Editing Litotes

{{Short description|Ironic figure of speech}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
In [[rhetoric]], '''litotes''' ({{IPAc-en|l|aɪ|ˈ|t|oʊ|t|iː|z|,_|ˈ|l|aɪ|t|ə|t|iː|z}}, {{IPAc-en|us|ˈ|l|ɪ|t|ə|t|iː|z}}),<ref name="OED">{{Cite OED | litotes | access-date= 18 December 2021 }}</ref> also known classically as '''antenantiosis''' or '''moderatour''', is a [[figures of speech|figure of speech]] and form of [[irony]] in which [[understatement]] is used to emphasize a point by stating a negative to further affirm a positive, often incorporating [[double negatives]] for effect.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/litotes |title=''Litotes'' |work=The Free Dictionary |access-date=24 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/double+negative |work=The Free Dictionary |title=''Double negative'' |access-date=24 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=double%20negative |title=WordNet Search |work=WordNet: An Electronic Lexical Database |publisher=Princeton University |access-date=1 July 2012}}</ref> A form of understatement, litotes can be in the form of [[Meiosis (figure of speech)|meiosis]], and is always deliberate with the intention of [[Stress (linguistics)|emphasis]].<ref>{{harvnb|Smyth|1920}} p.680</ref> However, the interpretation of negation may depend on context, including cultural context. In speech, litotes may also depend on intonation and emphasis; for example, the phrase "not bad" can be intonated differently so as to mean either "mediocre" or "excellent".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://grammar.about.com/od/il/g/litotesterm.htm |title=''litotes (figure of speech)'' |work=About.com |access-date=31 October 2014}}</ref> Along the same lines, litotes can be used (as a form of [[Auxesis (figure of speech)|auxesis]]<ref>[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.03.0096:part=Schemates%20Rhetorical:subpart=The%20third%20order:section=Comparatio&highlight=auxesis Perseus: Henry Peachum., ''The Garden of Eloquence (1593) Schemas'', accessed 15 March 2023]</ref>), to [[euphemism|euphemistically]] provide emphasis by diminishing the harshness of an observation; "He isn't the cleanest person I know" could be used as a means of indicating that someone is a messy person.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/litotes |title=''litotes'' |work=Dictionary.com |access-date=31 October 2014}}</ref>

The use of litotes is common in [[English language|English]], [[Russian language|Russian]], [[German language|German]], [[Yiddish language|Yiddish]], [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[Hebrew]], [[Aramaic]], [[Greek language|Greek]], [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]], [[Polish language|Polish]], [[Chinese language|Chinese]], [[French language|French]], [[Czech language|Czech]] and [[Slovak language|Slovak]], and is also prevalent in a number of other languages and dialects. It is a feature of [[Old English poetry]] and of the [[Icelandic sagas]] and is a means of much stoical restraint.<ref>''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'' (1984) [[Micropædia]] VI, p. 266. "Litotes".</ref>

The word litotes is of Greek origin ({{lang|grc|λιτότης}}), meaning 'simplicity', and is derived from the word {{lang|el|λιτός}} ({{lang|grc-Latn|litos}}), meaning 'plain, simple, small or meager'.<ref name="Burton">{{cite web |last=Burton |first=Gideon |title=Silva Rhetoricae |url=http://rhetoric.byu.edu/Figures/L/litotes.htm |publisher=Brigham Young University |access-date=22 October 2013}}</ref>

==Classical litotes==
The first known mention of litotes is in a letter from [[Cicero]] in 55&nbsp;BC (''[[De Oratore]]''). Cicero uses the word to mean simplicity (or frugality) of life. The meaning and the function of the word changed from 'simple' to the idea of understatement that involves double negatives, a way to state things simply.

