Literary Devices and Figures of Speech

Mercurial means quick and changeable in temperament.

The prefix "retro-" means "posterior to, behind," or "back, backward, after." Words which begin with "retro" include: retrocurved (adj., curved backward), retrocognition(n., supernatural or extraordinary knowledge of the past), retroactive (adj., related to or applying to things of the past), retrograde (adj., inverse, moving backwards, or becoming worse), retro-date (v., to set something back to a prior date), retroform (v., to reshape into an earlier form), retrovision (n., a looking back to the past), and retrocede (v., to go back, or to give something back). For more "retro-" words, see the Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. "retro-, prefix."

appreciations

Yes, person A can say 'I shall let you know how it went', and person B can say 'Please let me know how it went'.

Radiant, ravishing, resplendent.

Depending on the context, tone of voice/writing used, and strength of belief in the opposing truth, there can be a variety of answers.

Sarcasm: This is generally a lighter tone and will be generally understood quickly to intend the opposite of the words spoken. I.e. "Yeah, she'll be home for dinner." if said in a sarcastic tone would easily be inferred to mean that she will not make dinner.

Irony: Similar to sarcasm, but this typically underlies a more emotional or treasured belief. I.e. "I love how people are only valued as dollar signs." if said ironically would be inferred to mean that you believe strongly that people are worth more than their economic values.

Hypocrisy: This is when somebody makes a statement that unwittingly contradicts a belief that they hold. Unlike sarcasm, this is not intentional, but accidental. I.e. If a slave-owner said, "I believe that all people should be free." he would be speaking hypocritically because he is actually taking part in the act of enslaving other humans.

Argumentum ad Absurdum: "Arguing to the Absurd" is a technique used commonly to prove a point that a person does not like is wrong because it leads to some absurd consequence that its advocator cannot condone. The arguer does not typically believe the absurd case either. I.e. Arguer 1 says, "I believe all workers should make a wage." Arguer 2 (absurd case) replies, "Well, doesn't that mean that children should pay their mothers for their work?"

Denial: The person could know the truth, but consciously reject it because that truth would disappoint or anger the person. I.e. A girl may say "My boyfriend still loves me" when what she really means to say is "Comfort me since my boyfriend dumped me and I don't know how to handle it."

Ward Churchill, once a professor at Colorado University, is responsible for the slogan. It was actually part of the title of one of his books called, "Kill the Indian, Save the Man: The Genocidal Impact of American Indian Residential Schools."

It means that a person has chosen not to be educated.

a tricky ou spelling

it means if you can't take something that someone does to you then don't do it to anyone else

====================

Similarly, "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

It's original literal meaning is from cooking, e.g. don't dish out food to others that you are not willing to eat yourself. A practical application would be if are in a position where you are leading, creating a work environment, or simply upset and want to express yourself, don't expect others to accept words, methods, and/or responsibilities that you are not willing to accept.

Yes

no then last beginning etc. are transition words

I met a traveller from an antique land

Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desart. Near them, on the sand,

Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:

And on the pedestal these words appear:

"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.

gfn

Nur

literal

This word is usually spelled "eftsoons". It's a Middle English word, derived from "eft", which is an early form of our word "after", and "soon". It means soon after, a short time later, once again, immediately, and sometimes repeatedly.

Not to be confused with "zounds" which is a swear word, an abbreviated form of "God's wounds".

Patrick.

broken

bashful

No

Personification. The sun is being described as performing a human action, here.