paradiastole Definition
- 1a rhetorical device in which a positive attribute is given to someone or something that is usually considered negative or inferior
- 2the use of an opponent's own argument against them
Using paradiastole: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "paradiastole" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He used paradiastole to turn his opponent's argument against them.
Example
The politician's speech was full of paradiastole, making his opponent's weaknesses seem like strengths.
Phrases with paradiastole
paradiastolic inversion
a type of paradiastole in which the speaker uses a word or phrase in a way that is opposite to its usual meaning
Example
In the sentence 'I can't wait to see what disaster befalls me next,' the phrase 'can't wait' is used in a paradiastolic inversion.
paradiastolic pun
a type of paradiastole in which the speaker uses a pun to turn a negative into a positive
Example
In the sentence 'I'm not a morning person, but I'm eggs-tremely good at breakfast,' the pun on 'eggs-tremely' is a paradiastolic pun.
Origins of paradiastole
from Greek 'paradiastolē', meaning 'countercharge'
Summary: paradiastole in Brief
The term 'paradiastole' [par-uh-dahy-as-tuh-lee] refers to a rhetorical device in which a positive attribute is given to someone or something that is usually considered negative or inferior. It can also refer to the use of an opponent's own argument against them. Examples of paradiastole include turning an opponent's weakness into a strength and using a pun to turn a negative into a positive.
