Keyword: «antiphrasis»

The paper describes the tropes that are based on the contrast (antiphrasis, antiphrasis, oxymoron), and their functions, exercises for students to develop the ability to analyze the tropes. Contrast-based tropes give rich opportunities for designing bright, attention-grabbing, expressive expressions for creation satirical descriptions and characteristics, as they are based on opposition of the lexical content and meaning.

The article analyzes the use of antiphrasis and antiphrasis style by modern writer Leonid Kaganov. Antiphrasis is the use of a word and phrase in the opposite sense, helping the speaker to emphasize the meaning of what has been said. Antiphrasis (sarcasm, irony) is primarily a humorous linguistic device, but this is not its only function in the works of Leonid Kaganov. With the help of antiphrasis, the author indirectly expresses a negative attitude to the events of political, cultural, social life, gives them a deontic assessment. In addition, Kaganov uses antiphrasis for edifying purposes to teach the reader something without explicit instruction. Antiphrasis as a language device and antifrastic style is the brightest symbol of Leonid Kaganov’s authorial manner, for which it is important to combine the lively character of communication with a deep ideological content.