Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Rhetorical Devices Handbook

If you want to know an Epanalepsis from a Polysyndeton, A Handbook of Rhetorical Devices can help. Originally published in 1980, Robert A.Harris has made the full text available online. Here's a sample from the section on Zuegma:

"In one form (prozeugma), the yoking word precedes the words yoked. So, for example, you could have a verb stated in the first clause understood in the following clauses:
  • Pride opresseth humility; hatred love; cruelty compassion. --Peacham
  • Fred excelled at sports; Harvey at eating; Tom with girls.
  • Alexander conquered the world; I, Minneapolis."

The detailed material can be tough to follow on a computer screen. Fortunately, since the whole text is loaded on one page, it's easy to print the entire book. Later, test your rhetoric skills with the quiz.

1 comment:

manolo blahnik españa said...

did you really wanna have a try ,to print the entire book. Later, test your rhetoric skills with the quiz.~