What is auxesis?

Definition
	Auxesis is an exaggeration of the importance of a referent by the use of a referring expression that is disproportionate to it.

Example (English)
	Referring to a scratch as a wound.

Source
	Corbett 1971:487

Concept module: auxesis
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): A
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