My understanding of assonance is that it is the similarity of sounds within the words-the internal vowel sound- not the initial sound. [A. DeAnne McDowell]

First, let it be said that my own example of assonance, " You've tried
a fad, a fake, and a flop. Now, try living" is not the best example
that I could've come up with for this term. I know that "fad" "fake"
and "flop" "now" have similar vowel sounds; I just don't think it's
the most obvious choice. (Jessica Roberts)
Right--let's call this one alliteration (the initial F sounds) and polyptoton (TRIED and TRY). -- n

Auxesis
--"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before."
-Edger Allen Poe, The Raven[Bethany Robbins]
STANDOUT
I like this example, this one brings along emotional increase. [Courtney Sanders]
Yes--great example of auxesis. -- n

Bdelygmia
-- Jonathan Edwards Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God- “There are in the souls of wicked men those hellish principles reigning that would presently kindle and flame out into hell fire, if it were not for God’s restraints.  There is laid in the very nature of carnal men a foundation for the torments of hell.”
This passage is an example of bdelygmia. Edwards, in a sermon to a Puritan congregation was expounding a litany of abuse so that he could break down and humble the congregation.  This was his rhetorical tool used to gain power of others and force them to acknowledge Christ, their savior (and his argument). [Valerie Bumgardner] 
PUZZLER
*This example is a puzzler because it does not express the required litany, and while he denounces wickedness, sin, etc., I don’t think that the passage qualifies as abuse. As a whole, Edwards’ “hellfire and brimstone” speech is a great example of dehortatio, dissuasive advice given with authority, because he wants to convince his congregation to change their sinful ways so they won’t end up in hell. [Eva Glasgow]
I agree with Eva. The next two or three examples are better examples of bdelygmia. -- n

-- Angry man: WHADDAYOU WANT? 
               Man: Well, Well, I was told outside that... 
   Angry man: DON'T GIVE ME THAT, YOU SNOTTY-FACED EVIL PAN 
   OF DROPPINGS! 
               Man: What? 
   A: SHUT YOUR FESTERING GOB, YOU TIT!  YOUR TYPE MAKES ME     
   PUKE!  YOU VACUOUS  STUFFY-NOSED MALODOROUS PERVERT!!! 
               M: Yes, but I came here for an argument!! 
               A: OH!  Oh!  I'm sorry!  This is abuse! 
               M: Oh!  Oh I see! 
               A: Aha!  No, you want room 12A, next door. 
               M: Oh...Sorry... 
               A: Not at all! 
               A: (under his breath) stupid git. 
               --Monty Python’s Flying Circus[Kelly Ondriezek]
STANDOUT
*This is my favorite example of bdelygmia because it vividly illustrates a litany of—and from—abuse! It is memorable and funny. I love this silly movie. [Eva Glasgow]

--“And I call you an insecure, overbearing, psychopathic, dictatorial, egomaniacal, frigid, lunatic asshole!”—from Major Payne, directed by Nick Castle, 1995. [Alex Atkinson]
STANDOUT
In a sole sentence, it briefly expresses the anger of the speaker, who accumulates the adjective words to blame and attribute “you” as an “asshole.” [Jie Chen]

--“Who said that? Who the fuck said that? Who's the slimy little communist shit, twinkle-toed cocksucker down here who just signed his own death warrant?”—from Full Metal Jacket, directed by Stanley Kubrick, 1987. [Alex Atkinson]

--“Were you born a fat, slimy, scumbag puke piece o' shit, Private Pyle, or did you have to work on it?”—also from Full Metal Jacket, directed by Stanley Kubrick, 1987. [Alex Atkinson] 

--Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.  (“The Principal” in Billy Madison) [Gordon Coffee]
STANDOUT
The other examples of bdelygmia seemed to just string along numerous
offensive words referring to a particular person. I believe this
example is helpful because it gives some context as to why the person
is being criticized. This example accurately represents a "series" of
critical speech. (Jessica Roberts)
But remember: stringing along numerous offensive words IS what's meant by "a litany of abuse." Let's rely on Alex as the Master of Bdelygmia.-- n

