Key Words: Periphrasis, Litotes, Antithesis, Gradation, Syntactical Stylistic Device, Represented Speech. Periphrasis Periphrasis is the use of a longer phrase instead of a possible shorter one.
Periphrasis is always a word combination and it is used instead of a generally accepted
word.
I understood you are poor, and wish to earn money by nursing the little boy, my son, who has been deprived of what can never been replaced (Dickens «Dombey and son»)
Every periphrasis indicates a new feature of a phenomenon which occurred to the
writer. For this reason periphrasis is used to convey a purely individual perception of a
given phenomenon. If you are successful in cribbing your way through the nursery
games known here as examinations, 1 prophesy for you great and shining future.
Periphrasis like all stylistic devices can be traditional (trite) and genuine (individual).
Traditional periphrasis as a result of frequent repetition may become established in
the language.
Cap and gown – student;
the fair sex - women
a gentleman of the long robe - a lawyer;
my better half - my wife
Genuine periphrasis is an individual creation which often contains in itself
metaphor or metonymy.
1. Metaphorical periphrasis
e.g
the sky – lamp of the night His studio is probably full of mute evidence of his failure 2. Metonymical periphrasis
e.g.
He marries a good deal of money He fell in love married and surrounded himself with little rosy cheeks Another type of periphrasis is a euphemistic periphrasis. Euphemistic periphrasis
substitutes a mild neutral expression for one which seems to be coarse or unpleasant.
I would not leave a gold cigarette – case about when he is in the neighbourhood. Euphemisms have appeared in the language as a result of so-called “taboo”.
Superstitious people are used to avoid mentioning objects and notions which signify
disaster: -
to die – to pass away, to join the majority, to go west, to kick the bucket. Periphrasis has different functions:
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1.
the function of creating elevated, high flown speech;
2.
the function of additional characteristic of objects and phenomena;
3.
the function of creating humorous or satiric effect.