Glossary of Terms
Aphorism,
Chiasmus, Maxim -- Oh My!
You know what a quotation is, right? Its a simple enough topic. Who would
be confused? Well, those who have spent some time wandering through the web of quotations will tell you that there are a whole
tangle of confusing terms being tossed around in reference to quotations.
Adage
A saying that sets
forth a general truth and that has gained credit through long use. Sample: "Good things come in small packages."
Aphorism
Aphorism, a concise
expression of a truth or principle, implies depth of content and stylistic distinction. Sample: "A truth that is told with
bad intent beats all the lies you can invent" -- William Blake (1757-1827)
Apothegm
A terse, witty,
instructive saying.
Attribution
Establishing
a particular person, place, or time as the creator, provenance, or era of a work of art.
Axiom
A self-evident or
universally recognized truth.
Blessing
To express a
wish or prayer for the happiness of. Sample: "May your home be warmed by the love of family and friends."
Catch Phrase
A phrase
in wide or popular use, especially one serving as a slogan for a group or movement.
Chiasmus
A rhetorical
inversion of the second of two parallel structures. Sample: "The coward calls the brave man rash, the rash man calls him a
coward." -- Aristotle
Citation
A quoting of
an authoritative source for substantiation.
Cliche
A trite or overused
expression or idea. Sample: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
Credo
Any system of principles
or beliefs.
Dictum
An authoritative
statement; a dogmatic saying.
Epigram
An epigram is
a terse, witty expression, often paradoxical or satirical and neatly or brilliantly phrased. Sample: In his epigram Samuel
Johnson called remarriage a "triumph of hope over experience."
Epitaph
A summary statement
of commemoration for a dead person.
Etymology
That branch
of philological science which treats of the history of words, tracing out their origin, primitive significance, and changes
of form and meaning.
Expression
Lively or vivid
representation of meaning, sentiment, or feeling.
Maxim
A succinct formulation
of a fundamental principle, general truth, or rule of conduct. Sample: "We must open the doors of opportunity. But we must
also equip our people to walk through those doors." -- Lyndon B. Johnson
Motto
A motto is a maxim
that expresses the aims, character, or guiding principles of a person, a group, or an institution.
Paraphrase
Rewording for
the purpose of clarification; express the same message in different words. Sample: Rather than taking a direct quote, you
might paraphrase what someone said by putting it into your own words.
Parody
A popular maxim,
adage, or proverb.
Phrase
A brief, apt, and
cogent expression.
Plagiarism
A piece of
writing that has been copied from someone else and is presented as being your own work.
Platitude
A trite or banal
remark or statement, especially one expressed as if it were original or significant.
Proverb
A short, pithy saying in frequent and widespread use that expresses a basic truth or practical precept.
Sample: "Slow and steady wins the race."
Saw
Saw often refers to
a familiar saying that has become trite through frequent repetition. Sample: "Pushing the envelope."
Saying
Something, such
as an adage or a maxim, that is said. A saying is an often repeated and familiar expression.
Shibboleth
A word or phrase
identified with a particular group or cause. Sample: "Save the whales."
Source
The point at which
something springs into being or from which it derives or is obtained.
Tagline
An often repeated
phrase associated with an individual, an organization, or a commercial product; a slogan.
Toast
A proposal to drink
to someone or something or a speech given before the taking of such a drink. Sample: "May you live to be a hundred years,
with one extra year to repent." -- Irish Toast
Truism
An undoubted or
self-evident truth; a statement which is pliantly true; a proposition needing no proof or argument.
