About This Site

Figaro rips the innards out of things people say and reveals the rhetorical tricks and pratfalls. For terms and definitions, click here.
(What are figures of speech?)
Ask Figaro a question!

  • Contact Me

    This form will allow you to send a secure email to the owner of this page. Your email address is not logged by this system, but will be attached to the message that is forwarded from this page.
  • Your Name *
  • Your Email *
  • Subject *
  • Message *

Search
« See Harriet Judge. Judge, Harriet, Judge. | Main | What Do You Call No-Bid Contracting? Halliburtin’. »
Monday
Oct032005

What’s O.J.'s Next Gig? A Knife Convention?

DateMonday, October 3, 2005 at 09:30AM

horror.3.jpgQuote:  "I'm not doing this for my health." O.J. Simpson, appearing at a horror comic book convention.

Figure of Speech:  litotes (lie TOE tees), the negative understatement

The litotes makes a point by denying its opposite.  The result is an ironic understatement, and an appropriate answer to a stupid question.   "I'm not doing this out of good taste"  would have made a better litotes.  Still, showing up at a horror convention after being acquitted of a double murder certainly isn't healthy.

Snappy Answer:  "Instead of signing my comic book, can you stab it?"

AuthorFigaro | CommentPost a Comment |
Print ArticlePrint Article

PrintView Printer Friendly Version

EmailEmail Article to Friend

Reader Comments

There are no comments for this journal entry. To create a new comment, use the form below.

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.

My response is on my own website »
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
All HTML will be escaped. Hyperlinks will be created for URLs automatically.

Notify me of follow-up comments via email.