Table of Contents
1. Wordplay & Humour in Literature
Writers do not just use language to communicate serious truths; they also play with it. By blending words, swapping letters, or creating impossible metaphors, authors inject humor, wit, and cultural flavor into their texts. The UGC NET exam frequently tests these specific, often quirky linguistic terms.
2. Renaming & Titles: Antonomasia & Kenning
Instead of calling a person or object by its normal name, writers often substitute a descriptive title to emphasize a specific quality.
🔥 Naming Devices
| Device | Definition & Exam Focus | Classic Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Antonomasia | A figure of speech in which some defining word or phrase is substituted for a person's proper name. (🔥 Asked in Exam) | Calling Othello "The Moor" instead of his name. Calling Satan "The Prince of Darkness" (Milton). |
| Kenning | A figurative, compound expression used in place of an ordinary noun, heavily used in Old English and Old Norse poetry. (🔥 Asked in Exam) | "Whale-road" meaning the sea. "Bone-house" meaning the human body (Beowulf). |
| Aretalogy | A narrative that catalogs the miraculous deeds of a God or Hero, structured as self-praise or testimonial. (🔥 Asked in Exam) | Biblical Psalms reciting the great deeds of God ("To him who divided the Red Sea in two..."). |
3. Wit & Brevity: Epigram & Pun
Epigram
Definition: A short, pithy poem or statement wittily expressed, typically ending with a sharp or surprising turn of thought. (🔥 Asked in Exam)
- Origin: From Greek epigramma ("inscription"). Originally used for grave markers, it developed into a literary form mastered by neoclassicists like Alexander Pope.
- Example: "To err is human; to forgive, divine." (A perfectly balanced, witty epigram).
Pun (Paronomasia)
Definition: A rhetorical device playing on words with similar sounds or multiple meanings to create humor or layered interpretation. Puns can be homophonic (sound alike) or homographic (spelled alike).
- Example: Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet saying, "Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man." He plays on 'grave' meaning serious, but also meaning a literal tomb, layering wit with tragic irony.
4. Mistakes & Blends: Spoonerism, Portmanteau & Mixed Metaphor
Sometimes the humor or literary effect comes from a "mistake"—whether intentional or accidental.
Figure 1: Examples of Portmanteaus, Spoonerisms, and Mixed Metaphors.
🔥 Exam Focus: Definitions
Spoonerism: Unintentional transposition of initial consonants ("Hissed the mystery lectures"). (🔥 Asked in Exam)
Portmanteau: Blending two or more words to form a new word (e.g., Brunch). (🔥 Asked in Exam)
Mixed Metaphor: Conjoining two or more obviously diverse metaphoric vehicles. (🔥 Asked in Exam)
5. Style & Voice: Diction, Colloquialism & Anachronism
- Diction: The choice and use of words in speech or writing. It encompasses vocabulary, tone, and the level of formality (e.g., Milton's epic, Latinate diction vs. Mark Twain's realistic diction).
- Colloquialism: The use of informal, everyday language, or regional dialects. Mark Twain uses colloquialism extensively in Huckleberry Finn ("I ain't got no money") to give authenticity to Huck's voice.
- Anachronism: The presence of a person, object, or custom in a literary work that is historically misplaced.
- Example: A mechanical clock striking the hour in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (set in ancient Rome centuries before clocks existed).
6. Frequently Asked Questions
Who invented the concept of a Portmanteau word?
Lewis Carroll coined the term in Through the Looking-Glass (1871). He named it after a "portmanteau," which was a large suitcase that opened into two equal compartments, perfectly describing how words like "chortle" (chuckle + snort) are built.
What is the difference between a Kenning and a standard metaphor?
A kenning is a highly specific type of metaphor used almost exclusively in Old English and Old Norse poetry. It is a compound hyphenated phrase that acts as a riddle to rename an ordinary noun (e.g., "whale-road" instead of "ocean", or "battle-sweat" instead of "blood").
Why is Spoonerism named after a person?
It is named after Reverend William Archibald Spooner (1844–1930), an Oxford don who was famous for accidentally swapping the first letters of his words while speaking, creating hilarious nonsense phrases (like "A blushing crow" instead of "a crushing blow").