Boosting
--“I like that about the Republicans; the evidence does not faze them, they are not bothered at all by the facts.” [Katharina Binder]
PUZZLER
I’m pretty sure that this statement is meant to be a put down, making it a better example of chleuasmos. Though, without any context it’s tough to be sure. [Alex Atkinson]
"At all" does give the statement a little boost. --n

-- “We should, all of us, be filled with gratitude and humility for our present progress and prosperity. We should be filled with awe and joy at what lies over the horizon. And we should be filled with absolute determination to make the most of it.” [Katharina Binder]
Keep in mind that "boosting" usually involves adverbial (not adjectival) expressions. So OBVIOUSLY, my example is better than yours. -- n


Catachresis
--“My news will be the dessert to follow their great feast.”   (Shakespeare, Hamlet)
I am not certain if it is catachresis. News is “dessert” following the “feast”, the mixed metaphor implies that “dessert follow the feast.” [Jie Chen]
This is a conventional metaphor. In any case, catachresis isn't on our list of terms. -- n

Chiasmus
-- "Prezels make you want more beer, beer makes you want more pretzels." This is an example of Chiasmus. My boyfriend said this remark to me and I immediately shouted, "do you know what you have just said!" I thought it was great. [bmaguli@comcast.net]
STANDOUT
-I like this example of Chiasmus because it gives you a repetitive cause and effect. The two phrases are also balance against each other, so it makes a simple definition provide more clarity for how Chiasmus’ work. [Jayce Goosby]

-Though it is one of the easier terms to remember, I really enjoy this example.  I guess, in remembering these terms, the ones that bring extreme emotion (laughter, a gasp) are the most beneficial. [Britney Compton]

This      -This example makes it clear for me.  It is a perfect example. [A. DeAnne McDowell] ok--n
OK

-- "Live simply that others may simply live." (T-shirt slogan) [Eva Glasgow]
STANDOUT
Although JFK's "Ask not…" sticks with me for chiasmus, I like this
example. It will personally be easy for me to recall because of its
simplicity. I also like the implied message that both parts of the
slogan offer in its reversal. (Jessica Roberts)
ok--n

Chleuasmos

 --“What? You want a cookie?”
I am not entirely sure where this saying came from. It is a saying that has evolved to be almost mocking these days. If you do something good and fully expect to be praised for it you are likely to get this as a response instead. It is a good way to deflate a billowing ego. I am sure it has its origins somewhere mundane, but the viral abilities of the interest have spread it quite far under many new uses. [Leslie Beebe] 
PUZZLER
-I'm not getting the part where there would be no answer, leaves question. [Courtney Sanders]

--Chleuasmos occurs in the context of an argument--we could use a little more information here. Same for Homer's remark below.-- n

--“Oh look at me!!! I'm making people happy! I'm the magical man from happy land, with a gumdrop house on lollipop lane!
Oh by the way...I was being sarcastic.” --Homer Simpson[Kelly Ondriezek]
PUZZLER
Although this is a sarcastic remark, it doesn't seem to be a sharp
response to any opponent. This could very well represent the use of
chleuasmos, but it may just be an incomplete example. (Jessica Roberts)

--“If you’re looking for sympathy you can find it between sh*t and syphilis in the dictionary”
-David Sedaris, Barrel Fever [Bethany Robbins]
STANDOUT
*What response could you have to sarcasm this thick?! Sedaris employs this kind of acerbic wit frequently throughout his writing. This example will definitely help me remember the term chleuasmos. [Eva Glasgow]

If this was said to me, this would leave me without any comeback at all. [A. DeAnne McDowell]

Commoratio
--“Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind- bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space.”
-Douglass Adams, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy [Bethany Robbins]
STANDOUT
-I’m pretty sure that this is an almost perfect example of commoratio, because it repeats the initial statement “Space is big,” several different ways. [Alex Atkinson]

This example definitely gets the point across that space is big through various terms and ideas. [Britney Compton]

-I think this is a very good example of commoratio. What makes it stick out is the use of words such vastly, hugely, and mind bogglingly to make the point of how big space really is. [Amanda Murphy]

ok--n

Crot
--“A billions of birdies squawkin' out loud
Talkin' in code to clams in the clouds
They send a secret message, they send it by worm,
Some vibratin' spiders will receive the word 

But that's totally
Feather-pluckin'
Insane! 

