a name for everything

In English Lit the other day, we were discussing an English trick I was rather fond of. Sadly, I forgot the name of it. But. In my desperate search for “metaphor+compound+word” I found this list of very cool words for things I didn’t know were defined.

I did learn that saying things like “Whale-road” for Ocean was a kenning, but there are some other cool ones there too.

I now believe that Coolbreeze is the master of tmesis.

 

3 thoughts on “a name for everything

  1. meiosis
    The use of understatement to enhance the impression on the hearer.
    “The lottery winner was just a little excited.”
    Neat. I never knew that meiosis was anything more than a type of cell division where the chromosome number is reduced to make gametes in sexually reproducing organisms.
    Rob, you have forever enhanced my vocabulary.
    By the way, I saw your grade 6 picture. I don’t think it’s nearly as bad as you and Jeff have made it out to be.

  2. Whoa! I never knew that symbology was a real word! The way that Willem Dafoe’s character chastises the police officer who uses it instead of symbolism in the movie “The Boondock Saints”, I assumed the cop was a moron! Guess not!

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