Nuts and Bolts: paralipsis.

It actually doesn't matter too much what paralipsis is, it's enough to enjoy saying the word...

paralipsis...

it's a word to murmur to nightingales in the moonlit groves of Illyria.

Sadly, at the moment I should imagine Illyria is closed to tourists, so, hey, what is paralipsis, exactly?

Paralipsis is usually called apophasis, but that's not nearly such a lovely word.

Anyway, whatever it is, it's still really good fun. Paralipsis is when you say you're not going to say something and then you, well, do.

As in: I'll not bring up her treachery in stealing my boyfriend as it's irrelevant to her qualifications for this job.

Or: this is long forgotten and forgiven, so I won't even mention how your behaviour destroyed my friendship with Martin.

Loyalty forbids me to suggest that the Headteacher is a raving lunatic.

Of course there's no need to remind the reader of the campaign of General Bloodspiller which ended in the Battle of Gorefield in the year 1857.

It's not my place to criticise your actions, ma'am, even if they verge upon the criminally insane.

As I say, good fun.

Rhetorical Device To Use Today: paralipsis. As I don't need to tell you, learned reader, paralipsis/apophasis is also sometimes known as paraleipsis, occupatio, praeteritio, preterition and parasiopesis.

Neither is there any point at all in noting that the Greek prefix para- means - well, more or less anything - or that it comes from the Greek word meaning alongside or beyond; nor, for that matter, that the Greek word leipein mean to leave, and paraleipein means to leave aside.