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Today’s Wrap was going to be on hyperbole, but then I thought, nahhhh, litotes, sorta the opposite of hyperbole, would probably be much more interesting.
So if hyperbole is emphasis by exaggeration, as in “Honey, I love you to the moon and back,” or “He drives a car the size of a blimp,” litotes (lie-TOE-tees) emphasizes by weakening a statement using the negative of its opposite. A classic litotes is “not bad, not bad at all” when you really mean to say something is “pretty good.” A couple other classics: “not many” for “a few” and “no big deal,” to mean “it was nothing.”
An early example of litotes can be found in the Bible. Paul (formerly called Saul) says in Acts 21:39, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.” No ordinary city is the negative of the opposite: “I come from the baddest city in Cilicia, so let me speak, yo!”
Litotes can also be used to make little jokes, too, as in “Well, he’s no Einstein.” Have some litotes to share? A famous example? An original? It’s the interactive part of the Wrap, folks… and I’m not just whistling dixie, neither!
Q: “So, was she hot?”
A: “Well, she wasn’t bad looking.”
posted by CassiusClay on 9-21-2007 at 5:54 am
How was the date?
It was better than being hit with a sack of doorknobs.
posted by Dusty on 9-21-2007 at 6:35 am
I usually take a litotes as being a milder adjective than the direct synonym (i.e. “not bad” a little less complimentary than “good”). However it can be used both ways, even in the same sentence, such as: “He’s not a complete idiot, but let’s just say he’s not the brightest crayon in the box”.
posted by Leadhyena on 9-21-2007 at 7:21 am
My husband and I have a favorite (often while floating in the pool with a Margarita in hand): “Well, this doesn’t suck.”
posted by Bre on 9-21-2007 at 9:15 am
My friend once said ‘She’s not pretty. (pause) She’s not ugly. (pause) She’s pretty ugly?’
posted by Jim on 9-21-2007 at 9:55 am
It was no picnic, let me tell you!
It was no laughing matter.
It’s not rocket science.
This one doesn’t exactly fit the bill, but I can’t resist: “She’s no lady, she’s my wife.”
posted by Karen on 9-21-2007 at 11:26 am
It’s better than a sharp stick in the eye.
posted by Flauchew Lance on 9-21-2007 at 11:51 am
My grandfather liked to say “It isn’t even funny” or just “It isn’t funny” to describe something bad or undesired.
posted by Tdave on 9-22-2007 at 3:57 am
A couple from a Canadian friend:
“Better than a kick in the arse with a frozen boot.”
“Better than a blow to the head with a frozen flounder.”
(Guess cold plays a large part in Canadian humor.)
posted by Doc on 9-22-2007 at 11:49 am