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!

This form does not yet contain any fields.

    « Brad & Jen’s Plumbing Clogged by Used Tabloid! | Main | When the Quoting Gets Tough, the Tough Get Quoting »
    Monday
    Aug292005

    Languaging at Its Best

    ImageQuote: "Verbing weirds language." Calvin, in the comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes"

    Figure of Speech: anthimeria (an thih MARE ee uh), the verbing figure.

    The anthimeria, which means "one part for another" in Greek, takes one part of speech (usually a noun) and transforms it into another (usually a verb). To all but the grammar Nazis, it offers unlimited creative opportunities. Shakespeare anthimeriaed all over the place. "I’ll unhair thy head." "The thunder would not peace at my bidding." "He ploughed her, and she cropped."

    Snappy Answer: "Weirding language makes it funner."

    Got a snappier answer? Email Figaro.

    PrintView Printer Friendly Version

    EmailEmail Article to Friend

    Reader Comments (1)

    How about "Weirding language funs talking."
    May 25, 2007 | Unregistered Commentergodsauce

    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.