FIGURES OF SPEECH

AND EXAMPLES
Alliteration: Alliteration refers to the repetition of any particular sound
among words placed close together, in a sentence. These are mainly consonant
sounds, but can be vowel sounds too. It is often used as a figure of speech in
poetry.

"Alliteration, or front rhyme, has been traditionally more acceptable
in prose than end-rhyme but
both do the same thing--capitalize on chance. . . . This powerful glue can connect
elements without logical relationship."

The repetition of an initial consonant sound, as in "a peck of pickled peppers."
Adjective: alliterative.

Some examples of alliteration are:
Don't delay dawns disarming display. Dusk demands daylight.

Sara's seven sisters slept soundly in sand.
"You'll never put a better bit of butter on your knife."

"Good men are gruff and grumpy, cranky, crabbed, and cross."

"A moist young moon hung above the mist of a neighboring meadow."

"Guinness is good for you."
Anastrophe: This refers to the inversion of the normal order of speech
in a particular sentence. It can also be said, that the language is interrupted,
and speech takes a sudden turn. This is used for the purpose of emphasis. Direct
address of an absent or dead person or personified thing.

"Anastrophe is an unusual arrangement, an inversion of what is logical or
normal, in literature of the words of a sentence, in film of the image, in angle, in
focus, and in lighting. It comprises all forms of technical distortion. It is clearly
a figure to be used rarely, and it is not always certain if it has the effect
intended.
Examples of anastrophe are:
Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. -
Edgar Allan Poe, The Tell-Tale Heart
(Original Sentence: There was no object. There was no passion. I loved
the old man.)

Why should their liberty than ours be more? - Adriana, Comedy of
Errors, William Shakespeare
(Original Sentence: Why should their liberty be more than ours?)

God help me!"

"Ambition, you're a cruel master!"

"Milton! Thou shouldnt be living at this hour: England hath need of
thee."

"Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art"

"Science! True daughter of Old Time thou art!"


Anaphora: Anaphora refers to a repetition of one particular word
purposely, at the start of consecutive sentences or paragraphs. This is again in
order to emphasize a point.

A grammatical term for the use of a pronoun or other linguistic unit to
refer back to another word or phrase.
Adjective: anaphoric. Anaphora is a type of endophora.
Some linguists use anaphora as a generic term for both forward and
backward reference. The term forward(s) anaphora is equivalent to cataphora.

Examples of anaphora are:
I'm not afraid to die. I'm not afraid to live. I'm not afraid to fail. I'm
not afraid to succeed. I'm not afraid to fall in love. I'm not afraidto be
alone. I'm just afraid I might have to stop talking about myself for five
minutes. - Kinky Friedman, When the Cat's Away

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink ;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink. - Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Rime of the Ancient
Mariner

"If a man has talent and can't use it, he's failed."
"If a man has talent and can't use it, he's failed."

"No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously
whether she will or will not be a mother."

"In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons."

"Laws are like sausages; it is better not to see them being made."

Antonomasia: Antonomasia refers to the substitution of a proper name,
with a phrase, which then becomes a way of recognition for the person in
question.
A rhetorical term for the substitution of a title, epithet, or descriptive
phrase for a proper name (or of a personal name for a common name) to
designate a member of a group or class.

"Antonomasia. This trope is of the same nature as metonymy, although it
can not be said to exhibit the idea more vividly. It consists in putting in place of
a proper name, another notion which may be either in apposition to it or
predicated of it. Its principal use is to avoid the repetition of the same name,
and the too frequent use of the pronoun. The most frequent forms of it are,
naming a person from his parentage or country; as, Achilles is called Pelides;
Napoleon Bonaparte, the Corsican: or naming him from some of his deeds; as,
instead of Scipio, the destroyer of Carthage; instead of Wellington, the hero of
Waterloo. In making use of this trope such designations should be selected as
are well known, or can be easily understood from the connection, and free
from ambiguity--that is, are not equally applicable to other well-known persons."
Some examples of this figure of speech are:
The King of Pop - Michael Jackson

The Bard - William Shakespeare

The Dark Knight Batman

" The King of Rock" for Elvis Presley

"The Great Bard" for William Shakespeare

"The Voice" for Frank Sinatra

"The Scottish play" for Macbeth
Euphemism: A euphemism is the use of neutral language to remark
something that may be offensive to the receiver. Euphemism is often used by
people who are diplomatic, and who wish to be politically correct.

The substitution of an inoffensive term (such as "passed away") for one
considered offensively explicit ("died"). Contrast with dysphemism.
Adjective: euphemistic.

"Euphemisms are not, as many young people think, useless verbiage for
that which can and should be said bluntly; they are like secret agents on a
delicate mission, they must airily pass by a stinking mess with barely so much as
a nod of the head. Euphemisms are unpleasant truths wearing diplomatic
cologne."

Some examples of this figure of speech are:
We have to let you go. Read: You're fired.

You're well fed. Read: You're fat.

Bun in the oven: Pregnant

Between jobs: Unemployed

Character line: Wrinkle

Batting for the other side: Homosexual

Disinformation: Lie

Revenue enhancement: Taxes

Lose your lunch: Vomit
Hyperbole: A hyperbole is a figure of speech used for the
purpose of exaggeration. It mainly forms the basis of several jokes, is used as a
way of insults, or could simply be used to dramatize a situation, where in reality,
the situation may not be that bad.
A figure of speech (a form of irony) in which exaggeration is used for
emphasis or effect; an extravagant statement. Adjective: hyperbolic. Contrast
with understatement.
"Hyperbole is the polished mirror into which the black imagination gazes
with every other rhyme, laughing as it sees itself refracted and distorted in a
phantasmagoria kaleidoscope. The language of hyperbole amplifies reality by
carrying us beyond the boundaries of rational thought.

Some examples of this figure of speech are:
I'm so busy trying to accomplish ten million things at once. - I'm trying
to accomplish several things at one time.

Your dog is so ugly, we had to pay the fleas to live on him. - Here the
hyperbole has been used as an insult.

Your mama's hair is so short she could stand on her head and her hair
wouldn't touch the ground. . . .

Your father is so low he has to look up to tie his shoes.

