What is an oxymoron?

Acute folly - that is an oxymoron in ancient Greek language.It would be a mistake as the stylistic figure, using the word with diametrically opposite meanings.

And yet what an oxymoron

combination nesochetaimogo around the contradiction of meanings.But psychologically oxymoron helps explain the most complicated, inexplicable situation.Brightly colored stylistic figure often take root in speech so that people cease to shudder and wonder when he heard an oxymoron.

Examples - an oxymoron got accustomed

very often and rather ordinary sound characteristics: courageous woman, feminine man, an honest scammer (Mavrodi) , humane zhivodёr (poisoned a dog in the park, the children were not afraid) , intelligent banditry (the policy of the United States), and even Old New Year as the phrase generally does not surprise anyone.

Classic oxymorons

More often come up with oxymorons.After all, what is an oxymoron?This, among other things, measure the presence of a sense of humor at the speaker or writer.Surely everyone will smile, hear or read is:

harm and cause benefit , funny funeral - broke three accordion. Therefore, not only the people writing tries his best.Of course, there are excellent examples.Oxymoron by Gogol, from Dostoevsky, from Turgenev, Tolstoy, from Bondarev, from Zinoviev.How can we forget " Dead Souls " or "Hot Snow ", " Yawning Heights " or " Ordinary Miracle ".

Modern oxymorons

However, many modern and oxymorons born with a claim to survive: unpaid wages is no surprise.A elegant nudity not only amazing, but also delights poetics.Life goes endless impasse .Buy uncertificated securities ! Vivifying euthanasia Russian language. innovative tradition indestructible!" Optimistic Tragedy " to bail and " With Eyes Wide Shut ".Especially creative in this respect, Daria Dontsova.Almost every book its title - an oxymoron.It is in the modern literature is fairly common literary devices that contradicts the meaning helps to quickly grasp the meaning of the described phenomenon and harder to remember.And stylistic effect is obvious: even an oxymoron used in special psychological training for the Emancipation of "childishness" inside the adult.Remember Chukovsky: scary giant - who is this?Cockroach, only.

Neologisms

main condition for the creation of an oxymoron is intentional self-contradiction in the phrase. Virtual Reality - one of the best oxymorons of our time. Honest Thief - also already may refer not only to Detochkin but to Navalny.And fair trial ! old news - excellent definition of information in the age of high technology.Oxymoron as such does not even define, it is very close to the action.So gifted writers have come up with a neologism: oxymoron , for example.Great sound: reform oxymoron .The main thing - everything, everything is clear, then, the definition of a point.So we figured, what an oxymoron.