Not All Epithets are Insults

Not All Epithets are Insults Not All Epithets are Insults Not All Epithets are Insults By Maeve Maddox Judging by the words common use in todays media, one might imagine epithet to be no more than a synonym for insult. Some epithets are insults, but the word has a wider application. For example, look at all these epithets Handel applied to the Baby Jesus in The Messiah: Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Here are some Homeric epithets: many minded Achilles, swift-footed Odysseus, the ox-eyed lady (Hera) epithet 1. An adjective indicating some quality or attribute which the speaker or writer regards as characteristic of the person or thing described; 2. A significant appellation. OED 2nd edition. In 1993 this definition was added: An offensive or derogatory expression used of a person; an abusive term; a profanity. Leaving aside the literary uses of epithets, heres a look at some ways journalists use them. Some epithets, first used by one particular writer, become so attached to persons and things that it becomes rare to see one without the other: powerful Ways and Means committee embattled Governor Rod Blagojevich worlds largest retailer Wal-Mart Sometimes epithets may be used to predispose readers to a positive or negative frame of mind without seeming to editorialize: Motorist Rodney King Troubled pop star Brittany Spears NFL star Michael Vick semi-repentant zillionaire Mel Gibson greedy Wall Street bankers Some thoughts on epithets 1. Cliched epithets are not intrinsically bad. They can be useful shorthand devices for writers and readers in a hurry. 2. The epithet is a respectable rhetorical device. Writers with more time at their disposal might revise for cliched epithets and come up with fresher epithets of their own. 3. If one is writing about someone hurling epithets it might be helpful to specify what kind of epithets were hurled. Were they racial epithets? Did they attack the target in terms of gender, politics, occupation, or morality? Its conceivable that a speaker could be showered with complimentary epithets by his listeners. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comparative Forms of AdjectivesConnotations of 35 Words for Funny Peopleâ€Å"Least,† â€Å"Less,† â€Å"More,† and â€Å"Most†