| Figure Name | acyrologia |
| Source | Quintilian 8.2.3 ("improprietas"); Isidore 2.20.1; Susenbrotus (1540) 11-12 ("acyrologia," "acyron"); Sherry (1550) 32 ("acyrologia," "improprietas"); Peacham (1577) D1r; Silva Rhetoricae (http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/Silva.htm) |
| Earliest Source | None |
| Synonyms | acirilogia |
| Etymology | Gk. a, "not", kyros, "authority," and logos, "speech" |
| Type | Trope |
| Linguistic Domain |
Semantic |
| Definition |
1. An incorrect use of words, especially the use of words that sound alike but are far in meaning from the speaker's intentions. (Silva Rhetoricae) |
| Example |
1. "I'm going to get tutored!" (One dog brags to another in a Gary Larson Far Side cartoon) "Oh, so your Health/PE class is bisexual." |
| Kind Of | Opposition |
| Part Of | |
| Related Figures | acyron, improprietas, cacozelia, paronomasia, figures of substitution |
| Notes | Ethos - acyrologia erodes the ethos of the speaker, for it portrays his/her ignorance. However, if it is seen as a tool used by an implied author to cleverly characterize a fictional person, it can contribute to the speaker's/author's reputation for wit, or can endear the audience through comedy. Note: Malapropisms are a kind of acyrologia. Style - acyrologia reflects poor diction (word choice), thus demonstrating a low level of style. Substitution - acyrologia is one of many other figures of speech or rhetorical strategies based upon substitution. |
| Confidence | Unconfident |
| Last Editor | Ashley Rose Kelly |
| Confidence | Unconfident |
| Editorial Notes | fixed source |
| Reviewed | Yes |
| Reviewer | Ashley Rose Kelly |