Page 161 - New Grammar with a Smile 8

3 Oxymoron

Read these phrases and sentences.
• In order to lead, you must walk behind.
• cruel kindness
• living death

In the phrases and sentence you just read, there is a contradiction of ideas
and thoughts.

This literary device is called an oxymoron (plural: oxymorons). It is a figure of
speech in which two opposite ideas are joined to create an effect.

Oxymorons are often pairs of words, such as—
♦ adjective-noun combinations like
• new classic

• big sip

♦ noun-verb combinations such as
• silence whistles
• darkness glows

The word oxymoron is in itself an oxymoron. It comes from the Ancient Greek
word oxumoron, a compound of the words oxus, meaning ‘sharp’ or ‘keen’ and moros,
meaning ‘dull’ or ‘stupid’. Therefore, it means something akin to wise foolishness.

Oxymoron produces a dramatic effect in both prose and poetry. Oxymorons have
been used by writers for many reasons. At times, an oxymoron may call attention to
the dual nature of an object or concept. For example, this title of a famous book by
Milan Kundera—The Unbearable Lightness of Being
• parting is such sweet sorrow

The oxymoron, hence, provokes our thoughts, and makes us ponder the meaning of
contradicting ideas.

However, in everyday conversation, people do not use oxymorons to make deep
statements like the one above. Instead, they do it to add flavour to their speech.

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