Ten million monkeys all pick up guitars,
Five thousand fishies rockin' really, really, really hard
Nobody taught them how. 

Everybody’s Supernova!”
Song titled “Feather Pluckn" by the band Presidents of the United states of America. Do not try and read the lyrics too hard it’ll give you a headache. [Leslie Beebe]
PUZZLER
…that’s right. I am calling out my own word. Upon future reading I no longer feel this describes the term “crot” as well. While the song is mind numbing it does have a common link in the lyrics. This would make it a poor crot example because a true Crot term would involve a series of words that have no obvious connection. (Leslie Beebe)
Leslie's self-critique is exactly right. The ideal crot is a more haphazard affair. " . . . I get up from my big papa chair/saying Christmas teeth! Radiant brains! Apple deaf!/God what a husband I'd make!" ("Marriage," by Gregory Corso) --n

More on Crots:

CROT. (from Winston Weathers) A crot (crots, plural) is an obsolete word meaning “bit” or “fragment.” The term was given new life by Tom Wolfe in his “Introduction” to a collection of Esquire magazine fiction, The Secret Life of Our Times, edited by Gordon Lish (New York: Doubleday, 1973). A basic element in the alternate grammar of style, and comparable somewhat to the “stanza” in poetry, the crot may range in length from one sentence to twenty or thirty sentences. It is fundamentally an autonomous unit, characterized by the absence of any transitional devices that might relate it to preceding or subsequent crots and because of this independent and discrete nature of crots, they create a general effect of metastasis — using that term from classical rhetoric to label, as Fritz Senn recently suggested in the James Joyce Quarterly (Summer, 1975), any “rapid transition from one point of view to another.” In its most intense form, the crot is characterized by a certain abruptness in its termination: “As each crot breaks off,” Tom Wolfe says, “it tends to make one’s mind search for some point that must have just been made — presque vu! — almost seen! In the hands of a writer who really understands the device, it will have you making crazy leaps of logic, leaps you never dreamed of before.”

The provenance of the crot may well be in the writer’s “note” itself — in the research note, in the sentence or two one jots down to record a moment or an idea or to describe a person or place. The crot is essentially the “note” left free of verbal ties with other surrounding notes.

…The crots, of whatever kind, may be presented in nearly random sequence or in sequences that finally suggest circularity. Rarely is any stronger sense of order (such as would be characteristic of traditional grammar) imposed on them — though the absence of traditional order is far more pronounced when the grammar is used in fiction and poetry. The general idea of unrelatedness present in crot writing suggests correspondence — for those who seek it — with the fragmentation and even egalitarianism of contemporary experience, wherein the events, personalities, places of life have no particular superior or inferior status to dictate priorities of presentation. Nearly always crots are separated one from the other by white space, and at times each crot is given a number or, upon rare occasion, a title. That little spectrum — white space only, white space plus a numbering, white space plus a titling — provides a writer with a way of indicating an increase in separation, discreteness, isolation.. . .

Crots are akin, obviously, to a more general kind of “block” writing — the kind of writing found, for instance, in E. M. Forster’s Two Cheers for Democracy and in Katherine Anne Porter’s essay “Audubon’s Happy Land.” In such block writing, the authors have strung together short, fairly discrete units of composition to make whole compositions. Likewise, a series of crots is not unlike a collection of aphorisms — say those of Eric Hoffer who, in a book like The Passionate State of Mind and Other Aphorisms, has brought together brief compositional units, some a sentence long, some several paragraphs long, each quite distinct from the other, yet grouped into a whole composition on the basis of a certain attitude and view of life common to them all. These compositions of “blocks” or “aphorisms” are so much in the spirit of crot writing that they may be considered a part of its development out of a traditional grammar of style into the alternate grammar. The writing of Forster, Porter, and Hoffer — in fiction and nonfiction — gives evidence of the usefulness of something other than the ordered linear procedure of traditional grammar even to writers who would not be identified as especially experimental or stylistically daring. (Weathers, Winston. “The Grammars of Style: New Options in Composition.” Freshman English News 4.3 (Winter 1976): 14, 12-18. Reprinted in Richard Graves’ Rhetoric and Composition: A Sourcebook for Teachers and Writers. 3rd ed. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook, Heinemann, 1990. 200-214)

