As well as playing with oxymorons, Oscar Wilde was also a master of symbolism. . Exactly! Note: All bold emphasis in the following quotations is my own. We provide informative and helpful articles about the newest fiction and nonfiction books on the market that you can come back to again and again when you have the urge for a new book to dig into. In this poem, Auden utilizes the oxymoron juicy bone. Of course, a bone is generally considered dry and the opposite of juicy. In 1778, the French chemist Antoine Lavoisier (1743-94) proposed for the recently discovered element the name . One example of a paradox is the following conflicting idea. Oxymorons are common, often unconscious, literary devices. There are plenty more to be discovered! Giant list of oxymorons - The Search Resource We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. "darkness visible" (Milton), Learn more. Not monosyllabic or one word, but I came upon an "oxymoron that isn't" in a book I am reading, The Pale King, David Foster Wallace (posthumous): "spectacularly dull."It turns out this phrase is pretty common. While an oxymoron is the combination of two contradictory/opposite words in a single sentence, a paradox is an entire phrase/sentence that appears contradictory but, upon further investigation, could be true or plausible. But pairing it with deafening gives silence a very distinct meaning, comparing it to a loud noise that draws extra attention. "faith unfaithful", "falsely true" (Tennyson),[16] From 5th century Latin oxymoron, from Ancient Greek (oxus, "sharp") (English oxy-, as in oxygen) + (mros, "dull") (English moron ("stupid person")).Literally "sharp-dull", itself an oxymoron, hence autological; compare sophomore (literally "wise fool"), influenced by similar analysis.The compound form * (oxumron) is not found in the extant Greek . Bittersweet is the word for a pleasant feeling that is nonetheless marked by sadness or regret, such as the feeling one might have upon graduating from school, where many friendships were made. (Jumbo means 'large' while Shrimp means 'small'). 100 Awfully Good Examples of Oxymorons. "beggarly riches" (John Donne),[14] Dr. Richard Nordquist is professor emeritus of rhetoric and English at Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks. The main difference between an oxymoron and a paradox is that oxymorons use contradictory words whereas paradoxes use contradictory ideas. Oxymoron: Definition, Meaning & Examples | StudySmarter The sentences in this section feature oxymorons from the list above. the word nascar is an oxymoron. Yes! Nordquist, Richard. Consider these paradox examples: You have to spend money to make money. the word nascar is an oxymoron - nyperfectclicks.com The word "oxymoron" is an oxymoron itself and derives from the . Rowdy, a new documentary on Amazon Freevee, tells the story of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch's life and career, largely focused on his chase for the 2015 Cup Series Championship. . For some real-world examples of oxymorons in writing, review a few lines from literature and songs. With loads of learned lumber in his head . Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox! We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), Palindrome Examples: Words and Phrases That Are the Same Backwards and Forwards, The Most Confusing Rules in the Grammar World, Pangram Examples Every Word Lover Will Appreciate, Stock Your Spring Closet with 12 Dresses Under $100, More Than 300 Words Were Just Added to Dictionary.com, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, The Sound of Silence: Song by Simon & Garfunkel, All your perfect imperfections: John Legend in his song All of Me, Clara Barton: I distinctly remember forgetting that., Isaac Bashevis Singer: We must believe in free will. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points, How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer. When we think of oxymorons, we often think of two-word phrases with seemingly opposite components, like "alone together" or "sweet sorrow." Paired together, however, they create a deeper meaning. Instead, it takes linguistic skill in knowing which words, though opposing, will work together to have an effect on the reader. A common oxymoron example is "bittersweet"the two root words, bitter and sweet, are inherently contradictory. Oxymoron. