An adynaton is a type of hyperbole or figure of speech that refers to something that is impossible or will never happen. This literary device is an exaggeration taken to such an extreme that makes it completely impossible. Adynatons are often humorous and absurd.
Key Takeaways
- The word “adynaton” comes from classical literature.
- It’s a Greek word "adunaton" meaning “unable” or “impossible.”
- It can also imply something powerless or ineffectual.
- In rhetoric and literature, an adynaton is used for emphasis or to make a point.
Adynatons follow a standard format. They usually contain an action or event that could never realistically occur under any circumstances. They also contain a timeframe that stretches into infinity, like “never” or “forever.”
Adynatons are similar to other rhetorical devices, such as metaphors, similes, and comparisons. However, they specifically describe something that is not just unlikely but impossible. They push exaggeration to its furthest limits.
Adynaton Definition and History
The term adynaton dates back to ancient Greece. It was originally used in poetry and rhetoric to emphasize a point or idea. Ancient poets would describe impossible scenarios to stress the significance of a circumstance, even if the comparison wasn’t accurate.
For example, the poet Virgil used an adynaton to exaggerate the extremity of his love. When he wrote that "The seas will dry up...before I cease to love you," he was saying his love is so strong that the seas would sooner dry up, which is impossible. This stressed the enduring power of his love.
Over time, the use of adynatons spread. They became common in literature, speeches, politics and everyday language. Today, adynatons add color, humor and emphasis to both formal and casual communication, but their core structure and purpose remain the same as in ancient times.
Adynaton Examples
The following are some common examples of adynatons.
“When Pigs Fly.” This describes something that will never happen, since pigs cannot fly. If someone says “I'll clean my room when pigs fly,” they mean they'll never clean their room.
“Never in a million years.” If you ask a friend to help you move and they say "never in a million years," they're emphasizing their refusal (And maybe they’re kind of a shitty friend). A million years is an extreme overexaggeration.
Editor’s Tip:Adynation and other literary devices are about brevity. They’re a way to make a point faster and with fewer words, while also showing off personality and wit.
Literature Example
William Shakespeare used adynation and other literary devices often. For example, in Macbeth, when our protagonist is horrified by his crime, he says, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood? Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather. The multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.”
Dramatic, right? “Great Neptune’s ocean” is a really over-the-top way to communicate your desire to wash your hands. But that’s the point – the big-ness of such a premise reflects how Macbeth feels.
Other examples of adynatons
Other adynaton examples include:
- “When hell freezes over.”
- “Until the cows come home.”
- “When fish climb poplar trees.”
- “When the moon turns to green cheese.”
- “Until the sun rises in the West.”
All of these describe scenarios that defy reality or possibility, and that's what makes them colorful additions to figurative language.
In summary, adynatons are figures of speech that combine exaggeration and impossibility. From their ancient Greek origins to today, they remain a creative way to add emphasis and color to language. The next time you spot an adynaton, you'll recognize this classic literary and rhetorical device at work. ⬥
