Amphilogy

Techniques > Use of language > Figures of speech > Amphilogy

Method | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Amphilogy is talking around a subject to avoid being harmed.

Example

I know I don't talk much about football, but that doesn't mean it is meaningless to me. In fact I can watch it for hours. ( = I don't like football, but saying this would result in my being criticized and maybe ostracized).

Let's go somewhere else. That restaurant is so boring and I didn't really like the food there last time. (= it is too expensive for me. I can't afford it).

Discussion

When talking about ourselves, we may have secrets that, if other knew, would lead to us losing out in some way. The esteem of others is so important to us that, when pressed, we will still avoid talking about a subject, even if others know about it.

And so we will try to avoid the subject, make excuses or otherwise not say things we do not want to say. This can be true even if we know that others know that we know. When the lump in the carpet is obvious, we still pretend it isn't there as we sweep our problems out of sight.

Classification: Hidden