You're so low down you need an umbrella to protect yourself from ant
piss.

I'm so hungry I could eat a goose with its beak!

I have told you a million times not to lie!

You snore louder than a freight train
Irony: Irony refers to the use of certain words that actually intend to
convey the opposite. Irony forms the basis of sarcasm, and of humor. It is also a
way of expressing the ugly truth in a slightly gentle manner.

The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; a
statement or situation where the meaning is contradicted by the appearance or
presentation of the idea.

Three kinds of irony are commonly recognized:
1. Verbal irony is a trope in which the intended meaning of a statement
differs from the meaning that the words appear to express.

2. Situational irony involves an incongruity between what is expected or
intended and what actually occurs.

3. Dramatic irony is an effect produced by anarrative in which the
audience knows more about present or future circumstances than a
character in the story.

Some irony examples are:

Bill Gates winning a computer. - Situational Irony (He is the owner of the
world's largest software company.)

Having a fight with your best friend just before your birthday, and
commenting -"Great, this is just what I needed". - Verbal Irony (It is
probably the worst thing that could happen before your birthday.)

In Romeo and Juliet, when Juliet is drugged, Romeo assumes her to be
dead, and kills himself. Upon waking up Juliet finds him dead, and kills
herself. - Dramatic Irony (mainly based on miscommunication and
misunderstanding)

"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room."
(Peter Sellers as President Merkin Muffley in Dr. Strangelove, 1964)

"Math was my worst subject because I could never persuade the teacher
that my answers were meant ironically."
(Calvin Trillin)

"I'm aware of the irony of appearing on TV in order to decry it."
(Sideshow Bob, The Simpsons)
Paralipsis: This figure of speech is used by people who do not wish
to speak on a subject, but still manage to disclose it.
A pretended or suggested omission for rhetorical effect, usually introduced
by I say nothing of, not to mention, or the like.
The rhetorical strategy (and logical fallacy) of emphasizing a point
by seeming to pass over it. Also spelled paralipsis.
Adjective: paraleptic or paraliptic. Similar to apophasis.
"Paralepsis, or Omission, is a figure by which the orator pretends to
conceal or pass by what he really means to declare and strongly to enforce.
Some examples are:
It would be unseemly for me to dwell on Senator Kennedy's drinking
problem, and too many have already sensationalized his womanizing...

I will not dwell on the senator's shady history with the criminal
underworld, or on her alcoholic son... such issues should not be brought
up in a reasoned debate.

"The music, the service at the feast,
The noble gifts for the great and small,
The rich adornment of Theseus's palace . . .
All these things I do not mention now."
(Chaucer, "The Knight's Tale," The Canterbury Tales)
Metaphor: Used for the purpose of comparison, a metaphor is a
figure of speech that implies the meaning of an object with its reference to
another completely unrelated object.
A figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between two
unlike things that actually have something in common. Adjective: metaphorical.
A metaphor expresses the unfamiliar (the tenor) in terms of the familiar
(the vehicle). When Neil Young sings, "Love is a rose," "rose" is the vehicle for
"love," the tenor. (In cognitive linguistics, the terms target andsource are
roughly equivalent to tenor and vehicle.)

For instance:
The sofa is fertile soil for a couch potato.

But my heart is a lonely hunter that hunts on a lonely hill. - William
Sharp, The Lonely Hunter

"Love is an alchemist that can transmute poison into food--and a spaniel
that prefers even punishment from one hand to caresses from another."
(Charles Colton, Lacon)

"Men's words are bullets, that their enemies take up and make use of
against them."
(George Savile, Maxims)

"A man may break a word with you, sir, and words are but wind."
(William Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors)

"The rain came down in long knitting needles."
(Enid Bagnold, National Velvet)

"The streets were a furnace, the sun an executioner."
(Cynthia Ozick, "Rosa")


Metonymy: Metonymy refers to the use of a phrase regarding
associated concept, in order to describe the actual concept.

A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for
another with which it is closely associated (such as "crown" for "royalty").
Metonymy is also the rhetorical strategy of describing something
indirectly by referring to things around it, such as describing someone's clothing
to characterize the individual. Adjective: metonymic.

Some metonymy are:

The 'editorial page' has always believed... - This refers to the belief of
the editors who write the editorial page.

He writes a fine hand - It means he has good handwriting.

"Fear gives wings."
(Romanian proverb)

"Detroit is still hard at work on an SUV that runs on rain forest trees
and panda blood."
(Conan O'Brien)
The suits on Wall Street walked off with most of our savings.
"The B.L.T. left without paying."
(waitress referring to a customer)

Oxymoron: An oxymoron uses a contradictory adjective to define an
object, situation or event.
A figure of speech in which incongruous or contradictory terms appear
side by side; a compressed paradox. Plural: oxymora oroxymorons.
Adjective: oxymoronic or oxymoric.

Here are some common examples of oxymoronic expressions: act
naturally, random order, original copy, conspicuous absence, found missing, alone
together, criminal justice, old news, peace force, even odds, awful good, student
teacher, deafening silence, definite possibility, definite maybe, terribly pleased,
ill health, turn up missing, jumbo shrimp, loose tights, small crowd, and clearly
misunderstood.
"An oxymoron is formed when two words that don't normally go together
are conjoined, creating a compressed paradox. A paradox is interesting because
it is false and true at the same time. Paradoxical observations are often
extraordinarily thought provoking, helping us see old realities in new ways.
Somebody once said--quite wisely--that a paradox is a truth standing on its head
to get our attention."
Oxymoron examples are:
Loners club
A stripper's dressing room
I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous!
"The best cure for insomnia is to get a lot of sleep."
"We picked a bad year to have a good year."
"We have to believe in free will. We have no choice."
"That building is a little bit big and pretty ugly."
"I want to die young at a ripe old age."


Onomatopoeia: Such words imitate the sounds made by certain
objects or actions.
The use of words (such as hiss or murmur) that imitate the sounds
associated with the objects or actions they refer to.
Adjective: onomatopoeic or onomatopoetic.