Deduction
-“You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? You've beaten my giant, which means you're exceptionally strong, so you could've put the poison in your own goblet, trusting on your strength to save you, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But, you've also bested my Spaniard, which means you must have studied, and in studying you must have learned that man is mortal, so you would have put the poison as far from yourself as possible, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.”  -Vizzini “The Princess Bride” [Amanda Murphy]
STANDOUT
-This is a good example for deduction because it fulfills the definition in a logical way. [Katharina Binder]
Yes--good example. -- n

PUZZLER
it seems to be deduction. However, I am not so clear. To my interpretation, deduction provides inference by reasoning from the general to specific. In this example, “you’re exceptionally strong” generally tells how “I” understand you in my point of view and then “I” specify “you could’ve put the poison in your own goblet…” Also,  “I” generally think that “you’ve also bested my Spaniard” and then “I” specify the reason: you must have studied, …must have learned…[Jie Chen]
We'll be returning to logos (and to logical fallacies) in the last part of the semester, so don't be too concerned about this one now. -- n

Dehortatio
--Aunt Josephine: “Where's your brother?”
Violet Baudelaire: “Kitchen.”
Aunt Josephine: “Klaus! What are you doing?”
Klaus Baudelaire: “Napkins.”
Aunt Josephine: “Napkins. Oh, napkins are here. Come away from the fridge. If it falls it'll crush you flat.”
—also from Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Brad Silberling, 2004. [Alex Atkinson]

STANDOUT
This example for dehortatio displays the authoritive character of the advice and therefore it’s good because is shows the difference to diatyposis. [Katharina Binder]
Strictly speaking, this is an example of diatyposis (the "thou shall" figure). To make it dehortatio (the "thou shall NOT" figure), add a negative: "Don't stand so close to the fridge." - n

Deliberative
--Christopher Columbus Letters to Ferdinand and Isabella- “The pure devotion which I have ever borne to the service of Your Highness, and the unmerited wrong that I have suffered, will not permit me to remain silent, although I would fain do so; I pray Your Highness t pardon me.”
Columbus is using the rhetorical device known as deliberative.  He is writing a letter to the King and Queen of Spain begging for their forgiveness.  He solicits this type of action by listing his numerous accomplishments and flattering the King and Queen. [Valerie Bumgardner]

--  “I’m feeling good when I do it like this-
    So come on and turn it up because you can’t resist-
    Because I’m back with another track in which you lack.”
(“The Scoop”- Beastie Boys)  [Jessica Roberts]

Okay--but remember that deliberative is a broad type of discourse, not a particular strategy. See rhetoric. And see pp 121-123 in Classical Rhetoric. -- n

Diacope
-- one day anyone died i guess
                 (and no one stooped to kiss his face)
                   busy folk buried them side by side
                   little by little and was by was
-e.e. Cummings “Anyone lived in a pretty little how town” [Amanda Murphy]
STANDOUT
This is a great one because it includes more than one broken repetition in various ways. [Britney Compton]

 Right--n

Distinctio

--Count Olaf: Why aren't you orphans in the kitchen preparing dinner?
Violet Baudelaire: Dinner?
Count Olaf: It's the French word for the evening meal.
…………………..
Count Olaf:    “Where's the roast beef?”
Klaus Baudelaire: “Roast beef?”
Count Olaf: “Beef, yes. Roast beef. It's the Swedish term for beef that is roasted!”
………………….

