Apophasis is a rhetorical device or figure of speech where a speaker alludes to something by stating they will not mention it.
Apophasis is a rhetorical device where something is mentioned by stating it will not be mentioned.
| Front | apophasis \uh-POF-uh-sis\ |
|---|---|
| Back | noun Allusion to something by denying it will be said. [Via Latin from Greek apophanai (to say no), from apo- (away from) + phanai (to say). Ultimately from the Indo-European root bha- (to speak) that is also the source of fable, phone, fame, boon, and infant. First recorded use: 1657.] "It's an Afghan apophasis. By claiming he does not want to participate in a political process that is hopelessly overrun with corruption, Abdullah is acknowledging just the opposite -- that he very much wants power and influence in the Afghan political realm." |
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