Some examples of onomatopoeia are:
"Chug, chug, chug. Puff, puff, puff. Ding-dong, ding-dong. The little train
rumbled over the tracks."
("Watty Piper" [Arnold Munk], The Little Engine That Could)

"Brrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinng! An alarm clock clanged in the dark and silent room."
(Richard Wright, Native Son, 1940)

"I'm getting married in the morning!
Ding dong! the bells are gonna chime."
(Lerner and Loewe, "Get Me to the Church on Time," My Fair Lady)

"Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is."
(slogan of Alka Seltzer, U.S.)

"Plink, plink, fizz, fizz"
(Alka Seltzer, U.K.)
"Klunk! Klick! Every trip"
(U.K. promotion for seat belts)


Litotes: This figure of speech refers to the use of understatement, to
affirm a particular situation or event with the use of a negative opposite.
"Litotes describes the object to which it refers not directly, but
through the negation of the opposite.
Examples include:

He was not unfamiliar with the work of Shakespeare. - He was familiar
with the work of Shakespeare.

Einstein is not a bad mathematician. - Einstein is a great mathematician.

"Now we have a refuge to go to. A refuge that the Cylons know nothing
about! It won't be an easy journey."
(Battlestar Galactica, 2003)

"I am not unaware how the productions of the Grub Street brotherhood
have of late years fallen under many prejudices."
(Jonathan Swift, A Tale of a Tub, 1704)

"for life's not a paragraph
And death I think is no parenthesis"
(e.e. cummings, "since feeling is first")

"The grave's a fine a private place,
But none, I think, do there embrace."
(Andrew Marvell, "To His Coy Mistress")
"Keep an eye on your mother whom we both know doesn't have both oars
in the water."
(Jim Harrison, The Road Home. Grove Press, 1999)
Personification: This refers to the art of bringing to life an
inanimate object, trait, or action, by associating it with a human quality

Personification is when you assign the qualities of a person to something
that isn't human or, in some cases, to something that isn't even alive. There are
many reasons for using personification. It can be used as a method of describing
something so that others can understand. It can be used to emphasize a point.
It is a commonly favored literary tool, and you may in fact use personification
without even knowing it.

Examples of personification are:
The picture in that magazine screamed for attention.
The carved pumpkin smiled at me.
The river swallowed the earth as the water continued to rise higher and
higher.
Time flew and before we knew it, it was time for me to go home.
The ocean waves lashed out at the boat and the storm continued to
brew.
My computer throws a fit every time I try to use it.
The thunder grumbled like an old man.
The flowers waltzed in the gentle breeze.
Her life passed her by.
The sun glared down at me from the sky.
The moon winked at me through the clouds above.
The wind sang through the meadow.

Pun: Puns refer to the deliberate substitution of similar sounding words,
to create a humorous effect.
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests
two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-
sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect.
These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse
of homophonic, homographic, metonymic, or metaphorical language. A pun differs
from a malapropism in that a malapropism uses an incorrect expression that
alludes to another (usually correct) expression, but a pun uses a correct
expression that alludes to another (sometimes correct but more often absurdly
humorous) expression.
Henri Bergson defined a pun as a sentence or utterance in which "two
different sets of ideas are expressed, and we are confronted with only one
series of words"

For example:
I bet the butcher the other day that he couldn't reach the meat that
was on the top shelf. He refused to take the bet, saying that the steaks
were too high.

Santa's helpers are subordinate Clauses.

A vulture boards a plane, carrying two dead possums. The attendant
looks at him and says, "I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per
passenger."

Kings worry about a receding heir line.

I would like to go to Holland someday. Wooden shoe?
"Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight"
"Look deep into our eyes."
Rhetoric: Rhetoric refers to the art of persuasion through effective
speech. Questions that have an obvious answer are known as rhetorical
questions. Such questions are not expected to be answered, as the answer is
already known. These are included in persuasive speech.

The Three Branches of Classical Rhetoric
deliberative (legislative, to exhort or dissuade)
judicial (forensic, to accuse or defend)
epideictic (ceremonial, to commemorate or blame)

Examples of Rhetorical Devices
Onomatopoeia (sounds suggest meaning)
Metaphor (a thing is spoken of as being that which it only resembles)
Syllogism (a logical argument in three parts - two premises and a
conclusion which folows necessarily from them)
Irony (deliberate use of words to mean the opposite of their literal
meaning)
Allegory (a symbolic narrative)
Isocolon (the use of clauses or phrases of equal length)
Antithesis (words balanced in contrast)
Anaphora (repetition of a word at the beginning of consecutive
sentences)
Hyperbole (exaggeration)

Some examples include:

If practice makes perfect, and no one's perfect, then why practice? -
Billy Corgan

Why do you need a drivers license to buy liquor when you cannot drink
and drive?
Simile: A simile is similar to a metaphor. However, here, a reference
between two concepts is made by using the terms 'like' or 'as'.

A figure of speech in which two fundamentally unlike things are explicitly
compared, usually in a phrase introduced by like or as.
Similes can be found just about anywhere; from the printed word to oral
conversation; in language, literature, and music. A simile is an analogy that
compares two things that are alike in one way. To help you identify a simile, know
that the words like or as are always used.

Some simile examples are:
Because she looks like a flower but she stings like a bee/Like every girl
in history.

George felt as worn out as an old joke that was never very funny in the
first place.
"Good coffee is like friendship: rich and warm and strong."

"You know life; life is rather like opening a tin of sardines. We're all of
us looking for the key."

"When Lee Mellon finished the apple he smacked his lips together like a
pair of cymbals."

"He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow."
cute as a kitten, comparing the way someone looks to the way a kitten
looks
as busy as a bee comparing someones level of energy to a fast-flying
bee
Zeugma: This figure of speech refers to the use of only one word to
describe two actions or events. The word however, logically applies only to one of
the actions.

A rhetorical term for the use of a word to modify or govern two or more
words although its use may be grammatically or logically correct with only one.
Adjective: zeugmatic.

Rhetorician Edward P.J. Corbett offers this distinction between zeugma
and syllepsis: in zeugma, unlike syllepsis, the single word does not fit
grammatically or idiomatically with one member of the pair. Thus, in Corbett's
view, the first example below would be syllepsis, the second zeugma:

For instance:

She opened the door and her heart to the orphan.

She lowered her standards by raising her glass, her courage, her eyes
and his hopes.

