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Written by John McCullagh
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Wednesday, 20 October 2004 |
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The fashion-conscious enjoy skin-tight slacks and a healthy tan. Politicians talk of nuclear defence and Star-Wars shields. Computer people rail against Microsoft Works. Civil servants weave a web of garbage in Plain English forms. Examples of oxymorons abound in our world. What are they?
I was contemplating how our recent stories of reminiscence evoke bitter-sweet memories when the term’s internal contradiction struck me. This epigrammatical device deliberately junxta-poses contradictory terms; it is used sparingly and carefully by writers. On the other hand the grant-milkers, the ‘great and the good’, the ‘movers and shakers’ sprinkle oxymorons through their language and press-releases like confetti.
One of the minor aims of Newry Journal is to expose self-publicising fraudsters. You have read some examples here. Now I’m asking you to come up with your favourite (i.e. most despised!) examples.
Can anything be altogether separate; the same difference; a working holiday; virtual reality; pretty ugly; a civil war; a peace force?
[Abbey Gymnists c.1964 F. Arthur Murphy:Michael McCullagh:Coach, Gerry Brown: Peter Poland: ... : Hugh McShane (?) M. ? : Martin McConville: Markey: ...: McGivern: Back.. 4. Gerry Hobden ..] Corrections please to Guestbook! (Ta to Gerry Hobden for Guestbook note. I'm sorry not to have recognised you for we were acquainted! I'm fairly confident M 1. is not Gerry McLaughlin (of Stream Street), unless there was another of that name!
Over to you! Examples on Guestbook, please.
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