Latin Figures Of Speech

Front 1

Alliteration

Back 1

The repeititon of the same sound at the beginning of two or more words.
Ex. Tampa Tumult

Front 2

Anaphora

Back 2

The repetition for emphasis of a word or short phrase at the beginning of each of a series of phrases or clauses.
Ex. Nihil agis, nihil moliris, nihil cogitas.

Front 3

Anastrophe

Back 3

The inversion of the natural order of words.
Ex. mecum

Front 4

Antithesis

Back 4

The contrasting of clauses, or ideas, with contrastign words in the same corresponding position.
Ex. Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.

Front 5

Archaism

Back 5

The use of ancient, obsolete, or antiquated dicition.
Ex. thee, thou, thence

Front 6

Assonance

Back 6

Repetition of similar vowel sounds, preceded and follwoed by different consonants, in the stressed syllables of adjacent words.
Ex. It’s hot and it’s monotonous. 

Front 7

Asyndeton

Back 7

Teh ommision of conjunctions where they would be expected.
Ex. Do my homework, go to the job, feed the dog, spend time with family, call my friends, clean my room … no wonder I’m so tired!

Front 8

Chiasmus

Back 8

A criss-cross order of words, name for the Greek letter chi (X). It follws a ABBA word order pattern.
Ex. Ratiō ratiōnem … timōrem timor

Front 9

Climax

Back 9

A series of words or phrases arranged in an ascending or descending order of force or importance.
Ex. Miss America was not so much interested in serving herself as she was eager to serve her family, her community, and her nation.

Front 10

Correctio

Back 10

The recalling of a word in order to use of stronger one in its place.
Ex. Yet his fellopw lives. Lives? On the contrary, he even comes into the Senate.

Front 11

Ellipsis

Back 11

The omission of words essential to the meaning, but altogether obvious.
Ex. Omission of esse with a perfect or future participle

Front 12

Epanalepsis

Back 12

Repetition of the same word or phrase after other words have intervened (often at the beginning and end of the same sentence).
Ex. In times like these, it is helpful to remember that there have always been times like these.

Front 13

Euphemism

Back 13

The use of a mild expression in order to avoid a word that is harsh or a bad omen.
Ex. My grandmother passed away.

Front 14

Hendiadys

Back 14

The expression of one idea by the use of two nouns join by "et" instead of one noun modified by an adjective or antoher noun in the genitive.
Ex. He came despite the rain and weather.
Instead of “ … the rainy weather"

Front 15

Hyperbole

Back 15

An overstatement or exaggeration.
Ex. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!

Front 16

Hysteron Proteron

Back 16

A form of anastrophe using reversal of the natjural order fo events to render their sequence impossible on a literal level.
Ex. Put on your shoes and socks.

Front 17

Irony

Back 17

The use of sarcasm, humorous or otherwise, in which the intended implication is the opposite of the literal meaning of the words.
Ex. “That guy is such a rocket scientist.”

Front 18

Litotes

Back 18

An understatment, or the affirmation of an idea through the negation of its opposite.
Ex. Not bad, not ball at all.

Front 19

Metaphor

Back 19

An implied comparison where a person or thing is likened to another, without using the words "like" or "as."
Ex. Who captains the ship of state?

Front 20

Metonymy

Back 20

The substitution of one word for antoehr related to the first.
Ex. The pen is mightier than the sword.

Front 21

Onomatopeia

Back 21

The use of words in which the sound suggests the sense.
Ex. POW!

Front 22

Oxymoron

Back 22

An apparent contradiction of terms.
Ex. The Sounds of Silence

Front 23

Personification

Back 23

Attributing human characteristics to soemthing not human.
Ex. The insatiable hunger for imagination preys upon human life.

Front 24

Pleonasm

Back 24

The use of more words than necessary to express the idea.
Ex. With these very eyes I saw him do it.

Front 25

Polysyndeton

Back 25

The repetition of a conjunction wiht each of a series or clauses; unnecessary repetition if conjunctions.
Ex. I ate and I ate and I ate and I ate until I could not eat any more!

Front 26

Praeterition

Back 26

Mentioning a fact by pretending to pass over it.
Ex. I’m not even going to mention the way you were so rude to Aunt Mabel last night.

Front 27

Rhetorical Question

Back 27

A question asked for a purpose other than to obtain information asked for.
Ex. Why would you ask me a question like that?

Front 28

Simile

Back 28

A comparison whereby a person or thing is likened to another using the words "as" or "like"
Ex. The air-lifted rhinoceros hit the ground like a garbage bag filled with split pea soup.

Front 29

Syncope

Back 29

Omission of a letter or syllable from the middle of a word.
Ex. You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies,Will never do him good, not one of you.

Front 30

Synecdoche

Back 30

A figure by which the part is put for the whole, or the reverse.
Ex. Listen, you've got to come take a look at my new set of wheels.

Front 31

Tmesis

Back 31

The separation of parts of a compound word by one of more words.
Ex. Well, that’s just fan-frickin-tastic.

Front 32

Zeugma

Back 32

The use of a verb with multiple subjects (or a noun with multiple verbs).
Ex. She changed her mind and her clothes.