A Kwestchin for all of you English Professorial Types:

[rosco rathbone]

What ho what ho. Ye that know the meaning of metonymy, synechdoche and suchlike....


I have exhausted my reference tomes and cannot find the answer to this question: What is the literary technical term for "writing as if satirically or ironically when you are actually using those modes of speech to say exactly what you mean".

For instance, if I hated some group of humans; and wanted them all dead; and wrote a modest proposal suggesting that they be dumped into the Mid-Atlantic locked in huge lead containers. No one could possibly attack me on the heinous nature of my suggestion since I was hiding behind the veil of satire. A furtive, small-man's way to blurt his shameful ideas to the world.

Anyhow, I've seen several examples of this lately; such as the work of Mark Ames in The New York Press . What is it called?

 

[ABSTRUSE]

The only thing I could think of would be satire, which can be broken up:

There are several types of satire:

Diminution: Reduces the size of something in order that it may be made to appear ridiculous or in order to be examined closely and have its faults seen close up. For example, treating the Canadian Members of Parliament as a squabbling group of little boys is an example of diminution. Gulliver's Travels is a diminutive satire.
Inflation: A common technique of satire is to take a real-life situation and exaggerate it to such a degree that it becomes ridiculous and its faults can be seen, and thus satirical. For example, two boys arguing over a possession of a car can be inflated into an interstellar war. The Rape of the Lock is an example of inflation.
Juxtaposition: Places things of unequal importance side by side. It brings all the things down to the lowest level of importance on the list. For example, if a guy says his important subjects in school include Calculus, Computer Science, Physics, and girl-watching, he has managed to take away some of the importance of the first three. The Rape of the Lock is also an example of juxtaposition.
Parody: Imitates the techniques and style of some person, place, or thing. Parody is used for mocking or mocking its idea of the person, place, or thing. Monty Python is an example of parody.
For example, satires of Gothic are often presented in the form of 'recipes':

Take - An old castle, half of it ruinous. A long gallery, with a great many door, some secret ones. Three murdered bodies, quite fresh. As many skeletons, in chests and presses. An old woman hanging by the neck; with her throat cut. Assassins and desperados, quant. suff. Noise, whispers, and groans, threescore at least. Mix them together, in the form of volumes, to be taken at any of the watering places before going to bed.

Not sure if this helps.

 

[Guest]

Roscoe, only because I am glad to see you again, I took the time to research this (plus I like this sort of crap). This is a great site by the way and easy to surf. Unfortunately, I haven’t come up with exactly what you need, but these seem near. - Perdita

Proslepsis: When paralipsis (stating and drawing attention to something in the very act of pretending to pass it over) is taken to its extreme; the speaker provides full details.
Example:
“It would be unseemly for me to dwell on Senator Kennedy's drinking or womanizing, or to call your attention to the recent scandal regarding the purported rape at Au Bar where, some have said, he has passed the torch of alcoholism and womanizing to a new generation.”

Epitrope: figure in which one turns things over to one's hearers, either pathetically, ironically, or in such a way as to suggest a proof of something without having to state it.
Epitrope often takes the form of granting permission (hence its Latin name, permission), submitting something for consideration, or simply referring to the abilities of the audience to supply the meaning that the speaker passes over (hence Puttenham's term, figure of reference). Epitrope can be either biting in its irony, or flattering in its deference.
A specific form of epitrope is the (apparent) admission of what is wrong in order to carry our point.
Examples:
Go ahead, make my day... —Clint Eastwood
If you seeke the victorie take it, and if you list, triumph. — A. Fraunce
Because all things [be] taken away, only is left unto me my body and mind. These things, which only are left unto me of many, I grant then to you and to your power. —R. Sherry

Vituperation or invective: is "a composition expository of attendant evils" and is a companion to the previous exercise, encomium. It also compares to the Commonplace exercise, but differs in speaking against not general vices or types of persons, but a specific individual. As the encomium, the vituperation includes as subjects chiefly persons, but also can take up things (such as abstract ideas), times (as the seasons), places, or animals.

 

[lewdandlicentious]

Ladies, I have a love of English.

When reading it, which I seldom do, it irks me if it's not written properly.

When writing it, I try to write it properly.

But you two, scare the fucking life out of me when you come forth with in depth stuff like that!

 

[Guest]

deleted (whimped out).

 

[minsue]

deleted (whimped out).

What fun is that?

 

[Guest]

What fun is that?

LOTS!

 

[Guest]

But you two, scare the fucking life out of me when you come forth with in depth stuff like that!

I believe that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Lewd.

Perdita

 

[lewdandlicentious]

I believe that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Lewd.

Perdita

And what a way to say it eh???

I'm serious though, you have such a knowledge that can only impress, and sometimes annoy, but I'm sure you know that.

I know it only comes from study, reading and learning. All of which I know I could do more of, for I'm not unintelligent. The simple fact of the matter is, such things bore the life out of me.

As I've said before, I'm much more a do-er!

At least on here, I'm doing and at times learning too!

 

[Guest]

And what a way to say it eh???

I'm serious though, you have such a knowledge that can only impress, and sometimes annoy, but I'm sure you know that.

I know it only comes from study, reading and learning. All of which I know I could do more of, for I'm not unintelligent. The simple fact of the matter is, such things bore the life out of me.

As I've said before, I'm much more a do-er!

At least on here, I'm doing and at times learning too!

Your punctuation was better that time.

(That was the gist of what I said when I wimped out, btw. Oh, and I spelt wimped wrong before, I know! )

Lou

 

[Guest]

... you have such a knowledge that can only impress, and sometimes annoy, but I'm sure you know that.
I truly do not mean to impress or annoy, just help out when it seems desired.

I know it only comes from study, reading and learning. All of which I know I could do more of, for I'm not unintelligent.
I sussed out your defensiveness long ago, no need for it. I'm mostly self-educated, but only in things that interest me.

best always, Perdita

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Rosco!

I'm not sure what it's called, but if it has a name, it's probably here:

http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/silva.htm

Everything else is.

---dr.M.

P.S. It might qualify as hyperbolic peclusio, which is a threat taken to such extremes as to be ludicrous.

 

[Guest]

Mab., that's the link I gave him. P.

 

[rosco rathbone]

Thank you, learned professors.

 

[rosco rathbone]

I think my IQ jumped 10 points the instant I klicked that url.