About This Site

Figaro rips the innards out of things people say and reveals the rhetorical tricks and pratfalls. For terms and definitions, click here.
(What are figures of speech?)
Ask Figaro a question!

Search

« Bruce Springsteen for Supreme Court! | Main | A Machine! Let’s Put Money In It! »
Friday
30Dec

Is That an AK-47 Or Are You Glad to See Me?

DateFriday, December 30, 2005 at 09:08AM
soljerhug.gifQuote:  "By hugging the enemy, wrapping our arms around them, we hope to control them."  Anonymous U.S. commander quoted in the Washington Post.

Figure of Speech:  epergesis (eh per GEE sis), the clarifier.  (Also spelled epexegesis.)

The military is adding "mentors" in Iraq to keep the Shiite militias and death squads, a.k.a. "the Iraq army," from killing Sunnis.  The commander uses an epergesis (Greek for "explanation"), which clarifies a statement—just in case you thought "hugging the enemy" was just a metaphor.

We could stand a little more clarification, though.  Can you tell us who the enemy is again?

Snappy Answer:  "No kissing, though.  Then they control you."

AuthorFigaro | Comment2 Comments |

PrintView Printer Friendly Version

EmailEmail Article to Friend

Reader Comments (2)

Your snappy answer still has me giggling...
March 10, 2006 | Unregistered CommenterShan Hernandez
Why, thank you, Shan. It’s a figure, too: an antithesis.
Fig.
March 10, 2006 | Unregistered CommenterFig

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.

My response is on my own website »
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
All HTML will be escaped. Hyperlinks will be created for URLs automatically.