She arrived in a taxi and a flaming rage.

He carried a strobe light and the responsibility for the lives of his men.
You held your breath and the door for me.
The addict kicked the habit and then the bucket.
He lost his coat and his temper.
To wage war and peace
Chiasmus: A figure of speech in which words, grammatical
constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or a
modified form. In other words the clauses display inverted parallelism.

In rhetoric, a verbal pattern (a type of antithesis) in which the second half
of an expression is balanced against the first with the parts reversed.
Essentially the same as antimetabole. Adjective: chiastic.

Note that a chiasmus includes anadiplosis, but not everyanadiplosis reverses
itself in the manner of a chiasmus.

These are examples of chiasmus:
He knowingly led and we followed blindly

Swift as an arrow flying, fleeing like a hare afraid

Bad men live that they may eat and drink,
whereas good men eat and drink that they may live.'

"Nice to see you, to see you, nice!"

"You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you
want to forget."

"In the end, the true test is not the speeches a president delivers; its
whether the president delivers on the speeches."

"I had a teacher I liked who used to say good fiction's job was to
comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable."
"Roll on thou dark and deep blue ocean." from "Childe Harold's
Pilgrimage" by Lord Byron
Apostrophe: A figure of speech in which some absent or nonexistent
person or thing is addressed as if present and capable of understanding.

A rhetorical device which is used to directly address an absent or imaginary
person or object as if alive and present and could reply.
Addressing an abstract idea or nonhuman object, often begins with the
exclamation "O" or "Oh"

These are examples of Apostrophe:

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky."
(Jane Taylor, "The Star," 1806)

"Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own."
(Lorenz Hart, "Blue Moon")

"Oh! Stars and clouds and winds, ye are all about to mock me; if ye really pity
me, crush sensation and memory; let me become as nought; but if not,
depart, depart, and leave me in darkness."
(Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818)

"O western wind, when wilt thou blow
That the small rain down can rain?"
(anonymous, 16th c.)


Antithesis: It is a figure of speech which refers to the juxtaposition
of opposing or contrasting ideas. It involves the bringing out of a contrast in the
ideas by an obvious contrast in the words, clauses, or sentences, within a parallel
grammatical structure.

A rhetorical term for the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in
balanced phrases or clauses. Plural: antitheses. Adjective:antithetical.

A figure of speech in which sharply contrasting ideas are juxtaposed in a
balanced or parallel phrase or grammatical structure, as in "Hee for God only,
shee for God in him" (John Milton).
These are examples of antithesis:
Man proposes, God disposes.

"Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing." Goethe

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as
fools." Martin Luther King, Jr.

Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice

Many are called, but few are chosen.

"Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing."

"Everybody doesn't like something, but nobody doesn't like Sara Lee."

"You're easy on the eyes
Hard on the heart."
"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
Assonance: The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds in
neighboring words. Adjective: assonant.
Resemblance of sound, especially of the vowel sounds in words, as
in: "that dolphin-torn, that gong-tormented sea" (William Butler Yeats).

The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds, especially in stressed
syllables, with changes in the intervening consonants, as in the phrase tilting at
windmills.

These are examples of assonance:

"If I bleat when I speak it's because I just got . . . fleeced."

"It beats . . . as it sweeps . . . as it cleans!"

"Those images that yet
Fresh images beget,
That dolphin-torn, that gong-tormented sea."

"Flash with a rash gimme my cash flickin' my ash
Runnin with my money, son, go out with a blast."

"The spider skins lie on their sides, translucent and ragged, their legs
drying in knots.

"The setting sun was licking the hard bright machine like some great
invisible beast on its knees."

"A lanky, six-foot, pale boy with an active Adam's apple, ogling Lo and
her orange-brown bare midriff, which I kissed five minutes later, Jack."
(Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita, 1955)

Paradox: A figure of speech in which a statement appears to contradict
itself. Adjective: paradoxical. From the Greek, "incredible, contrary to opinion
or expectation."

One exhibiting inexplicable or contradictory aspects: "The silence of
midnight, to speak truly, though apparently a paradox, rung in my ears" (Mary
Shelley).
A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true: the
paradox that standing is more tiring than walking.

These are examples of paradox:

"The swiftest traveler is he that goes afoot."
(Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854)

"If you wish to preserve your secret, wrap it up in frankness."
(Alexander Smith, "On the Writing of Essays." Dreamthorp, 1854)

"I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no
more hurt, only more love."
(Mother Teresa)

"War is peace."
"Freedom is slavery."
"Ignorance is strength."
(George Orwell, 1984)

Anticlimax: Are figures of speech in which statements or
ideas descend according to their importance. To put it in simpler words,
a serial arrangement of phrases, words or clauses in an order of higher
to lower priority.
It is usually exciting to find sentences with an anticlimax but
they have a negative effect and are a let-down. This occurs when the
audience expects a climax that is more entertaining or thrilling. Even in
spoken language, you might have often encountered people who speak in
a meaningless manner that is contrary to their conclusion and buildup.

These are examples of Anticlimax:
The Rape of the Lock' by Alexander Pope, liberally uses anticlimax in
the following verses:
"Here thou, great Anna, whom three realms obey,
Dost sometimes counsel take, and sometimes tea."

"The holy passion of Friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and
enduring a nature that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked
to lend money." - Mark Twain.

"Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumber on weekends." -
Woody Allen.

"Jones was having his first date with Miss Smith and was utterly
captivated by her. She was beautiful and intelligent as well, and as
dinner proceeded, he was further impressed by her faultless taste."
(Isaac Asimov's Treasure of Humor)

The enemies had conquered about three fourth of the Empire and the
Emperor realized he didn't have his breakfast.
Antimetaboles: Antimetaboles are figures of speech that you
might have come across a dozen of times in course of a conversation or while
reading a piece of literature, but just ignored it as any other phrase or
idiomatic expression. An antimetabole refers to two unique arrangements of
words in a particular sentence. Here ideas, expressions, or a series of numbers
appear in two unique patterns, where the second pattern or order appears in a
sequence that is in opposite direction to the first pattern or order.

Examples of Antimetabole:
"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your
country."

