Posted by Nickengland on September 3, 2005, at 18:19:59 [reposted on September 4, 2005, at 15:49:59 | original URL]
In reply to Re: Anyone been blocked recently? » crushedout, posted by zeugma on September 3, 2005, at 16:35:53
>sadly, that's an understatement :-(
Similar to a hyperbole......?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. ;-)
A hyperbole, largely synonymous with exaggeration and overstatement, is a figure of speech in which statements are exaggerated or extravagant. It may be used due to strong feelings or is used to create a strong impression and is not meant to be taken literally. It gives greater emphasis. It is often used in poetry and is a literary device.
Some examples of hyperboles include:
"He is as big as a house!"
"I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!"
"That's the worst idea in the world."The opposite is an understatement, e.g. "Hitler wasn't a fair leader" or litotes, e.g. "Hitler wasn't the nicest guy".
In show business, hyperbole (known as hype or media hype) is the practice of spending money on public relations in an attempt to bolster public interest in (for example) a movie, television show, or performing artist. Often the entertainment value of the thing being hyped is exaggerated.
A common mis-pronunciation is "hyper-bowl." The correct pronunciation is phonetically said as "hye-per-bowley."
Kind regards
Nick
poster:Nickengland
thread:550636
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20050903/msgs/550636.html