Rhetorical syntax
Rhetorical and literary syntax
Who doesn’t want to be happy? / And the rain fell, and fell, and fell / It’s not exactly cheap. — rhetorical questions, anaphora, litotes and other figures in sentences.
rhetorical questions & anaphora
Who doesn’t want to be happy? (= everyone does)
What could possibly go wrong? (ironic — things will go wrong)
Was I surprised? I was amazed! (hypophora — question + own answer)
And the rain fell, and fell, and fell. (anaphora/polysyndeton)
We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight in the fields…
litotes, hyperbole, zeugma
It’s not exactly cheap. (= it’s expensive — litotes)
He’s not the worst player. (= actually quite good)
I’ve told you a million times. (hyperbole)
She broke his car and his heart. (zeugma — one verb, two senses)
👉 Litotes = understated affirmation through negation; very British, very C2.
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