical Devices
By Kimberly Godin
Onomatopoeia
• [on-uh-mah-tuh-pee-uh]
• Definition: the formation of a word, by
imitation of a sound made by its referent
• Origin: late Latin; making of words; onomato
(name) + poi (to make) + ia
• Examples: words such as cuckoo, sizzle, woof;
also used in children’s poems such as ‘Baa Baa
Black Sheep’ and ‘Old Macdonald’
Onomatopoiea example – noises turned into words
Oxymoron
• [ok-si-mawr-on]
• Definition: a figure of speech by which a
locution produces a self-contradictory effect
• Origin: late Latin; from the word oxymorum
(sharp-dull)
• Examples: “cruel kindness,” “agree to
disagree,” “larger half”
Oxymoron example – no smoking ashtray
Paralipsis
• [par-uh-lip-sis]
• Definition: the suggestion that much of the
significance is being omitted
• Origin: late Latin; from the Greek word
“disregard”
Examples of paralipsis • “not to mention other faults”
• "Obama went on to criticize Clinton's
interview, saying that he spent an hour
focused on attacking him rather than 'telling
people about his positive vision for America.’”
(NBC, 2008)
• "I will not even mention that fact that she has
been late for the last four meetings."
Paralipsis example
Parallelism
• [par-uh-le-liz-uhm]
• Definition: the repetition of a synactic
construction in successive sentences for
rhetorical effect
• Origin: the Greek word parallelismos
Examples of parallelism • “She likes to look but not to listen.”
• "When you are right you cannot be too
radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be
too conservative.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
• “They are laughing at me, not with me.” (The
Simpsons)
Parallelism example
Parataxis
• [par-uh-tak-sis]
• Definition: the placing together of sentences,
clauses, or phrases without a conjunctive
word
• Origin: neo-Latin; from the Greek word
parataxis (an arranging in order for battle)
Examples of parataxis • “I came, I saw, I conquered.”
• “Tell me, how are you?”
• “We walked to the top of the hill, and we sat
down.”
Parataxis example