Exaggeration
Exaggeration is the representation of something as more extreme or dramatic than it is, intentionally or unintentionally. It can be a rhetorical device or figure of speech, used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression.
Amplifying achievements, obstacles and problems to seek attention is an everyday occurrence[1] Inflating the difficulty of achieving a goal after attaining it, can be used to bolster self-esteem.[2]
In the arts, exaggerations are used to create emphasis or effect. As a
Exaggerating is also a type of deception,[7] as well as a means of malingering – magnifying small injuries or discomforts as an excuse to avoid responsibilities.[8]
Etymology
The word has origins in the mid-16th century: from Latin exaggerat- 'heaped up', from the verb exaggerare, from ex- 'thoroughly' + aggerare 'heap up' (from agger 'heap'). The word originally meant 'pile up, accumulate', later 'intensify praise or blame', giving rise to current senses.
In the arts
The exaggerator has been a familiar figure in Western culture since at least Aristotle's discussion of the alazon.[9]
Expressionism
Tragedy
Although primarily a comic figure, the boastful
Humour
Emil Draitser writes that "Some theoreticians of the comic consider exaggeration to be a universal comic device."[13] It may take different forms in different genres, but in the words of M. Eastman and W. Fry, all rely on the fact that 'the easiest way to make things laughable is to exaggerate to the point of absurdity their salient traits'.[14]
A
Slapstick is the recourse to humor involving exaggerated physical activity which exceeds the boundaries of common sense.[17][18][19] These exaggerated depictions are often found in cartoons, and light film comedies aimed at younger audiences.
Overacting
Overacting is the exaggeration of gestures and speech when acting. It may be unintentional, particularly in the case of a bad actor, or be required for the role. For the latter, it is commonly used in comical situations or to stress the evil characteristics of a villain. Since the perception of acting quality differs between people the extent of overacting can be subjective.
Exaggeration is an effect especially useful for
Shock jockery
A
In journalism
Schopenhauer saw exaggeration as essential to journalism.[24] He may have overstated this case, but yellow journalism thrived on exaggeration,[25] and fact-checking and independent verification have not succeeded in suppressing clickbait or hyperbolic headlines.
In politics
Politicians can exaggerate.[27] In the electoral process one may expect exaggeration.[28] Outside, the exaggerations of propaganda[29] can bolster an incumbent's position.
In psychology
People with the following mental health issues are prone to make exaggerated representations:
- Factitious disorder/malingering,[30]
- Substance related and addictive disorders
- Acute stress disorder,[30]
- Post traumatic stress disorder,[30]
- Avoidant personality disorder,[30] and
- Narcissistic personality disorder.[30]
Factitious disorder is when a person acts as if they have a physical or psychological illness. People with this disorder created the symptoms and are willing to undergo painful or risky tests to get sympathy and special attention.[31]
In popular culture
In 1969, The
See also
References
- ^ Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence (London 1996) p. 113.
- ^ Beth Azar "All puffed up" Monitor on Psychology, June 2007, Vol 38, No. 6.
- ^ "Definition of Hyperbole". Retrieved 10 January 2014.
- ^ "Definition of HYPERBOLE". www.merriam-webster.com.
- ISBN 978-1877085369.
- ^ "Hyperbole". Byu.edu. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
- ^ Guerrero, L., Anderson, P., Afifi, W. (2007). Close Encounters: Communication in Relationships (2nd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
- ISBN 1593856997
- ^ Aristotle, Ethics (Penguin 1976) p. 165.
- ^ Harold Bloom, Thomas Hardy (2010) p. 93
- ^ Harold Osborne ed., The Oxford Companion to Art (Oxford 1992) p. 397.
- ^ Frye, p. 39.
- ^ Emil Draitser, Techniques of Satire (1994) p. 135
- ^ M. Eastman/W. Fry, Enjoyment of Laughter (2008) p. 156.
- ^ Filippo Baldinucci, quoted in Harold Osborne ed., The Oxford Companion to Art (Oxford 1992) p. 204.
- ^ "Literary Term Definition of Resolution". Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
- ^ "slapstick – definition of slapstick by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia". Thefreedictionary.com. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ "Slapstick Comedy – film, cinema". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ "Slapstick comedy definition of Slapstick comedy in the Free Online Encyclopedia". Encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ Lightfoot, Nataha. "12 Principles". Animation Toolworks. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2008.
- ^ Johnston & Thomas (1981), pp. 65–66.
- ^ Willian (29 June 2006). "Exaggeration". Blender. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
- University of Illinois at Chicago. Archived from the originalon 13 April 2001. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
- ^
ISBN 978-1786560889. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
Exaggeration of every kind is as essential to journalism as it is to the dramatic art; for the object of journalism is to make events go as far as possible. Thus it is that all journalists are, in the very nature of their calling, alarmists; and this is their way of giving interest to what they write.
- ^
Griffin, Brett (2018). Yellow Journalism, Sensationalism, and Circulation Wars. The Fourth Estate: Journalism in North America. New York: Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC. p. 102. ISBN 978-1502634719. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
yellow journalism[: ...] a style of reporting that relied on exaggerted or invented stories of scandal and crime to attract readers; attention.
- ^ Unger, Rick. "The Dirtiest Presidential Campaign Ever? Not Even Close!". Forbes. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
- ^
For example:
Anchimbe, Eric A. (2012). "Private dialogue in public space: 'Motions of support' letters as response to political action". In Berlin, Lawrence N.; Fetzer, Anita (eds.). Dialogue in Politics. Dialogue studies. Vol. 18. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing. p. 144. ISBN 978-9027210357. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
Several communicative strategies commonly identified with political discourse produced by politicians can be found in the MoS written by the common people in a bid to represent their voices in the political process in Cameroon. Among these strategies are persuasion, exaggeration, manipulation, vagueness, and falsehood.
- ^
For example:Fraser, Tony (2009). "Trinidad and Tobago". In Esipisu, Manoah; Khaguli, Isaac E. (eds.). Eyes of Democracy: The Media and Elections. London: Commonwealth Secretariat. p. 52. ISBN 978-0850928983. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
The first requirement of a journalist covering an election in Trinidad and Tobago is to understand the multicultural nature and culture of the people, the disposition to exaggeration of politicians and political parties, the apparent contradictions of the culture and to vow not to take the country's politics too seriously.
- ISBN 978-1412908986. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
Exaggeration is often associated with propaganda. Goebbels said that outrageous charges evoked more belief than milder statements.
- ^ ISBN 978-0890425558.
- ^ "Factitious Disorders". Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
- ^ a b Sims, David (9 April 2015). "How 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' Influenced Film By Satirizing It". The Atlantic. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- ^ "Overstatement - Examples and Definition of Overstatement". Literary Devices. 29 May 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
Further reading
Books
- Duttmann, AG; Phillips, J Philosophy of Exaggeration (Continuum Studies in Continental Philosophy) (2007)
Academic papers
- Demaree, HA; Schmeichel, BJ; Robinson, JL; Everhart, D. Erik "Behavioural, affective, and physiological effects of negative and positive emotional exaggeration". Cognition and Emotion, Volume 18, Number 8, 2004, 1079–1097(19)
- Pieper, WJ Exaggeration, puffery, inferential beliefs and deception in advertising – 1976 – University of South Carolina.
- Sperling, OE "Exaggeration as a Defense". Psychoanal Q., 32:553–548. (1963).