Rhetorical Devices…

Rhetorical Devices…how would it be used by the think tank at Ernst & Young (EY)? This was the thought I had when I started the training session. However, the appetite for knowledge that they had, far outweighed the apprehensions I had for the application of that knowledge.

They eagerly absorbed the insights I could share on the nuances of Rhetorical Devices (like alliterations, metaphors, similes, anaphoras, oxymorons, repetitions and so on).

I came back convinced that no matter, which profession you are in, you can always make your communication much more beautiful, powerful and meaningful.

I referred to the speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Fun Fact 1:

Did you know that it was delivered on 28th Aug 1963. The speech itself had 1667 words and was delivered in 17 minutes.

After the speech was over Dr. MLK gave the paper that contained the script to a volunteer named George Raveling, who was Dr. MLK’s security guard that day. Recently those papers were sold for a whopping USD 3.75 million!

Fun Fact 2:

Where there is a will, I want to be in it.

Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright – until they speak.

These are statements where the second part of the statement is a completely unexpected twist from the first part. Do you know what such statements are called? Paraprosdokians.

Here is my favorite paraprosdokian: “Well to be Frank, I have to change my name.” (if you noticed the ‘F’ in the upper case, congratulations!)