"Virtue that transgressed is but patch'd with sin, And sin that amends
is but patch'd with virtue."

"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

"This man I thought had been a Lord among wits, but, I find, he is only a
wit among Lords."

"Let us preach what we practice - Let us practice what we preach." "It
is not even the beginning of the end but is perhaps, the end of the
beginning."

"Those of us who have been granted a disproportionate ability to
express ourselves may not always have the best selves to express."

Remember, antimetaboles can only be deemed effective when they make
enough sense. If they fail to make sense, they cannot really be considered as
antimetaboles. People who believe that they have mastered the art of churning
out antimetaboles often come up with phrases or sentences that are very
different from what they really imply.
Enthymeme: It is one of the most frequently used rhetorical devices
in English language that have been in vogue ever since the time of Aristotle.
Also called as rhetorical syllogism, this technique employs subtle art of
persuasion to engage one's emotions, reasoning, and morals by virtue of
rhetoric. It is an informally stated reasoning that deliberately omits one part of
the deduction - the premise or the conclusion - and is often based on
probabilities, examples, signs or indications.
Usually the conclusions are not explicit and at times, it might tax your
ability to figure out the hidden connotation behind it. The usage of enthymemes
is extensive in humor and is commonly employed in advertorials. All said and
done, enthymemes aren't always inexplicit. At times there are major
assumptions written largely over it. Enthymeme was first used in Standard
English sometime during the early part of 19th century and is still prominently
used in our day-to-day life. In simple terms, enthymeme is just an incomplete
syllogism.
Examples Of Enthymeme:

"With a name like Smucker's, it has to be good." - slogan of Smucker's
jams, jellies, and preserves

"But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man." -
Mark Antony from Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar'

"Mark'd ye his words? He would not take the crown. Therefore 'tis
certain he was not ambitious." - (Mark Antony speaking of Julius Caesar
in William Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar')

Ed is allergic to foods containing monosodium glutamate, so he cannot
eat Chinese food seasoned with it.
Euphemism: This figure of speech can be best defined as coded
words or phrases, which we use to express ourselves when caught in an awkward
situation, without sounding uncivil or being downright vague.
Euphemism is one figure of speech that camouflages direct, unfriendly or
disagreeable expressions with more pleasant and ethically correct words or
phrases.
The word euphemism originated from the Greek word "euphemia" meaning
"the use of words of good omen." They are deemed as secret means or spies on
a delicate task, which easily go in the tense environment without making the
situation worse. Euphemisms have become a significant part of our everyday
conversation as it helps us tackle any offensive situation diplomatically.

Examples Of Euphemism Used To Amplify Or Exaggerate
Secretary - executive assistant, personal assistant
School - academy, conservatory
Boss - manager, supervisor, director

Euphemisms To Speak Politely And Courteously
Fat - chubby, full-figured, plump, voluptuous, overweight, big boned
Poor - underprivileged, unable to make ends meet, modest, financially
embarrassed
Lazy - unmotivated
Bankrupt - in reduced circumstances
Lying - economical with the truth
Lover - gentleman friend
Illegitimate - the wrong side of the blanket

Other Examples Of Euphemism
Politicians don't commit crimes, they 'make mistakes.'
People don't fart, they 'pass wind.'
Married men don't commit adultery, they 'cheat.'

Epithet: It is a figure of speech that is quite commonly used, but is
considered to be poor writing choice, as most often it doesn't relate to the
action at hand. They were more prevalent in epic poems and writings, where
proper names and nouns were bolstered with an adjective for a more dramatic
and descriptive effect.

The epithet is used to denote a certain characteristic in a person or a thing,
which the reader can identify with. Epithets were widely used in earlier times to
help the reader visualize the characters and bring color and vividness to the
narrative. Nowadays, good writings rely on good description rather than on
epithets.
Epithets were also used as descriptive titles in earlier times like Charles the
Bald or Charles the Fat to distinguish the bearers. They were also used as a
mark of respect as in Alexander the Great. In contemporary usage, epithets
generally carry a negative connotation as in racial epithets.

Examples Of Epithet:

Sitting by his side, I watched the peaceful dawn.

My careful steps reached the attic.

Her stifled laughter made everybody nervous.

In the face of such a tragedy, his laughing happiness seemed queer.

I had reached a delicate corner.

The idle road stretched for miles.

All I can say is that he had an honest end
Parallelism: It is a rhetorical device that employs back-to-back
verbal constructions in prose or poetry that corresponds in sound, structure,
meter, meaning, etc. Besides adding certain symmetry to your writing,
parallelism helps accentuate the main ideas and adds force to your expression.
In poetry, it encompasses the arrangement of synchronized thoughts
and feelings to the effect that the correlation between them is commendably
emphasized and the meaning becomes more prominent. The writers, on the other
hand, use this rhetorical device to produce sentences in an effective manner,
especially when they want to go beyond the obvious, put their thoughts in an
appealing way, and present their sentences in different style, rhythm and
intensity.


Examples Of Parallelism:
Dhenize hopes to visit his parents and see his old friends when he goes
home.

She advised me to find some new friends and forget about the event.

I have always sought but seldom obtained a parking space near the door.

She said that she was having fun but not that she was meeting people.

He enjoys playing tennis and working out.

They don't mind waiting and talking while you get ready.

Having fun is as important as working hard.

Sam drives quickly and aggressively

Apples are as good for you as oranges.
Idioms: Idioms are ideas, or expressions, forming an integral part of any
language and literature as they explain different situations using minimum
phrases.
Idioms challenge the conventional usage of words which otherwise would
have reduced to the literal definitions. But remember that learning idioms is not
easy - a casual reading can make those idioms look hilarious and they make the
already difficult English language even more intricate. But, you are left with less
option as being a master of those complicated idioms is essential to make your
language similar to that of the native speakers.
Idioms can be learned only by looking at the context and figuring out
the hidden meanings of a word. These tricky figures of speech originate from
older usages where the literal meaning of the words is somewhat different than
what they suggest. Idioms are also effective in replacing a literal word or
expression and there are times when they describe a word with its complete
shades of meaning

Example Of Idioms In Poetry
"A rolling stone gathers no moss" - Something which is in motion does
not collect problems.
"Curiosity killed the cat" - inquisitive about things can be risky.
"Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" -
Healthy and good practices benefit your life.

