Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2024 August 9

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August 9

Implying something by omission

There's a word for that, can anyone remember it? Something like paralipsis. It should be in Glossary of rhetorical terms and/or List of informal fallacies but isn't. Example: Sideshow Bob announces[1] "The following neighboorhood residents will NOT be killed by me: Ned Flanders, Maude Flanders, Homer Simpson...". He finishes while conspiciously omitting Bart Simpson, implying that he intends to kill the now-terrified Bart.

I want to use this word for something unrelated, but can't remember it. Any help? Thanks. 2602:243:2008:8BB0:F494:276C:D59A:C992 (talk) 00:52, 9 August 2024 (UTC)

Another example: People who drink tea would never, ever steal the spoon; whereas those who drink coffee ... well, the conclusion suggests itself, doesn't it? -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 01:04, 9 August 2024 (UTC)

This sounds like a language question. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 03:12, 9 August 2024 (UTC)

Bugs, I originally posted this question at the language desk but then decided to move it here. I might try there again though. I'm still puzzling over it. JackofOz, there are also cases where the omission is less emphasized. Like if I say "the office is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays" that logically says nothing about the other 4 days, but most listeners would infer that the office is closed on those 4 days. 2602:243:2008:8BB0:F494:276C:D59A:C992 (talk) 20:49, 9 August 2024 (UTC)

Gricean Implicatures might be relevant. AnonMoos (talk) 23:32, 9 August 2024 (UTC)

Thanks! That looks very helpful. 2602:243:2008:8BB0:F494:276C:D59A:C992 (talk) 04:18, 10 August 2024 (UTC)

Subtext refers to the conveyance of implicit information that is understood but not said. Modocc (talk) 18:30, 10 August 2024 (UTC)

Hm. I would just have said praeteritio, but I see you're already aware of that one. If you find out what it is, I'd love to know. -- asilvering (talk) 21:20, 11 August 2024 (UTC)

Ellipsis_(linguistics). Or elision? Iapetus (talk) 09:04, 12 August 2024 (UTC)

Also related (though not quite the same) is apophasis: "I will not speak of my opponents appalling record on matters of civil rights, nor his irredeemably noxious character. Instead, I will confine myself to …..." - Jmabel | Talk 21:57, 15 August 2024 (UTC)