Effective Presenting and Writing

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Effective Presenting and Writing
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Simile an overt comparison between two unlike
things as though they were similar -- usually
with the words "like" or "as".
Example "I've had some long nights in the stir.
Alone in the dark with nothing but
your thoughts, time can draw out like a blade.
That was the longest night of my life."
The Shawshank Redemption -- delivered by Morgan
Freeman (from the movie The Shawshank Redemption
3

• Alliteration Figure of emphasis that occurs
  through the repetition of initial consonant
  letters (or sounds) in two or more different
  words across successive sentences, clauses, or
  phrases.
• Two kinds may be distinguished
• Immediate juxtaposition occurs when the second
  consonant sound follows right after the first --
  back-to-back.
• (I need a bigger box.)

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Alliteration Figure of emphasis that occurs
through the repetition of initial consonant
letters (or sounds) in two or more different
words across successive sentences, clauses, or
phrases. 2) Non-immediate juxtaposition occurs
when the consonants occur in nonadjacent words. 
"...Well, sir, I'm Jordan Rivers. And these here
are the Soggy Bottom Boys out of...Mississippi
-- songs of salvation to salve the soul." --
delivered by George Clooney (from the movie 'O
Brother, Where Art Thou?) 
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OR
Alliteration Figure of emphasis that occurs
through the repetition of initial consonant
letters (or sounds) in two or more different
words across successive sentences, clauses, or
phrases. 2) Non-immediate juxtaposition occurs
when the consonants occur in nonadjacent words. 
"Isn't that what being an international man of
mystery is all about?" -- delivered by Mike
Myers (from the movie Austin Powers
International Man of Mystery)
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Antimetabole Figure of emphasis in which the
words in one phrase or clause are replicated,
exactly or closely, in reverse grammatical order
in the next phrase or clause an inverted order
of repeated words in adjacent phrases or clauses
(A-B, B-A).
"I, too, was born in the slum. But just because
you're born in the slum does not mean the slum
is born in you, and you can rise above it if
your mind is made up." -- Jesse Jackson, 1984
Democratic National Convention Address
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Antimetabole Figure of emphasis in which the
words in one phrase or clause are replicated,
exactly or closely, in reverse grammatical order
in the next phrase or clause an inverted order
of repeated words in adjacent phrases or clauses
(A-B, B-A).
IMF Contact "And Mr. Hunt, the next time you go
on holiday please be good enough to let us know
where you're going. Tape Message "This
message will self destruct in five
seconds. Ethan Hunt "If I let you know where
I'm going, then I won't be on holiday." --
delivered by Anthony Hopkins and Tom Cruise (from
the movie Mission Impossible 2)
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Asyndeton Figure of omission in which normally
occurring conjunctions (and, or, but, for, nor,
so, yet) are intentionally omitted in successive
phrases, or clauses a string of words not
separated by normally occurring conjunctions.
"We use words like honour, code, loyalty. We
use these words as the backbone of a life
defending something. You use them as a punch
line." -- delivered by Jack Nicholson (from the
movie A Few Good Men)
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"The great, large achievement of liberalism in
the 20th century is the welfare State. And that
achievement, today, makes additional liberalism
virtually impossible. By 'additional liberalism'
I mean more of the same -- energetic,
high-spending, and high tax, redistributionist
egalitarian government. -- George F. Will,
John M. Ashbrook Memorial Dinner Address
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Epitheton Very common figure that uses an
adjective or adjectival phrase to characterize a
person, thing, attribute, or quality the use of
a qualifying word or phrase to further describe
something (e.g., "fun ride,"  "bad omen,"
"cheerful giver," "good and decent man")
"For if this book is a joke, it is a joke
against me. It recounts my elephantine
adventures in pursuit of the obvious. --
G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy
11
Hyperbole deliberate exaggeration of a person,
thing, quality, event to emphasize a point
external to the object of exaggeration
intentional exaggeration for rhetorical effect.
"Why you got scars and knots on your head from
the top of your head to the bottom of your
feet. And every one of those scars is evidence
against the American white man. -- Malcolm X
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Hyperbole deliberate exaggeration of a person,
thing, quality, event to emphasize a point
external to the object of exaggeration
intentional exaggeration for rhetorical effect.
"The Pharisees, therefore, said among
themselves, 'Perceive ye how ye prevail
nothing behold the world has gone after
him. -- John 1219 (KJV)
13
Paradox Figure that employs an apparent
contradiction which, nonetheless, evokes some
measure of truth a statement which seems at one
level to be nonsensical because it moves against
a normalcy.
