A paraprosdokian is a sentence or statement with an unexpected and often humorous ending. The surprising twist makes us think and reinterpret the entire phrase.
Paraprosdokians are often used in satire and comedy because they keep the audience engaged and entertained.
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Play on words is the clever manipulation of language based on the sound and meanings of words. It is a form of verbal wit intended to amuse or surprise an audience. Due to this, we often encounter it in literature, advertising, and everyday conversations.
“Talking of axes,” said the Duchess, “chop off her head!”
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Demeanor is how you present yourself to others, including your actions but also your tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. In British English, the correct spelling is “demeanour.”
As a noun, demeanor is neutral; depending on context, it has a positive or negative connotation. If someone has a friendly demeanor, for instance, it means that they smile and nod as you talk to them or that they maintain eye contact. In contrast, a person of unfriendly demeanor will probably act in a cold and disinterested way, paying little attention to what you are saying.
We were greeted by a small woman of cheerful demeanor.
He has a shy demeanor and blushes when he has to give a presentation.
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Juxtaposition is placing two objects, images, or ideas side by side to create a certain effect or make a point. The fact that two things are placed together highlights their differences and similarities, creating contrast. Juxtaposition is common in literature, visual arts, and public speaking.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
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Paronomasia is a type of play on words. It involves the use of words that are similar in sound or appearance but different in meaning, like “blue” and “blew.”
Because of the possible interpretations, paronomasia creates ambiguous, funny, or thought-provoking sentences. Due to this, we often encounter it in comedy, theatrical plays, and news headlines.
“Bake” or “baked” is a slang term for drug intoxication, and “baking” sounds like “breaking,” an allusion to Breaking Bad, a popular TV series about the illegal drug trade. “High” has a double meaning: it means feeling euphoric due to drugs or something being great in quantity.
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An allusion is an indirect reference to a person, event, or literary work that the audience is expected to recognize and understand. Allusions provide a shortcut to more complex ideas. Because of this, they are often used in literature, poetry, and everyday conversations.
He is such a Scrooge with the project budget and gives a hard time to his colleagues. (a stingy character from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol)
Chocolate is my Achilles’ heel. (weakness)
The recent election was a Waterloo for the incumbent governor. (a decisive defeat)
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Pathos is an emotional appeal employed to elicit a specific emotional response from an audience. This usually involves feelings of pity, sympathy, or sorrow. The intention is to make an audience feel the way the author or speaker wants them to feel.
“Pathos” is a term mostly used in persuasive speaking and writing, but we also encounter it in literature, film, and advertising.
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Foreshadowing provides hints, clues, or indications about what happens later in a story. By preparing readers for future developments, foreshadowing creates anticipation and suspense. This makes it an effective technique used in most types of storytelling, including novels, plays, and movies.
In these lines from Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2), Romeo declares that he would rather die at the hands of Julia’s family, the Capulets, than live without her. These words foreshadow the events leading to their deaths: they take their lives due to their families’ feud.
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Enjambment is when a sentence or phrase spans over more than one line of poetry. Because of this, a thought or idea carries on from one line to the next without a pause or punctuation mark at the end of the line.
Enjambment can affect the rhythm and pace of a poem.
Enjambment can be found in different types of poems, including haikus, sonnets, and free verse.
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Logos is an appeal to an audience’s sense of logic and rationality and usually involves objective facts and figures. With the use of solid evidence, the speaker or writer can support their argument and persuade their audience or readers.
“Logos” is a term mostly used in persuasive speaking and writing, including political speeches, marketing, and legal arguments.
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