A oxymore , or a oxymoron , is a figure of Rhétorique, an oxymoron indicating of contradictory or strongly contrasted realities, narrowly bound by the Syntaxe. The oxymore is called paradoxism by Fontanier.

While expressing what is inconceivable, the Poète thus creates a new poetic reality which causes an effect of surprise, by adding force to the described truth.

Etymology and synonyms

The term oxymoron comes from the Greek ὀξύμωρος: oxumôron (of ὀξύς: oxus “acute, penetrating” and μωρός: môros , “blunted, stupid”).

The word Antilogie , even less used, is wrongfully regarded as Synonyme with oxymore, because the antilogy is by illogical definition, close to the nonsense; pushing the Antithesis until the absurdity.

Only paradoxism is truly synonymous with oxymore.

Goal

So some oxymores were imagined to draw the attention of the reader or of the Auditeur, others are it to create a verbal category describing a Réalité which does not have a specific name. They are the discrete oxymores: having entered the language running, they are noticed little as such.

Thus the made up names such as Clearly-obscure (of the Italian chiaro oscuro ) or Bitter-sweet , Soft-land-mark , are oxymores.

The baroques affectionnaient the oxymore because it could answer their research: the meeting of the opposites.

Derivations

A process squeaking and widespread consists in affecting to regard as oxymore an expression which does not seek to be it, for example: Modern music, English Kitchen, economic Intelligence, American Culture, Modern art, Sustainable development or military Engineering .

Pierre Desproges played much on these " oxymores" , while speaking for example about the intellectual of right-hand side …

Examples

• “it is reglo in its dishonesty ” (Myriam Jego)
• “ the dark clearness of the reverberators ” (Charles Baudelaire, artificial Paradises )
• “ This small great heart had just flown away ” (Victor Hugo, the Poor wretches , died of Gavroche)
• “ Définitivement unfinished ” (Marcel Duchamp, in connection with its Grand Glass )
• “ the green azure ” (Arthur Rimbaud, the drunk Boat )
• “ She hastens with slowness ” (Jean of the Fountain, the hare and the tortoise ). To bring closer to the proverb Feasted slow ( hastens slowly) the Old ones, taken again by Boileau.
• “normal insane ” (Pierre Desproges)
• “ the man whom you will adore to hate ” (Nickname of the actor Erich von Stroheim, interprets roles of malicious)
• the “ Collective Diary said the JIC ” (Caroline Sarrion - Vinegar)
• “ this obscure clearness which falls from the stars ” (Pierre Corneille, Cid )
• “ I would compare it with a " sun noir" ”, Baudelaire
• “ I know that it is the habit/to adore these " dwarves géants" ”, Victor Hugo
• “ Young old man ” (Molière, the Hypochondriac )
• the “ heavy lightness of its ideas ” (Poulard Norbert)
• a “ marvellous misfortune ”, work of Boris Cyrulnik
• “ Micromégas ” (Voltaire)
• “ how much famous exploits/are remained without glory medium of darkness ”.
• “ Wrinkled and nonout-of-date,… ” (V. Hugo; Setting sun, extracted from " Sheets of automne")
• a “ silence deafening ” (Albert Camus, the fall )
• dreadful “a black sun from where rayon the night ” (Victor Hugo)
• “ invisible splendors ” (Arthur Rimbaud)
• a “ sublimates horror ” (Honore de Balzac, the Colonel Chabert )
• “ My more beautiful nightmare ” (title of a song of Ez3kiel)
• “ this soft power ” (Molière, miserly the in connection with the love)
• “ heroic butchery ” (Ingenuous Voltaire, )

External bonds

• Oxymorons.info

Simple: Oxymoron

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