Bdelygmia - Rhetorical Device

Bdelygmia


Definition: Is a ramble on, or expression of hate towards a person or thing.
Why would it be useful to use? Bdelygmia is used all the time, and people just don’t notice it. If you were arguing a point, for say that broccoli was bad, you could use bdelygmia by naming all of its defects, and bad things about it instead of naming the good things about it. For example you could say that broccoli tastes bad, looks funny, is green which looks like grass, and who eats grass? Its hard, and the little flower things on the end get stuck in your teeth. By doing this you did not say anything in good about it, even though we all know there are benefits to eating broccoli, but the point was proven.

Example:
Mel: Wow im looking forward to this winter so much I love this season!
Megan: What why would you say that any other season is better then winter, its cold and you slip everywhere, its always dark, and the sun barely ever shines through the grey clouds.
- This would be a bdelygmia because Megan obviously dislikes winter, and to prove her point, she lists many of its bad qualities.

Example 2:
Megan: Wow Mel have you heard this new song by Eminem? I love it its so pump up!
Mel: No, and I don’t want to hear it, I hate rap music, all they do is talk while a beat plays in the back, its such a sexist style of music and all the songs are so depressing about drugs and death.
- Mel finds all the bad qualities of this style of music and uses them in her discussion to persuade Megan that Rap is terrible music, she does this by using bdelygmia.

Media Example:
In the media, this rhetorical device is used all the time between brand names like Lysol and Oust, but this can most commonly be found in the Canadian elections. As you see the many commercials for each primminister , there is always a few for the Liberal party that point out all the bad parts to the Conservatives, making that Party look bad, and trying to make the watchers vote for the Liberals. These Commercials are perfect examples of Bdelygmia, pointing all the flaws of others out to prove their point, and win over voters.