[[Old Norse]] had several types of litotes. These points are denied negatives ("She's not a terrible wife" meaning "she's a good wife"), denied positives ("He's not a great learner" meaning 'he has difficulty learning'), creating litotes without negating anything, and creating litotes using a negative adjective ("Days spent in his home left him unenthused" meaning 'he preferred to be out and about').<ref>Litotes in Old Norse, p. 1</ref>

==Litotes and ethos==
Litotes can be used to establish [[ethos]], or credibility, by expressing modesty or downplaying one's accomplishments to gain the audience's favor. In the book ''[[Rhetorica ad Herennium]]'', litotes is addressed as a member of the Figures of Thought known as ''deminutio'', or understatement. It is listed in conjunction with antenantiosis and meiosis, two other forms of rhetorical deminutio.<ref name="Burton"/> For example, a very accomplished artist might say "I'm not a bad painter", and by refraining from bragging but still acknowledging his skill, the artist is seen as talented, modest, and credible.

==Examples==
{|class="wikitable"
!Litotes
!Instead of saying
|-
| "Not bad."
| "Good."
|-
| "It's not my favorite..."
| "I don't like it."
|-
| "Not too shabby!"<ref name="MyUser_Dictionary.cambridge.org_April_2_2015c">{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/not-so-shabby-not-too-shabby |title=not so shabby/not too shabby definition, meaning |website=Cambridge Dictionaries Online |publisher=Cambridge University Press |access-date=2 April 2015}}</ref>
| "Nice!"
|-
| "[[Triviality (mathematics)|Non-trivial]]."
| "Very complex."
|-
|"It's not the cheapest."
|"It's somewhat expensive."
|-
|"Not unlike..."
|"Like..."
|-
|"Not great, Bob!"
|"Very lousy, Bob!"
|-
|"The weather isn't great."
|"It's raining."
|-
|"It's not a masterpiece."
|"It's mediocre."
|}

==Other languages==
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2015}}

===Classical Greek===
In [[Classical Greek]], instances of litotes can be found as far back as [[Homer]]. In Book 24 of the ''[[Iliad]]'', [[Zeus]] describes [[Achilles]] as follows: {{Langx|grc|οὔτε γάρ ἔστ᾽ ἄφρων οὔτ᾽ ἄσκοπος|4=for not without wisdom is he, neither without purpose|label=none}},{{efn|{{Perseus|Hom.|Il.|24.159}}}} meaning that he is both wise and prudent.

===French===
In [[French language|French]], {{lang|fr|[[wikt:pas mal|pas mal]]}} (not bad) is used similarly to the English, while {{lang|fr|il n'est pas antipathique}} ('he is not disagreeable') is another example, actually meaning {{lang|fr|il est très sympathique}} ('he is nice'), though the speaker is reluctant to admit it. Another typical example is {{lang|fr|Ce n'est pas bête!}} ('It's not stupid'), generally said to admit a clever suggestion without showing oneself as too enthusiastic. (As with all litotes, this phrase can also be used with its literal meaning that the thing is not stupid but rather may be clever or occupy the middle ground between stupid and clever.)

One of the most famous litotes of French literature is in [[Pierre Corneille]]'s {{lang|fr|[[Le Cid]]}} (1636). The heroine, Chimène, says to her lover Rodrigue, who just killed her father: {{lang|fr|Va, je ne te hais point}} ('Go, I hate you not'), meaning 'I love you'.

===Chinese===
In [[Chinese language|Chinese]], the phrase {{lang|zh|不错}} (Pinyin: {{transliteration|zh|ISO|bù cuò}}, traditional characters {{lang|zh-Hant|不錯}}, literally 'not wrong') is often used to present something as very good or correct. In this way, it is distinct in meaning from the English 'not bad' (though not 'not bad at all') or the general use of the French {{lang|fr|pas mal}}. Also, the phrase {{lang|zh-CN|不简单}} (pinyin {{transliteration|zh|ISO|bù jiǎn dān}}, traditional characters {{lang|zh-Hant|不簡單}}, literally 'not simple') is used to refer to an impressive feat.

===Danish===

In [[Danish language|Danish]], understatements using litotes are seen as characteristic of the [[Jutlandic dialect]]. A stereotypical example is the phrase {{lang|da|det er ikke så ringe endda}} ('it is not even so bad'), which is used to mean 'that's great'.