Examples Of Animal Idioms
Act like an ape - behaving badly, foolishly and wildly
Bark up the wrong tree - selecting the wrong course of way
In the doghouse - In disfavour or in disgrace

Examples Of Idioms For Kids
"Hat trick" - Scoring successively three times in a sport
"Fill someone's shoes" - Get someone else's place.
"The fat's in the fire" - The damage is already complete.
Synecdoche: The term 'synecdoche' might seem unfamiliar but you
would've surely come across such words or sentences in written text. It can be
defined as a figure of speech where part of a sentence describes the entirety.
The usage of synecdoche, thus, emphasizes a sentence delivering the
right context and embellishing the literary work. In addition to this,
synecdoches also add variation, elegance, floweriness and present the language
luxuriously. Depending upon where it is portrayed, either a part or the whole of
the synecdoche is used to describe certain forms of poetry or instances in
literature.
Once you have a clear idea of what the words indicate then its
significance becomes more evident.

Examples Of Synecdoche:
The ship was lost with all hands. (sailors)
His parents bought him a new set of wheels. (new car)
He has many mouths to feed. (to look after many)
White hair. (elderly people)
9/11 tragedy.
White-collar criminals.
Lend me your ears.
All hands on deck
Others Synecdoches:
"The rustler bragged he'd absconded with five hundred head of
longhorns."
(Both 'head' and 'longhorns' are parts of cattle representing them as
wholes).
"He shall think differently," the musketeer threatened, "When he feels
the point of my steel."
('Steel' refers to sword in this context).
Understatement: It is a figure of speech in which there is a
contrast between the description and reality. As such, understatement can be
used to reflect modesty, sarcasm, derogatory or complimentary tone.
Understatement literally refers to what is not being said. In short, the gravity
of the statement is undervalued. Consider this example.
In David Edding's 'The Tamuli', Emperor Sarabian refers to a hurricane as
"a light breeze", the loss of half his fleet as "a minor inconvenience", the
imminent collapse of his empire as "some civil unrest." The Tamulis, according to
the novel, have a tendency towards extreme politeness, which makes them
understate every serious thing so as not to offend. The meaning of the
understatement changes according to the context.
Understatement is an important rhetorical device that is just the opposite
of hyperbole. In hyperbole, everything is overblown, while in understatement the
strength of the statement is considerably lessened.
Examples Of Understatement:
"It's a bit yellow" - while describing a very yellow canary.
"There is some music by Beethoven in his Ninth Symphony" - while
describing Beethoven's famous work.
"The desert is sometimes dry and sandy" - While describing the driest
desert in the world.
"It is just a little cool today" - when the temperature outside is 5
below zero.
"The food was tolerable" - on the food that was prepared by the best
chef in the world.
In Literature:
"You have this wonderfully evocative way about you, Luke, of reducing
the most excruciatingly uncomfortable circumstances to the merely
mundane." - In 'Splinter of the Mind's Eye'.
Dhein: "I lost my temper." - In 'Emperor Mage', when Dhein finds out
that her teacher was killed, she resurrects an army of dinosaur
skeletons, sets half of the killer's imperial palace on fire, destroys the
other half, and sets a pack of angry hyenas on him.
Antecedents: There are certain sets of rules in grammar that you
have to follow in order to ensure right usage of the language. Antecedents, with
which you might be quite familiar, assist you in framing sentences on your own.
Antecedents can be understood as words, phrases or even clauses that have
been substituted with pronouns.
In a sentence, pronouns are used to avoid the repetitive usage of the
subject and in order to make the sentence simpler and presentable. This article
helps you develop a clear understanding of the manner in which antecedents are
clearly distinguished from pronouns. After going through the article, work out
unsolved exercises of antecedents and make sure you get you basics clear and
firm.
Antecedents are concepts that are simple to absorb and rather easy to use,
with ample practice. Usually, negative scenarios arise due to the miss-match of
the pronouns and the antecedents.
Examples of Antecedent Pronoun:
Agreement
A pronoun, while substituting its noun, has to cater to the antecedent by keeping
intact the following entities.
Person: It refers to maintain the quality of being throughout the
sentence.
Number: This entity distinguishes between the singular and plural
quantities mentioned in the sentences.
Gender: Describes whether the subject is masculine or feminine.
Some Other Examples
Students in on-line classes have to be organized to keep up with their
assignments.
Antecedent: Students
Pronoun: Their
School psychologists note the importance for every student to express
his/her emotions.
Antecedent: student
Pronoun: his/her
Symbolism: Alfred North Whitehead once said, 'Symbolism is no
mere idle, fancy or corrupt degeneration; it is inherent in the very texture of
human life'. The use of symbols has been employed since ancient times by
various groups of people in the fields of art, literature, science, mathematics,
religion, philosophy, dream interpretation, health etc.

Examples Of Symbolism:
Dream Analysis
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you say symbolism in
dreams? Today's generation would definitely relate it to the movie 'Inception'.
The analysis and interpretation of dreams has become quite a rage, owing to the
various dimensions that it opens out to. A small fragment of the visualization,
such as a person, scenery, relationship, activity or event, is sufficient to figure
out the association that it has with various hidden meanings. For example, when
recorded and remembered correctly, if a person envisions abandonment in the
dream then it is supposed to signify leaving behind past feelings. Someone once
said that dreams are ways of 'transferring symbols from one consciousness to
another and meet parts of ourselves that we never considered possible'. Dream
analysis is said to be one of the most progressive types of symbolism study or
semiotics.
The Meaning Of Art
It is not surprising to watch art lovers stare at paintings or sketches
for hours together! This is all because the artist includes a range of symbols in
an abstract form to convey an emotion or a message. Different artists have
different techniques, but what results from the piece of work is entirely up to
the mind of the observer. Consider a painting which shows the shadow of an
individual i.e. an art work in the form of 'light' and 'dark' shades. This can be
understood as a dualistic and divided mind that a single person can possess,
underneath his superficial self. Simple lighting and colours are effective in
symbolizing certain hidden meanings and deeper feelings. Paintings with
mathematical representations of the x and y axis are symbolic of symmetry and
working in harmony with nature.
Adjunctions: Is fun to play with and can be a single word, a
phrase or a clause. Adjuncts have adverbial functions and are used to describe
time, place or location - meditative, casual, instrumental or conditional.
Adjunctions are extra nuclear - they are added or joined to a well-phrased
sentence to enhance its meaning. But then, it would not make much of a
difference to a sentence, if removed.

