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I read a recent article in the Atlantic about William F. Buckley written by his friend Garry Wills which stated that he (Buckley) liked word games and that his fondness for big words sometimes caused him to use a word when he was unsure of its meaning. Wills claims that he misused the word "oxymoron" to mean a "contradiction" whereas its true meaning from the Greek is as "something that is surprisingly true, a paradox". My Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary gives only Buckley's definition and sites the origin from "oxys" (sharp,keen) and "moros" (foolish). This seems more in line with the typical usage and the one used by Buckley. Martha, can you help me out with this one? This also brings up the larger question in my mind: why do erroneous meanings gain currency and why aren't they nipped in the bud?
Wills claims that he misused the word “oxymoron†to mean a “contradiction†whereas its true meaning from the Greek is as “something that is surprisingly true, a paradoxâ€.
Wills is right: oxymoron does not mean a contradiction. Rather, oxymorons comprise contradictory terms, and they do often reveal “something that is surprisingly true, a paradox.†A contradiction is not the same as a contradiction of terms. Consider deafening silence, cruel kindness, falsely true, same difference, extremely average, idiot savant, and poor little rich girl. The word oxymoron itself is an oxymoron.
Can anyone provide an example of the word oxymoron being used to mean a contradiction? I'm not sure that I've seen it used incorrectly.
In addition, does Wills provide an actual example of Buckley using oxymoron incorrectly? Some Googling about leads to this example of what I'd call correct usage:
"...it was during the years of their martial Quakerism - if Professor Vivas will permit the oxymoron."
I'd be glad to explain what I meant. Maybe it's best if I use an oxymoron to illustrate, such as "a deafening silence." An oxymoron consists of contradictory terms, in this case deafening and silence. But the effect of combining these terms does not create a contradiction; indeed, the terms serve to accentuate the idea being expressed, much like a superlative adverb or adjective. The idea being expressed by "a deafening silence" describes a degree of silence as shocking to the senses as any deafening noise. In this case a contradiction of terms actually does the opposite of creating a contradiction, because the opposing word serves to supercharge the other. The paradox, in this case, is that silence can be perceived so strongly as to be "deafening" to the auditory senses. I would argue that many oxymorons are not just creative rhetorical flourishes: they often reveal a surprising grain of truth. I can think of many instances in my life, with people and with music, that I have felt deafened by silence, and depending on the circumstances, the effect can be agonizing or exhilarating.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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