O paradox or oxymoron, is a figure of speech, more precisely a figure of thought, based on contradiction.
Often times, the paradox can present an absurd and apparently unrelated expression, however, it exposes a coherent idea and grounded in the truth.
Therefore, the paradox is based on the logical contradiction of ideas, as if we have two ideas in a sentence, and one is opposing the other. However, the contraposition of the terms used creates a logical idea.
From Latin, the term paradox (paradoxum) is formed by the prefix “para” (opposite or opposite) and the suffix “doxa” (opinion), which literally means contrary opinion.
Note that this concept is also used in other areas of knowledge, such as: philosophy, psychology, rhetoric, linguistics, mathematics and physics.
Examples of sentences with paradox
To better understand this figure of thought, observe the sentences below:
- If you want to arrest me, you'll have to know how to let go. (Caetano Veloso)
- I'm already fed up with feeling empty. (Renato Russo)
- The novelty that would be a dream/The laughing miracle of the mermaid/became such a ghastly nightmare. (Gilberto Gil)
- Although the one who almost dies is alive, the one who almost lives has already died. (Sarah Westphal)
- Love is sore that hurts and doesn't feel. (Luís Vaz de Camões)
- Being your freedom/It was your slavery. (Vinicius de Moraes)
- It was enough to hear your silence to cry with nostalgia. (Reinaldo Dias)
- I'm blind and I see/I tear my eyes out and I see. (Carlos Drummond de Andrade)
- I run away or I don't know, but this infinite, ultra-closed space is so hard. (Carlos Drummond de Andrade)
Paradox and antithesis: what's the difference?
Although they are thought figures based on opposition, paradox and antithesis distinguish themselves.
The paradox employs opposite ideas, just as the antithesis, however, this contradiction occurs between the same referent of the discourse.
To better understand this difference, see the examples below:
- Sleeping and waking up is difficult. (antithesis)
- I'm sleeping awake. (paradox)
Note that both examples use the opposites “sleep” and “wake up”. However, the paradox proposes an idea, supposedly absurd, but that makes sense, because while we are sleeping we cannot be awake.
In this case, the union of opposite terms generated a coherent metaphorical meaning to the expression “sleeping awake”. The statement means that the person is awake, however, very sleepy.
Figures of Language
Figures of speech are stylistic resources of language, which provide greater expressiveness to the uttered speech. They are classified into:
- Word Pictures: metaphor, metonymy, comparison, catachresis, synesthesia and antonomasia.
- Syntax figures: ellipse, zeugma, silepse, asyndeton, polysyndeton, anaphora, pleonasm, anacolute and hyperbate.
- Thought Figures: irony, sarcasm, antithesis, paradox, euphemism, lithote, hyperbole, gradation, personification and apostrophe.
- Sound Figures: alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia and paronomasia.
Figures of speech are widely used, above all, in literature. They transform denotative language into connotative language.
Denotative language encompasses the real concept of terms, that is, the literal sense expressed in the dictionary. Already, the connotative, demonstrates the figurative and subjective sense of the words.