Litotes in Paul: Not an Insignificant Trope
It is sometimes claimed that litotes, the rhetorical trope in which the negation of the contrary is asserted, is largely limited in the New Testament to the Acts of the Apostles, and Paul does not commonly use it. But in fact Paul does use it and with greater sophistication and complexity than Luke....
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
2024
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| In: |
Novum Testamentum
Year: 2024, Volume: 66, Issue: 4, Pages: 462-481 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Litotes
/ Rhetoric
/ Pauline letters
/ Paul Apostle
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| IxTheo Classification: | HC New Testament KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity RD Hymnology ZG Media studies; Digital media; Communication studies |
| Further subjects: | B
understatement
B Rhetoric B Romans 1:16 B Paul B litotes |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | It is sometimes claimed that litotes, the rhetorical trope in which the negation of the contrary is asserted, is largely limited in the New Testament to the Acts of the Apostles, and Paul does not commonly use it. But in fact Paul does use it and with greater sophistication and complexity than Luke. This article reviews the ancient rhetorical handbooks and scholia with respect to litotes, surveys its various functions, and then demonstrates that Paul uses it frequently and deftly as a rhetorical technique of restraint to enhance his credibility. |
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| ISSN: | 1568-5365 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Novum Testamentum
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/15685365-bja10077 |