paraleipsis
Học thuậtThân thiện
The speaker used paraleipsis to hint at the scandal without directly stating it.
Definition
Noun: A rhetorical device where a speaker or writer mentions something by stating that they will not mention it or discuss it, thereby drawing the audience's attention to it while pretending to pass over it.
Usage
Paraleipsis is used to emphasize a point indirectly. The speaker brings up a subject by denying that it will be brought up, making it more conspicuous to the listener or reader. It is a common technique in persuasive writing, political speeches, and legal arguments.
Examples
- The politician said,
- In her review, the critic wrote,
- said the manager, effectively reminding everyone.
Advanced Usage
- Strategic Omission: Paraleipsis is a form of strategic omission, where the act of saying you are omitting something serves as the method of inclusion.
- Implied Accusation: It is often employed to make an insinuation or accusation without taking direct responsibility for stating it, as the point is "merely" suggested.
Variants and Related Words
- Paralipsis (n): An alternative spelling and form of the same rhetorical device.
- Praeteritio (n): Another term for the same device, often used in classical rhetoric.
- Occupatio (n): A related rhetorical strategy where a speaker anticipates and dismisses an opponent's arguments before they can be made.
Synonyms
- Omission
- Passing over
- Pretended omission
Idioms and Phrases
- "Not to mention...": A common phrase that introduces paraleipsis. (e.g., )
- "To say nothing of...": Functions similarly to "not to mention," highlighting something by claiming to omit it. (e.g., )
The speaker used paraleipsis to hint at the scandal without directly stating it.
Noun
- suggesting by deliberately concise treatment that much of significance is omitted