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oxymoron. O anything of nothing first create! Combining the idea of before and after leads to a word that describes something that makes so little sense that it leaves you shaking your head. The word follows an earlier obsolete noun dingthrift, with ding meaning to deal blows to, knock down, or beat., We couldnt have a list of oxymorons without mentioning oxymoron itself. Jack London, The Call of the Wild, All the pain he had endured was as nothing compared with the exquisite agony of this., The bookful blockhead, ignorantly read, In perhaps the most well-known oxymoron in literature, Juliet describes her feelings about Romeo leaving her presence as sweet sorrow. Shakespeares use of oxymoron indicates that Juliets sorrow and sadness at the thought that Romeo must part from her is also sweet and pleasant. If you're referring to oxymoron in plural, both oxymorons and oxymora are correct. What is An Oxymoron? | The Word Counter This means that oxymoron is a figure of speech that includes just a couple of contradictory words that are paired together rather than a full statement of ideas. With good, and bad, and worse, alike prolific, Too much of one sort would be soporific;. Oxymorons can be clearly confusing (see what we did there? As a rhetorical device, an oxymoron illustrates a point to communicate and reveal a paradox. The first word is usually used to describe the second word in a way that contrasts with it. The dictionary defines an oxymoron as a "wittily paradoxical turn of phrase that appeals to 'unconscious responses' instead of rational examinations". brennan boesch career earnings cameron boyce funeral cameron boyce funeral Lederer (1990), in the spirit of "recreational linguistics", goes as far as to construct "logological oxymorons"[jargon] such as reading the word nook composed of "no" and "ok" or the surname Noyes as composed of "no" plus "yes", or far-fetched punning such as "divorce court", "U.S. Army Intelligence" or "press release". A crisis is defined as a time of serious difficulty or importance. A person who is thrifty does not like to spend money. An oxymoron is a figure of speech containing words that seem to contradict each other. Posted at 14:06h in does jetblue have power outlets by white stuff on frozen chicken. The scope of a paradox can go much deeper, drawing on complicated themes and philosophical concepts. The term "oxymoron" is itself an oxymoron as it derives from the Greek "oxus" (sharp) and "moros" (stupid). One feature of this kind of poem is its tendency to describe love as a strange mixture of pain and pleasure. As a literary device, oxymoron has the effect of creating an impression, enhancing a concept, and even entertaining the reader. [11], Other examples from English-language literature include: "conventionally unconventional", "tortuous spontaneity" (Henry James)[17] Here are instances in which its effective to use oxymoron in writing: Since most people dont use oxymoron very often when speaking, it does take linguistic skill to create one that is successful. "melancholy merriment" (Byron), Slow and steady wins the race. Oxymoron is a figure of speech pairing two words together that are opposing and/or contradictory. the word nascar is an oxymoron the word nascar is an oxymoron. Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way. As a rhetorical device, an oxymoron illustrates a point to communicate and reveal a paradox. Approaching the end of the alphabet, there are still more oxymorons to explore. 2023. The word oxymoron is an ancient Greek word, which translates most closely to something like sharply dull or cleverly stupid. In other words, the oxymoron definition is itself an oxymoron. The word "oxymoron" is itself oxymoronic, which is to say contradictory. In many cases they are obvious. Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism, Of melancholy merriment, to quote. O loving hate!"). An oxymoronis a figure of speech, usually one or two words, in which seemingly contradictory terms appear side by side. The word 'Oxymoron' is originally derived from the Greek elements: oxy = sharp and moros (moron) = dull (foolish). The word "oxymoron" is derived from Greek a combination of oxy- meaning keen or sharp and -mrs meaning dull or foolish. Whether bitter is really the opposite of sweet on the taste spectrum is arguable, but they are often contrasted since bitter is associated with medicines or some vegetables (like radishes) while sweet is associated with, well, sweets (candy and desserts). The Ancient Greeks came up with this term for a rhetorical device employing contradiction by combining the word for sharp, keen (oxys) with the aforementioned mros, meaning foolish.. Copyright 2023 Literary Devices. Now you can see that oxymorons add humor or drama to speech or writing, allowing you to make a funny or pointed remark. What is an oxymoron? Oxymoron - Examples and Definition of Oxymoron - Literary Devices and The distinction between the two is clear (now). Original copy: Oxymorons that aren't | Discussion Forum | A Way with Single-Word and Compound Word: Bittersweet, frenemy (friend+enemy), love-hate.Adjective + Noun: Sweet sorrow (made famous by William . jumbo shrimp - Oxymoron List What Is An Oxymoron? Definition & Examples Of This Writing Technique