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 I Never Metaphor I Didn't Like: |
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Dr. Mardy's Aphorisms An aphorism is a brief and pithy observation that attempts to communicate some kind of truth about the human experience—often with a dash of wit or wordplay. The American Heritage Dictionary defines the term this way: A tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion; an adage A more vivid description comes from James Geary, a self-described aphorism addict, who wrote the following in his 2005 book The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism: Aphorisms are literature's hand luggage. A popular synonym for an aphorism is maxim, but they are also commonly known as epigrams and adages. Many have gained such widespread currency they are referred to as proverbs, axioms, or truisms. Some have a "guide your life" quality, and are given the honorific title of precept or dictum. Whatever they're called, I have always been a great fan of this family of quotations that try to say a great deal in a few well-chosen and carefully-crafted words. Over the years, I've even tried my hand at this ancient art. Almost all of my creations have appeared in my weekly e-newsletter Dr. Mardy's Quotes of the Week, which I inaugurated on January 1, 2000 and which continues to exist today. Most of my creations are examples of chiasmus (ky-AZ-mus), my all-time favorite literary device. In all examples of chiasmus, the order of words is reversed in parallel sayings (as in the modern proverb, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care"). Others are examples of paradoxical and oxymoronic phrasing (as in the proverbial saying, "The more things change, the more they stay the same"). And still others are based on a variety of additional literary devices, like analogies, metaphors, and similes. Whatever form my creations have taken, I have authored close to a thousand such observations and personal reflections in the past few years—many of which have been praised and admired by the subscribers to my newsletter. And while I have also occasionally penned some clinkers, clunkers and groaners, I have decided to post my collection for the first time here. All of the quotations are, to the best of my knowledge, my original creations. I hope you enjoy them. If you ever decide to use any of my creations in your writings or other efforts, please cite me, mention that the quote comes from Dr. Mardy's Quotes of the Week, and indicate the year of publication. 2007 2006 2005 2000 (January to May) (June to December) |
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