"The next time I have a daughter, I hope it's a
boy. -- delivered by Paul Lynde (from the
movie Bye Bye Birdie)
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Scesis Onomaton Figure of repetition in which a
set of two or more different words having the
same (or very nearly the same) meaning occurs
within the same sentence a successive series of
words or phrases whose meanings are generally
equivalent.
"For whatever reasons, Ray, call it fate call
it luck call it karma. I believe
that everything happens for a reason." --
delivered by Bill Murray (from the movie Ghost
Busters)
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Allusion Figure of explication using a brief or
casual reference to a famous person, historical
event, place, or work of art.
"And I can pledge our nation to a goal When we
see that wounded traveler on the road to
Jericho, we will not pass to the other side." 
-- George W. Bush, 2000 Inaugural Address The
reference here is to the biblical character in
the parable about the good Samaritan. 
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Antithesis Figure of balance in which two
contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed,
usually through parallel structure a contrasting
of opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses,
or sentences
"I have a dream that my four little children will
one day live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the colour of their skin but by the
content of their character. I have a dream
today!" -- Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a
Dream
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Antithesis Figure of balance in which two
contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed,
usually through parallel structure a contrasting
of opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses,
or sentences
"...although the surface appears to be...very,
very fine-grained as you get close to it. It's
almost like a powder...Okay, I'm going to step
off the LEM now.  That's one small step for
man one giant leap for mankind." -- Neil
Armstrong, Apollo 11 Moon Landing Speech
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"Those of us who loved him and who take him to
his rest today pray that what he was to us and
what he wished for others will some day come to
pass for all the world. As he said many times,
in many parts of this nation, to those he
touched and who sought to touch him 'Some men
see things as they are and say why. I dream
things that never were and say why not.'" --
Edward Kennedy, Eulogy to Robert F. Kennedy
Note In this case there are two different,
successive antitheses
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"I'm the producer of this show. If I didn't step
up, you're nowhere. I put this thing together on
a spit and polish." -- delivered by Dustin
Hoffman (from the movie Wag the Dog)
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Enthymeme A figure of reasoning in which one or
more statements of a syllogism (a three-pronged
deductive argument is/are left out of the
configuration an abbreviated syllogism or
truncated deductive argument in which one or more
premises, or, the conclusion is/are omitted.
"If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit." --
Johnny Cochran, Closing arguments of the O.J.
Simpson trial - If the glove doesn't fit you
must acquit. (major premise) - The glove doesn't
fit. (minor premise) - .... (conclusion)
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Epizeuxis Figure of emphasis in which the same
word is repeated two or more times over in
immediate succession repetition of the same
word, word, word....
"Here it is! The one and only winner of the
Gemini Croquet contest! This boy is fuelled, like
FIRE! So start melting ladies 'cause the boy is
hotter than hot. He's hot Hot! HOT!! --
delivered by Chris Tucker (from the movie The 5th
Element)
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Epizeuxis Figure of emphasis in which the same
word is repeated two or more times over in
immediate succession repetition of the same
word, word, word....
"Rhett, Rhett, Rhett! If you go, where shall I
go? What shall I do?  --Vivien Leigh
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Epizeuxis Figure of emphasis in which the same
word is repeated two or more times over in
immediate succession repetition of the same
word, word, word....
"Warning! Warning! Warning! Alien approaching! --
from the movie Lost in Space
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Hypophora Figure of reasoning in which one or
more questions is/are asked and then answered,
often at length, by one and the same speaker
raising and responding to one's own question(s).
"Since we have come so far, whom shall be rash
enough to set limits on our future progress? Who
shall say that since we have gone so far, we can
go no farther? Who shall say that the American
dream is ended? For myself, I believe that all we
have done upon this continent is but a prelude to
a future in which we shall become not only a
bigger people but also a wiser people, a better
people, an even greater people. -- Adlai
Stevenson, 1953 Stump Speech Note Can you spot
the epistrophe? 
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Parallelism Figure of balance identified by a
similarity in the syntactical structure of a set
of words in successive phrases, clauses,
sentences successive words, phrases, clauses
with the same or very similar grammatical
structure. This figure often occurs public
address with others such as antithesis, anaphora,
asyndeton, climax, epistrophe, and symploce.
"...and that government of the people, by the
people, for the people, shall not perish from
the earth. -- Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg
Address (here delivered by Jeff Daniels) This
parallelism is used in conjunction with
epistrophe.
