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Epitrope

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

An ironic permission granted to an opponent or audience. It invites them to act while implying the consequences will prove the speaker right.

Detailed Definition
Epitrope occurs when a speaker says, in effect, “Go ahead,” while making clear that the proposed action is foolish, self-defeating, or morally revealing. A poet may tell a tyrant to destroy every record, knowing memory will survive, or invite a lover to leave, knowing departure will expose their cruelty. The device combines challenge and confidence. It can create defiance, bitter irony, or a sense that the speaker has already judged the outcome.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Judge my grief by these empty rooms, if you can” leaves the audience to draw the conclusion; “Ask the river whether I have kept faith with its banks” invites a witness to decide; “Read the scars on the orchard trees, then tell me whether the frost was gentle” hands judgment to the listener; “Let the stars decide if my promise was small” defers evaluation to an authority
Additional Notes
Epitrope grants apparent permission to an opponent or audience, usually with irony or confidence. A speaker might say, “Go on, ignore the warning,” while clearly implying that the result will prove the warning true. The device can sound defiant, sarcastic, or controlled. Its persuasive power comes from allowing the other side enough freedom to expose its own error.
Other Meanings of “Epitrope”
Also Known As
Concessio Permission
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