Adynaton

With Adynaton (from Greek ἀδύνατος / ον ( adynatos / on): impossible), plural: Adynata is referred to a statement in which someone wants to say that something can be done in any case, but this brings indirectly expressed. He says, for example: " More like a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. " (New Testament, Matthew 19, verse 24) expressed as direct would mean the same statement: "A rich man never in the kingdom of God. " the word " never " is thus indirectly by" expressed is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye. " This linguistic "trick" Adynaton is called: Description of " Never, under any circumstances " by something of which you know that it is impossible.

Rhetorical Figure

The Adynaton is a rhetorical figure, which emphasizes the importance of a statement or assertion strength by the ( explicit or implicit ) probability compared with the impossible, according to the scheme: " Rather, the world is ending, as that ... ". The Adynaton comes from the ancient Greek poetry and is usually mitigated mostly in the context of a later oath affirming needed. In the formal execution of komparativische Adynata are not (only implicitly ) to distinguish komparativischen Adynata to Maurach § 158 d ( explicit).

Examples

The oldest document is the non- komparativische Adynaton in Homer, Iliad I 233 ff:

A classic example of komparativischen form is Virgil, Bucolics I 59-63:

Other exemplary pronounced Adynaton - progressions are about in the traditional with the appendix Vergiliana Dirae as well as increased the paradoxical pleasure of a complete Adynaton seal, in the late ancient poem Aurea Concordi ... the poet Eucheria before (text and translation with Helene Homeyer, S. 185-187 ). The medieval, V.A. Carolingian poetry generalizes the Adynaton to the topos of the world upside down, which is used in parody or moralizing way (see Curtius Chap. 5 § 7).