What is paralipsis?

Definition
	Paralipsis is a kind of irony in which the speaker proposes not to speak of a matter, but still somehow reveals it.

Example (English)
	I know who did it, but I won’t mention Bill’s name.

Concept module: paralipsis
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): P
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004