Adjunctions are more or less like the saucing on the food, which is used
for extra flavor and adds to the look of the food. However, you cannot add
adjunct as you wish; it has to be positioned rightly to make the statement look
unambiguous. In simple terms, adjuncts can be best described as the use of
grammar that gives you the answers to - why, where, how and when.


Examples Of Adjunctions:

I need your answer by tomorrow.
She spoke quickly.
The joining of hands around the table
There was a connection via the internet
Angry am I, storms across the sky.
Good, it is, that fights the master with his dark lord.
She would buy a new car, if she won the lottery
She will leave after she has had breakfast.
The cute dog in that compound is very friendly
The class was very silent when the principal walked by
The alarm went off again last night.
Physical beauty fades with age or disease.
I go to church twice a week.
He visits his aunt's place every Sunday.
That bird sits on that tree every morning.
The student asked nervously if the police had found the culprit yet.
Tautology: is one of the key figures of speech and hence, it is
important to know what the word signifies. Tautology is the redundant or
pointless use of words, which effectually delivers the same meaning.
In other words, it can be defined as the term used for retelling the
same thing by using different words and phrases. At times, it is used to
emphasize on something. However, at times, it can be inadvertent. Henry Fowler,
a lexicographer describes tautology as, "saying exactly the same factor twice".
Reiteration of words was a common trend during the 19th century,
where writers deliberately used it as a literary tool. Many 19th century writers
and poets exploited this literary device to highlight important points, convey
important message, and spruce up the beauty of their literary work.

Examples of Tautology in Daily Usage:
I am feeling very sleepily sleepy as I got up at 5 am in the
morning.
They are giving free gifts!
My best friend likes to watch suspense thrillers.
She ate a salmon fish sandwich.


Tautology Examples in Acronyms:
CD-ROM disk
ATM machine
PIN number

Some More Examples of Tautology:
This is a short summary of...
One after the other in succession...

Consonance: It is one such rhetoric gimmick that is employed to add
aural appeal to any prose or poetry. It is very similar to assonance, which is
another interesting literary trope.
However, the only difference between the two is that a consonance
repeats a consonant sound, while assonance stresses on the repetition of a vowel
sound. To put in other words, consonance stresses on the repetition of
consonant sounds, done in small pauses. For example - "Pitter-patter, pitter-
patter!" In this line, the repetitive use of 'p', 'tt' and 'r' lends a unique rhythm
to it, thereby bolstering up its acoustic appeal.

Examples of Consonance in Poetry:
Example 1
"'T was later when the summer went
Than when the cricket came,
And yet we knew that gentle clock
Meant nought but going home.

'T was sooner when the cricket went
Than when the winter came,
Yet that pathetic pendulum
Keeps esoteric time."
Description: In these lines, Emily Dickinson has used the consonant 'm'
frequently through the poem to emphasize the words.

Example 2
"Rap rejects my tape deck, ejects projectile
Whether Jew or gentile, I rank top percentile
Many styles, More powerful than gamma rays
My grammar pays, like Carlos Santana plays."
Description: Following lines have been taken from the song 'Zealots 'by
Fugees. In this poem, consonant sounds like 'ile' and 'ays' have been frequently
repeated.
Palindrome: This term draws its inspiration from the Greek word
'palindromos', which means 'running back again'. Ben Jonson coined the word in
the 17th century. However, the earliest use of palindrome can be traced back to
79 A.D. In English, the most common and the longest palindrome word is
'redivider'. Another interesting example is 'tattarrattat', the longest
palindrome in the Oxford English Dictionary, which means a knock on the door.
There are many other such words, phrases, names of places and persons, which
are palindromes by nature. They may sound funny, but are attention grabbing.

Examples Of Palindrome
Radar
Eye
Pop
Mom
Dad
Madam
Deed
Alula
Noon
Detartrated
Kayak
Racecar
Reifier
Tenet
Civic
Peep
Reviver
Toot
Wow
Repaper
Eve
Murdrum
Asyndeton: This is not just another figure of speech. The power,
force, intensity and vehemence this device infuses into any writer's, or
speaker's, work can be commendable. The rapid effect while keeping the
audience hooked on to the edge is what an asyndeton statement does. Evolved
from the Greek word asyndetos; asyndetism means unconnected or not bound
together.
The conjunctions connecting a series of words, phrases or clauses in
this technique are omitted and instead, only commas are used.
This continuous flow of thought speeds up the rhythm of the passage
and a single idea tends to be more memorable. If you are familiar with the
polysyndetons, a figure of speech which encourages overuse of conjunctions,
then asyndetons are the complete opposite. An elimination of conjunctions
enhances a reader's thought process, giving a natural sense of spontaneity to
the overall piece.

Examples of Asyndeton
He received applause, prizes, money, fame.
He provided her education, allowance, dignity.
I could have gone to war, I didn't.
He tried to betray you, to cheat you, to deceive you.
Smile, talk, bye-bye.
We met, we got engaged, we married.
She is addicted to chocolates, cakes, cookies.

Asyndeton in Poetry And Lyrics
Asyndeton's work well in poetry and songs as, the elimination of conjunctions
enables the words and ideas to dissolve into each other without any formal bond.
"I have found the warm caves in the woods,
filled them with skillets,
carvings, shelves,
closets, silks, innumerable goods." By Anne Sexton, "Her Kind"
Double negative: It is an important figure of speech wherein
two negatives unite to make one affirmative sentence. In English, two
negatives are understood to resolve into a positive, which is exactly why
double negation is widely used when making backhanded compliments. Bishop
Robert Lowth was the first to introduce this rule into Standard English in
1762. However, today a double negative is considered as unacceptable in
Standard English.

