Hyperbole
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A hyperbole is a rhetorical trope or figure of speech which can be defined as exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.[1] It is often used in literature, especially poetry, as well as in everyday speech.
Etymology:
The word hyperbole as we know it now comes from the Greek word, hyperbole which also means "exaggeration or extravagance." Many believe the Greek word hyperbole developed from another Greek word, hyperballein, which means "to throw over or beyond" and the word was simplay altered in an attempt to create a name for the rhetorical trope. [2]
Effect:
Hyperbole is often used as a deliberate exaggeration used for dramatic and comic effect in literature. Dramatic hyperboles can be used for the writer to show passion and/or devotion towards something specific without the writer saying "I am passionate about this." Another mentioned use of hyperbole is a comical use, such as using a random large number to replace a specific number ("My bag weighs a ton!" as opposed to "My bag weighs 15.3 lbs," which is much less amusing). [3]
Examples:
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Dramatic Effects |
Comical Effects |
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“You keep this up Bobby and mark my words I will hang you out to dry!” |
“I'm not one to use hyperbole, ladies and gentlemen but I'll tell you this, for the first time in my life I had the caca scared out of me! “ [4] |
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“I tried to do it a thousand times and I can’t get it!” |
“That joke is so old, the last time I heard it I was riding a dinosaur.” [5] |
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“The crowd was as tense as a mouse meeting fear;” [6] |
“She is so dumb, she thinks Taco Bell is a Mexican phone company.” [7] |
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“I'll love you, dear, I'll love you Till China and Africa meet, And the river jumps over the mountain And the salmon sing in the street,” [8] |
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“And right now there's a steel knife in my windpipe. I can't breathe.” [9] |
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Creators:
Primary Editor: Megan Timpf
Secondary Editor: Anthony Zick
Poster: Andrew Daraban
Additional Considerations
References
- ↑ http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/hyperbole
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=hyperbole
- ↑ http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-hyperbole.htm
- ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074937/quotes
- ↑ http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-hyperboles.html
- ↑ http://www.mywordwizard.com/poems-with-hyperbole.html
- ↑ http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-hyperboles.html
- ↑ http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15551
- ↑ http://lyrics.url.com/show/10682/eminem/love-the-way-you-lie-feat-rihanna-lyrics
