Circumlocution (also called circumduction, circumvolution, periphrasis, kenning,[1][dubious – discuss] or ambage[citation needed]) is the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea. It is sometimes necessary in communication (for example, to work around lexical gaps that might otherwise lead to untranslatability), but it can also be undesirable (when an uncommon or easily misunderstood figure of speech is used).[2] Roundabout speech is the use of many words to describe something that already has a common and concise term (for example, saying "a tool used for cutting things such as paper and hair" instead of "scissors").[3] Most dictionaries use circumlocution to define words. Circumlocution is often used by people with aphasia and people learning a new language, where simple terms can be paraphrased to aid learning or communication (for example, paraphrasing the word "grandfather" as "the father of one's father"). Among other usages, circumlocution can be used to construct euphemisms, innuendos, and equivocations.
Circumlocution is often used by beginner and intermediate second language speakers to convey the meaning of a word they don't know in their target language. Relative clauses are often used for circumlocution in English.[4] For example,
[Firefighters] are the people who you call when your house is on fire. A [spider] is an arachnid that catches other insects in its web.
Synonyms and simile are two other common circumlocution strategies.[4] A pomegranate could be described using these techniques as follows:
It's a kind of fruit, it's red and it has lots and lots of little seeds in it.
Euphemistic language often uses circumlocution to avoid saying words that are taboo or considered offensive. For example, "Holy mother of Jesus!" is a circumlocution of "Mary!", but "heck", while still euphemistic, is not a circumlocution of "hell".
^"Speak of the devil, and he will appear" is the proverb.
Referencesedit
^. Grammar.about.com. 1953-08-10. Archived from the original on 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
^Gail Ramshaw (1 January 1996). Liturgical Language: Keeping it Metaphoric, Making it Inclusive. Liturgical Press. p. 36. ISBN978-0-8146-2408-1. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
^Máire Byrne (8 September 2011). The Names of God in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: A Basis for Interfaith Dialogue. Continuum. p. 48. ISBN978-1-4411-5356-2. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
^"innuendo – definition of innuendo by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia". Thefreedictionary.com. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
^New Oxford American Dictionary 2nd edition 2005 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
External linksedit
Look up circumlocution in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
. inpraiseofargument.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-15.
"Communicative styles: Digressing and being indirect or evasive". Cambridge dictionary. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
April 15, 2024
circumlocution, also, called, circumduction, circumvolution, periphrasis, kenning, dubious, discuss, ambage, citation, needed, unnecessarily, large, number, words, express, idea, sometimes, necessary, communication, example, work, around, lexical, gaps, that, . Circumlocution also called circumduction circumvolution periphrasis kenning 1 dubious discuss or ambage citation needed is the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea It is sometimes necessary in communication for example to work around lexical gaps that might otherwise lead to untranslatability but it can also be undesirable when an uncommon or easily misunderstood figure of speech is used 2 Roundabout speech is the use of many words to describe something that already has a common and concise term for example saying a tool used for cutting things such as paper and hair instead of scissors 3 Most dictionaries use circumlocution to define words Circumlocution is often used by people with aphasia and people learning a new language where simple terms can be paraphrased to aid learning or communication for example paraphrasing the word grandfather as the father of one s father Among other usages circumlocution can be used to construct euphemisms innuendos and equivocations Contents 1 Language acquisition 2 Euphemisms 3 Innuendo 4 Equivocation 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 External linksLanguage acquisition editCircumlocution is often used by beginner and intermediate second language speakers to convey the meaning of a word they don t know in their target language Relative clauses are often used for circumlocution in English 4 For example Firefighters are the people who you call when your house is on fire A spider is an arachnid that catches other insects in its web Synonyms and simile are two other common circumlocution strategies 4 A pomegranate could be described using these techniques as follows It s a kind of fruit it s red and it has lots and lots of little seeds in it Euphemisms editMain article Euphemism Euphemistic language often uses circumlocution to avoid saying words that are taboo or considered offensive For example Holy mother of Jesus is a circumlocution of Mary but heck while still euphemistic is not a circumlocution of hell Euphemistic circumlocution is also used to avoid saying unlucky words words which are taboo for reasons connected with superstition for example calling the devil Old Nick note 1 calling Macbeth the Scottish Play or saying baker s dozen instead of thirteen Innuendo editMain article Innuendo Innuendo refers to something suggested but not explicitly stated 5 Equivocation editMain article Equivocation Equivocation is the use of ambiguous language to avoid telling the truth or forming commitments 6 See also edit nbsp Language portalAnalytic language Auxiliary verb Compound linguistics Inflection Periphrasis Sesquipedalianism Taboo game VerbosityNotes edit Speak of the devil and he will appear is the proverb References edit periphrasis definition and examples of periphrasis rhetoric Grammar about com 1953 08 10 Archived from the original on 2013 05 14 Retrieved 2013 05 20 Gail Ramshaw 1 January 1996 Liturgical Language Keeping it Metaphoric Making it Inclusive Liturgical Press p 36 ISBN 978 0 8146 2408 1 Retrieved 29 September 2013 Maire Byrne 8 September 2011 The Names of God in Judaism Christianity and Islam A Basis for Interfaith Dialogue Continuum p 48 ISBN 978 1 4411 5356 2 Retrieved 29 September 2013 a b Circumlocution Strategies premierskillsenglish britishcouncil org 2018 01 25 Retrieved 2022 09 14 innuendo definition of innuendo by the Free Online Dictionary Thesaurus and Encyclopedia Thefreedictionary com Retrieved 2013 05 25 New Oxford American Dictionary 2nd edition 2005 by Oxford University Press Inc External links edit nbsp Look up circumlocution in Wiktionary the free dictionary Say Two Thing at Once Paradoxes irony puns and tactical ignorance inpraiseofargument com Archived from the original on 2013 06 15 Communicative styles Digressing and being indirect or evasive Cambridge dictionary Retrieved 2024 01 24 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Circumlocution amp oldid 1198658689, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