Nevertheless, in certain other languages, double negatives are still
favored and used. In Ancient Greek and Modern Greek, it is used for
affirmation (litotes) or emphasizing the negation. In Croatian, Bulgarian,
Macedonian, Serbian and Russian, double negative is deemed as
grammatically correct whereas usage of a single negative is considered as
faulty.
Using double negative in a line is not wrong unless it gives out the right
idea - whether positive or negative.

Examples Of Double Negative
She was so disappointed because she couldn't go neither.
It wasn't uninteresting.
I cannot say that I do not disagree with you. - A quote by Groucho Marx
Mr. Jones was not incompetent.
She is not unattractive.
It's not unusual to be loved by anyone.
Double Negative Examples In Literature
By innocence I swear, And by my youth
I have one heart, one bosom and one truth,
And that no woman has; nor never none
Shall mistress be of it, save I alone. - Double Negative in The
Canterbury Tales by Chaucer, The Friar's Portrait

False Analogy: Which color suits me best-blue or Purple? We
often compare things because that makes it easier to find out the best option
available. It also helps to communicate things easily and effectively. For
example, if you want to buy the best cell phone available in the market, you
compare the different models which suit your budget to find out the best one.
But, have you ever tried to compare a cell phone with an LCD TV? Hopefully,
never! They are totally different from each other and it does not make any
sense to compare the two.

Their purpose and characteristics are entirely different from each
other. However, at times it happens that we compare two things which do not
share any common characteristics. This often happens when we react to
something spontaneously or randomly pick up things to put forth an idea; such
comparisons are known as false analogy.


Examples For False Analogy Social

Employees are like nails. Just as nails must be hit in the head in order to
make them work, so must employees.
Explanation: Comparing employees with nails is totally illogical as both of them
do not share any common features.

Government is like business. Just as business, government also must be
sensitive primarily to the bottom line.
Explanation: The objectives of government and business are completely
different, so it doesn't make sense if you compare both these institution.

"A school is not so different from a business. It needs a clear
competitive strategy that will lead to profitable growth."
Explanation: The ultimate goal of both organizations differs greatly from each
other and hence you cannot compare both of them.
Funny Metaphors: A normal speaker of English language can
get scared hearing the word 'metaphor'. But remember - they are not magic
words that appear only in poems and novels. Metaphors are created by all of us,
perhaps unknowingly, even as when we sit relaxed. When we say that our bosses
"bark a command", we are comparing them to dogs and that is what exactly a
metaphor is.
The word metaphor originated from the term 'metaphore' in old French
which means "carrying over". But, now we use it as a literary device which
includes describing a person or a certain thing without using words such as 'like',
'as' and so on. To put in simple terms, metaphor means using one concept to
understand another. But, compared to simile, it is more indicative and forceful.
Metaphors also mean symbolism in writing.
As humans, we love symbolism and metaphorical comparisons help paint a
clear picture in our minds using this symbolism. Coming to literature, there are
plenty of poets and writers who make use of metaphors to convey emotions and
concepts in a clear and simple manner. Of course, it generally so happens that
some of these metaphors, which communicate the intended message, tend to
become humorous and make the reader roll with beaming laughter.

Regularly Used Funny Metaphor Examples
Her house was a wild circus act, decked out in hot pink and lavender,
coated with green dots.
She was a walking color wheel, always wearing just about every shade
possible, all at once
Her hair was a fierce lion's mane, never washed and sticking out in wild
directions.
Her elderly fingers were thin gnarled branches, twisting oddly from the
stem of her palms.
His teeth were hardened blue cheese nuggets, speckled with green and
blue.
When he ate, he was a crocodile, opening wide and snapping his jaws
suddenly for the kill.
Anadiplosis: the difficulty in pronouncing the word itself scares a
normal reader. But it is not a big deal - it is a stylistic device, often used and
utilized by politicians in their essays and even by CEO's in their sales pitches in
order to intensify the curiosity and emotions of the readers.
In simpler terms, it is a rhetoric device in which the last word or phrase of
the preceding clause is repeated at the beginning of the next sentence as you
can see in lines, 'Strength through unity, unity through faith'. The origin of the
word anadiplosis comes from two Greek words which mean "to reduplicate' or to
'double back again'.
It is a powerful device that enables us to sharpen our eloquence and make
speech memorable. It is extensively used in literature, especially in poems and in
speeches, and you can find it in biblical quotes too. As experts say, in literature,
anadiplosis takes a reader from pits to heights. It is very effective in the hands
of a speaker who tries to instill hope in a group of people about a glorious
present.

Examples Of Anadiplosis
"Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task." - Henry James
"All service ranks the same with God, With God, whose puppets, best
and worst, Are we' - Robert Browning in 'Pippa Passes'
"For Lycidas is dead, dead ere his prime,.........' - John Milton in 'Lycidas'
'The years to come seemed waste of breath, waste of breath the years
behind - William Butler Yeats in 'An Irish Airman Foresees his Death'.
'The land of my fathers. My fathers can have it.' - Dylan Thomas on
'Wales'

Rhetorical Questions: In simple words, rhetorical questions are
those, which do not expect any answer from you. They are just used to provoke
your thoughts. In some cases, it can be used to poke fun as well. Just think, how
you will answer if someone asks you "Do your parents know that you are a dump?
As a part of figures of speech, rhetoric questions have its own
importance in language and literature. Though it might appear to be senseless
and irrelevant, it nevertheless helps make any conversation lively and funny.
Rhetorical questions are often used as a tool in a debate to avoid getting into
immediate declaration. Again, it is also employed to put forward one's point i.e. a
tentative statement in disguise of a question
Common Rhetorical Questions:
"If your friend jumped off the bridge would you do it too?"
"You don't think I'm that stupid, do you?"
"Are you kids still awake?"
"Who let the dogs out?"
"What is so rare as a day in June?"
"How did that idiot ever get elected?"
"What business is it of yours?"
"Aren't you ashamed of yourself?
"You're not really going to wear that, are you?"
"Are you stupid?"
"You don't expect me to go along with that crazy scheme, do you?"
"How much longer must our people endure this injustice?"
"Can you do anything right?"
"Is the sky blue?"
"Is the Pope Catholic?"
"How corrupt is the government?"
"If everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?"
"Are you kidding?"