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Accismus

Rhetorical Devices
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Feigning reluctance to accept something one actually desires. It often creates modesty, irony, or playful concealment.

Detailed Definition
Accismus is a rhetorical gesture in which a speaker pretends to refuse, dismiss, or be indifferent to what they secretly want. In poetry, a lover may claim not to need praise while lingering over every compliment, or a speaker may reject fame while carefully imagining it. The device can suggest bashfulness, manipulation, irony, or emotional self-protection, allowing desire to appear indirectly rather than through open declaration.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Keep your crown,” the beggar says, while reaching for it in the next line, feigning refusal to show desire; A speaker tells a beloved, “Do not bring me roses,” though the poem dwells lovingly on their scent; “I could never accept such praise,” says the poet, inviting the audience to praise her again; A queen says, “This small throne is too heavy for me,” while clearly longing to rule
Additional Notes
Accismus is useful when a speaker’s refusal signals a hidden wish. In poems, it can dramatize coyness, politeness, temptation, or ironic self-presentation. Contrast sincere modesty, where no concealed desire is implied.
Also Known As
Feigned Refusal Affected Modesty
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