Lemony Snicket: [narrating] Sanctuary... is a word which here means a small, safe place in a troubling world. Like an oasis in a vast desert or an island in a stormy sea.
—from Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, directed by Brad Silberling, 2004. [Alex Atkinson]

OK--n

Diatyposis

“Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much.”
-Oscar Wilde[Bethany Robbins]
STANDOUT
I can also appreciate the simplicity of this statement. If  I am not mistaken this came from the Bible, the wording is just a little different. [Joseph C. Stevens]
OK--n

 Dysphemism
--“So long Pizza-face!”
–Ramona Quimby to her sister Beatrice in Ramona Quimby Age 8 [Kelly Ondriezek]
STANDOUT
I gravitate to short examples because the make it easier to under stand for me. After reading this example and re-reading the definition, I can summarize and say dysphemism is another synonymous for name calling. [Jayce Goosby]

No--this is tapinosis. Dysphemism isn't just name-calling. It is, for instance, deliberately redefining a grade of "C" as "mediocre" rather than "average."--n

Effectio
-- William Shakespeare A Lover’s Complaint-

“Upon her head a platted hive of straw,
Which fortified her visage from the sun,
Whereon the thought might think sometime it
Saw
The carcass of a beauty spent and done:
Time had not scythed all that youth begun,
Nor youth all quit; but, spite of heaven’s fell rage,
Some beauty peept through lattice of sear’d age.”
This is a prime example effectio.  Shakespeare writes an entire poem about his various complaints on his lover’s outer appearance and her various shortcomings.  Shakespeare literally lists all of her physical attributes and in this passage he is describing her straw-like hair and her old skin.  [Valerie Bumgardner]


--“ Her hair was a radiant shade of red, her bronzed skin caressed her body. She had almond shaped eyes kissed with a tint of chocolate. Her curvaceous hips was the mid point of the most well sculptured prize any artist would gladly claim.
[Jayce Goosby]
STANDOUT
For me, this is a good example to understand “Effectio”. [Katharina Binder]
OK--true effectio (a head-to-toe description) is rare these days; mention of multiple body parts is as close as we usually get. -- n

Encomium

-- A year almost gone
yet I think about it still.
Daily it passes through my mind.
Like the sound of a sad song.

A hero you were to me
Strong yet loving.
The memory will never fade
Your presence I will always see.

Trips to the junkyard
Helping you in the garage
Talking about the Huskers
Teaching how to drive a car.

A Veteran of the war so proud
you never backed down from a fight.
Such a gentle Grandfather
with a laugh so loud.

Daily, Images of You Pass Through My Mind..............

Sitting on the porch
watching the sky as
the Sun goes down.

A hot beef sandwich
from the Truckstop.

Smiling as you hold
a boxer in your lap.

Caring for those in need
Introducing me proudly
to them all.

Shrine circus and Christmas events.

Fishing for trout early Sunday morning.

Putting my move into perspective
as we sat next to the garage heater.

These images I will forever cherish

Unlike life,
they will never perish.

Seeing you that day hit me so hard.
I did not know what to say.

I cried for you then,
and I cry for now.
Though I know you are in a better place.

Thank you Grandpa Slade
for giving me the memories
for influencing my life
for letting me carry you
to your final place of rest.
[Katharina Binder]

Del's poem is a form of encomium. -- n

Enthymeme

--“ Hold the cholesterol, not the mayo.”
(Hellmann’s Canola Oil Mayonnaise0 [Jessica Roberts]
STANDOUT
I like this one. I think it makes it simple and common that I can understand or maybe have heard before but did not know what it was. [Courtney Sanders]
OK -- n

Epideictic
--“ Dear Ketel One Drinker,
 At this time of the year it can be difficult to find suitable gifts for all of your friends and family. Please find below a list of helpful suggestions:
Ketel One
Ketel One Citroen “
(Ketel One Vodka Advertisement)  [Jessica Roberts]
PUZZLER
I am not convinced that this is an example of epideictic speech. I know that this product is saying, “hey, this is a good gift”, but it is not really praising the product much. I am not sure about this one. (Brittny Magulias)
I agree with Brittny. We see peddling but not real praise or blame. See epideictic oratory. -- n

Epimone
-- And why? Only for the kick, for the moment?
And why? Only for a piece of the wrong luck?
And why? Only for the kick, for the moment?
And why? You will never come back!
Come back, back, come back! [Katharina Binder]