10. Epithet

Epithet is an expressive word or phrase used to characterize a thing, a phenomenon, or a person.

Epithets trite epithets: “heartfelt thanks”, “wine-dark sea”, “blood-red sky”, “fleet-footed Achilles”, “stone-cold heart” original epithets: Oh, dreamy, gloomy, friendly trees! (Trench) She gave me a you-know-what-men-are-like look.

11. Over-statement (hyperbole)

Over-statement, or hyperbole, is an expression of an idea in an exceedingly exaggerated language used for emphasis or effect. Stylistic over-statement contributes to an elevated mood or shows a satirical attitude. There are many colloquial hyperboles which are stereotyped.

Hyperboles stereotyped: a thousand pardons; I’ve told you forty times; I haven’t seen you for ages; I’d give worlds for it; original: I would cross the world to find you. He was more remote than the stars.

12. Under-statement (meiosis)

Under-statement, or meiosis, is the logical and psychological opposite of hyperbole.

It is lessening, weakening, reducing the real characteristics of the object of speech.

Litotes is a specific form of meiosis. It is expressing an idea by means of negating the opposite idea. Litotes is very frequent in English.

Meiosis He knows a thing or two. I am not quite too late. I have a little money. I kind of liked it. Litotes not without his assistance, not so bad, not overpleased

13. Oxymoron

Oxymoron is a stylistic device presenting a combination of two contrastive ideas. Two words are opposite and incompatible. A frequently repeated oxymoron becomes trite and serves only as an intensifier.

Oxymoron He has lived a long life with death. His voice as politely ironic and annoyingly well-bred.. Trite oxymoron pretty bad, awfully glad, terribly nice, pretty dirty, open secret

14. Zeugma

Zeugma is a stylistic device that plays upon two different meanings of a word, direct and figurative. It consists of one main element and a number of adjuncts that represent semantically different word classes.

Zeugma Шел дождь и два студента. He rushed for the window and safety. Either you or your head must be off. He had a good taste for wine, and whiskey, and an emergence bell in his bedroom. He has lived a long life with death. His voice as politely ironic and annoyingly well-bred..

15. Pun

Pun, or paronomasia, (play upon words) is based on simultaneous realization of two meanings, primary and secondary, in the same context.

By definition, puns must be deliberate; an involuntary substitution of similar words is called a malapropism.

Pun may be based on:

1) single polysemantic word;

2) complete and partial homonyms.

Pun - Did you hit a woman with a child? - No, I hit her with a stick… polysemantic words: Her nose was sharp, but not so sharp as her voice, or the suspiciousness with which she faced Martin. homonyms: We called him Tortoise because he taught us. (Lewis Carrol)