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Sententia Figure of argument in which a wise,
witty, or pithy maxim or aphorism used to sum up
the preceding material
"There has been this tendency to set aside some
of the women, and if they were willing, either
to set themselves aside in a religious service,
or in some dedicated activity where they didn't
act as wives and mothers. Society was willing,
then, to accord them quite a few of the
privileges that were accorded to men, as if it
was being said, either implicitly -- but of
course...sometimes explicitly 'You can't have
everything.'" -- Margaret Mead
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"They call for you the general who became a
slave the slave who became a gladiator the
gladiator who defied an Emperor. Striking story."
-- delivered by Joaquin Phoenix (from the movie
Gladiator)
Anadiplosis Figure of repetition that occurs
when the last word or terms in one sentence,
clause, or phrase is/are repeated at or very near
the beginning of the next sentence, clause, or
phrase.
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Aposiopesis Figure in which the speaker abruptly
stops or falls short of completing a statement
stopping short of completing a statement.
Charlotte Blackwood The MiG-28 does have a
problem with its inverted flight tanks. It won't
do a Negative G push over. The latest
intelligence tells that the most it will do is
one negative --  Excuse me, Lieutenant, is
there something wrong? -- delivered by Kelly
McGillis (from the movie Top Gun)
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Aposiopesis Figure in which the speaker abruptly
stops or falls short of completing a statement
stopping short of completing a statement.
Dr. Petrov "This is most unnerving, Captain. The
reason for having two missile keys is so that no
one man may Captain Ramius "May what?  
-- delivered by Tim Curry and Sean Connery (from
the movie The Hunt for Red October)
30
Climax Figure of repetition in which words or
phrases or sentences are arranged in order of
increasing intensity or importance, often in
parallel construction words or phrases arranged
by degrees of increasing significance.
"And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with
good night, good luck, a merry Christmas, and
God bless all of you, all of you on the good
earth." -- Frank Borman, Astronaut
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Climax Figure of repetition in which words or
phrases or sentences are arranged in order of
increasing intensity or importance, often in
parallel construction words or phrases arranged
by degrees of increasing significance.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God." -- John
11-2 (KJV)
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Enumeratio Figure of amplification in which a
subject is divided into constituent parts or
details, and may include a listing of causes,
effects, problems, solutions, conditions, and
consequences the listing or detailing of the
parts of something.
Kramer Who's gonna turn down a Junior
Mint? It's chocolate it's peppermint it's
delicious. Seinfeld That's true. Kramer It's
very refreshing! -- from the TV sitcom Seinfeld
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Personification Figure which represents
abstractions or inanimate objects with human
qualities, including physical, emotional, and
spiritual the application of human attributes or
abilities to nonhuman entities.
"I'm gonna speak to this mountain -- whether its
a mountain of sickness, whether its a mountain
of debt whether its a mountain of loneliness
whether its a mountain of despair -- whatever
this mountain is. -- T.D. Jakes, All I Have
is a Seed on my Side Can you spot the anaphora?
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Simile Figure of explication in which two things
that share at least one attribute are explicitly
associated with each other an overt comparison
between two unlike things as though they were
similar -- usually with the words "like" or "as".
"Charging a man with murder in this place was
like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy
500. I took the mission. What the hell else was
I gonna do? -- delivered by Martin Sheen
(from the movie Apocalypse Now)
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Analogy A kind of extended metaphor or long
simile in which an explicit comparison is made
between two things (events, ideas, people, etc)
for the purpose of furthering a line of reasoning
or drawing an inference a form of reasoning
employing comparative or parallel cases.
Don't worry about the future or worry -- but
know that worrying is as effective as trying to
solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble
gum." -- Baz Luhrmann, Everybody's Free (to
Wear Sunscreen)
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Conduplicatio Figure of repetition in which the
key word or words in one phrase, clause, or
sentence is/are repeated at or very near the
beginning of successive sentences, clauses, or
phrases repetition of a key word over successive
phrases or clauses. Note Compare with
anadiplosis
"This afternoon, in this room, I testified before
the Office of Independent Council and the Grand
Jury. I answered their questions truthfully,
including questions about my private life --
questions no American citizen would ever want to
answer." -- Bill Clinton
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Exemplum Figure of amplification using an
example, brief or extended, real or fictitious,
to illustrate a point an example.
