By Don Hauptman
In a previous column, I discussed figures of speech that writers and speakers employ as rhetorical flourishes.
The list is long, so here's a second take. For some reason, perhaps because of their classical roots, many begin with the letter A.
anacoluthon (an-uh-kuh-LOO-thon) -- A departure from normal grammatical structure or sequence. Example: "Either you go ... but we'll see."
antiphrasis (an-TIF-ruh-sis) -- The use of a word to mean its opposite. Example: referring to an enemy as "my friend." This is more commonly called irony or sarcasm.
apophasis (uh-POF-uh-sis) -- Claiming not to know what to say. Example: when someone receiving an award protests, "I'm at a loss for words." Or slyly announcing that one will not address a subject. Example: "I won't even mention my opponent's prison record." The former is also called aporia and the latter paralipsis.
aposiopesis (ap-uh-sy-uh-PEE-sis) -- An abrupt break in mid-sentence, where the speaker leads up to a word or phrase and then doesn't utter it. Example: "Stop right now or I'll ...."
asyndeton (uh-SIN-dih-ton) -- Omitting the conjunctions that would normally be required. A famous example: Julius Caesar's "I came, I saw, I conquered."
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