===Dutch and German===
Similarly, in [[Dutch language|Dutch]], the phrase {{lang|nl|niet slecht}} (also literally meaning 'not bad') is often used to present something as very good or correct, as is [[German language|German]] {{lang|de|nicht schlecht}}.

===Italian===
In [[Italian language|Italian]], {{lang|it|meno male}} (literally 'less bad') is similar to the English expression, 'So much the better' – used to comment that a situation is more desirable than its negative (cf. [[Winston Churchill]]'s comment, since transformed into a [[snowclone]], that "democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others").

===Latin===
In [[Latin]], an example of litotes can be found in [[Ovid]]'s ''[[Metamorphoses]]'': {{lang|la|non semel}} (bk. 1 ln. 692, 'not one occasion'), meaning 'on more than one occasion'. Some common words are derived from litotes: {{lang|la|nonnulli}} from {{lang|la|non nulli}} ('not none') is understood to mean 'several', while {{lang|la|nonnumquam}} from {{lang|la|non numquam}} ('not never') is used for 'sometimes'.

===Russian===

Perhaps the most common litotes in [[Russian language|Russian]] is {{lang|ru|неплохо}} ('not bad'). Somewhat unusually, it is permissible to say something is {{lang|ru|очень неплохо}} ('very not bad') to signify that it is, in fact, very good. An example of litotes can be found in [[Nikolai Gogol]]'s ''[[The Government Inspector]]'', in which the Mayor says: "There's no such thing as a man with no sins on his conscience", meaning 'All men have sins on their conscience' (Act 1, Scene 1). In this case, it is used to downplay the Mayor's statement – a euphemism of sorts – making it less harsh than its understood meaning.

===Spanish===
In [[Spanish language|Spanish]], it is usual to say {{lang|es|No es nada tonto}} ('It's not at all foolish'), as a form of compliment (i.e., to say something was smart or clever). Another common Spanish phrase is {{lang|es|menos mal}} (cf. Italian {{lang|it|meno male}} above), meaning literally 'less bad', but used in the same way as the English phrases "Thank goodness!" or "It's just as well".

===Swedish===
In [[Swedish language|Swedish]], it is quite common to use litotes. For example, when one chances to meet someone after a long time it is usual to say: {{lang|sv|Det var inte igår}} ('It wasn't yesterday').

===Turkish===
In [[Turkish language|Turkish]], it is quite common to say {{lang|tr|Hiç fena değil!}} ('Not bad at all!') as a form of compliment.

===Welsh===
In [[Welsh language|Welsh]], {{lang|cy|Siomi ar yr ochr orau}} ('To be disappointed on the best side') means 'to be pleasantly surprised'.

==See also==
* [[Antiphrasis]]
* [[Hyperbole]]

==Notes==
{{noteslist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Smyth |first=Herbert Weir |author-link=Herbert Weir Smyth |date=1920 |title=Greek Grammar |url= https://archive.org/details/agreekgrammarfo02smytgoog |publisher= Harvard University Press |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts |isbn=0674362500 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/agreekgrammarfo02smytgoog/page/n650 680]}}
* {{cite news |last=Hollander |first=Lee M. |author-link=Lee M. Hollander |date=1938 |title=Litotes in Old Norse |jstor=458399 |publisher=PMLA |volume=53 |issue=1 |pages=1–33}}
* {{cite book |last1=Lanham |first1=Richard A. |author-link=Richard A. Lanham |title=A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms |date=1991 |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley |isbn=0520076699 |pages=95–96 |edition=2nd}}
{{refend}}
==External links==
{{Wiktionary}}
* {{Cite web |title=Litotes: The most common rhetorical device you've never heard of |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2015/mar/26/litotes-the-most-common-rhetorical-device-youve-never-heard-of |first=Martin |last=Shovel |date=26 March 2015}}
* [http://bible-translation.110mb.com/litotes.txt Biblical Litotes]
* [http://literaryterms.net/litotes/ Definition and examples]
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Litotes |short=x}}

{{Figures of speech}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Figures of speech]]