"Scientists can do more, but we've got to given
them the chance. And that means more funding for
research. Right now, for example, about a
quarter million Americans have a spinal chord
injury" -- Christopher Reeve, 1996 Democratic
National Convention Address
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Metaphor Figure of explication occurring when a
comparison made by speaking of one thing in terms
of another an implied comparison between two
different things which share at least one
attribute in common an association between two
unlike things (A vs. B) achieved by borrowing the
language that refers to thing A and applying it
to thing B.  (not to be confused with simile)
Colonel Kurtz "Are you an assassin? Captain
Willard "I'm a soldier. Colonel Kurtz
"You're neither. You're an errand boy...sent by
grocery clerks...to collect a bill. --
delivered by Marlon Brando and Martin Sheen 
(from the movie Apocalypse Now)
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Symploce Figure of repetition that combines
Anaphora and Epistrophe in which the first and
last word or words in one phrase, clause, or
sentence are repeated in one or more successive
phrases, clauses, or sentences repetition of the
first and last words in a clause over successive
clauses.
"Much of what I say might sound bitter, but it's
the truth. Much of what I say might sound like
it's stirring up trouble, but it's the truth.
Much of what I say might sound like it is hate,
but it's the truth. -- Malcolm X
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Anaphora Figure of repetition that occurs when
the first word or set of words in one sentence,
clause, or phrase is/are repeated at the
beginning of successive sentences, clauses, or
phrases repetition of the initial word(s) over
successive phrases or clauses
"To raise a happy, healthy, and hopeful child,
it takes a family it takes teachers it takes
clergy it takes business people it takes
community leaders it takes those who protect
our health and safety. It takes all of us." --
Hillary Clinton, 1996 Democratic National
Convention Address Note Can you spot the
alliteration?
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Assonance Figure of repetition in which
different words with the same or similar vowel
sounds occur successively in words with different
consonants two or more words with similar vowel
sounds sandwiched between different consonants.
"I feel the need, the need for speed." --
delivered by Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards (from
the movie Top Gun)
42
Diacope Figure of repetition in the same word or
phrase occurs on either side of an intervening
word or phrase word/phrase x, ..., word/phrase
x.
"The people everywhere, not just here in
Britain, everywhere they kept faith with
Princess Diana." -- Tony Blair
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Epistrophe (Also called Antistrophe) Figure of
repetition that occurs when the last word or set
of words in one sentence, clause, or phrase is
repeated one or more times at the end of
successive sentences, clauses, or phrases.
"The time for the healing of the wounds has
come. The moment to bridge the chasms that
divides us has come. -- Nelson Mandela,
Inaugural Address
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Expletive Figure of emphasis in which a single
word or short phrase, usually interrupting normal
speech, is used to lend emphasis to the words on
either side of the expletive. Typical examples
include in fact, of course, to be sure, indeed,
I suppose, I hope, you know, you see, clearly, in
any event, in effect, certainly, remarkably.
"We do indeed and have discriminated against
women...." Betty Friedan, Women -- Do we dare
not discriminate
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Oxymoron Figure that binds together TWO words
that are ordinarily contradictory a TWO WORD
paradox two words with contrary or apparently
contradictory meanings occurring next to each
other, and, which, nonetheless, evoke some
measure of truth the figure conjures a new way
of seeing or understanding, a novel meaning.
"Safe sex -- now there's an oxymoron. That's
like 'tactical Nuke' or 'adult male.'" --
delivered by Tim Curry (from the movie Lover's
Knot)
46
Rhetorical Question Figure which asks a
question, not for the purpose of further
discussion, but to assert or deny an answer
implicitly a question whose answer is obvious or
implied.
"It really is time to ask ourselves, 'How can we
allow the rich and powerful, not only to rip off
people as consumers, but to continue to rip
them off as taxpayers? -- Ralph Nader, 2000
NAACP Convention Address
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Synecdoche Figure of comparison in which a word
standing for part of something is used for the
whole of that thing or vice versa any part or
portion or quality of a thing used to stand for
the whole of the thing or vice versa -- genus to
species or species to genus.
("This is NBC Nightly News with John Chancellor
and David Brinkley.") "Good evening. Elvis
Presley died today. He was 42. Apparently, it
was a heart attack. He was found in his home
in Memphis not breathing. His road manager
tried to revive him -- he failed. A hospital
tried to revive him it failed. His doctor
pronounced him dead at three o'clock this
afternoon. -- NBC Nightly News with John
Chancellor and David Brinkley In this case, the
whole (hospital) stands in for one of its parts
(the attending physician and health care
workers).