CHICANERY, RHETORIC, CACOPHONY

 CHICANERY [Noun]

[Pronounced as: Shuh kayn uhree]

Chicanery is another bad trait in that it pertains to the practice of clever use of language for ‘deception‘ or subterfuge with a design to achieve one’s purpose . In plain terms it is an organized strategy of ‘word play’ to willfully make others believe and play into the trap.

Subterfuge [pronounced: shub tuh fyooj] is explained as a ‘dishonest way of behaving’. Once again the easiest way of understanding the term ’Chicanery’ is to recall ‘rosy utterances of political outfits to hoodwink gullible voters by tall promises hard to ‘stand by’. It is a kind of ‘verbal blindfolding’ of voters.  ‘Hoodwinking’ is also an act of treachery on voters/UNSUSPECTING listeners through false promises

One of the definitions of “Hoodwink” suggests ’to make someone believe something that is not true’. ‘Deceive’, ‘trick’,’ defraud’ ‘misguide’ are other synonyms of ‘hoodwink’.  So, all terms associated with Chicanery are themselves expressions of varied forms of cheating.

USAGE

People of all nations are fed-up with the political chicanery and no longer gather in numbers to listen to political promises.

The litigant has suffered twice from the chicanery of his lawyers in retrieving the property from the rival.

One of the trickiest is reading through the intricacies of statistical chicanery

RHETORIC [Noun]

Pronounced : ruh taw rik

Rhetoric is a statement spoken or written with the innate desire to impress recipients and so, is not sincere or honest.

Though ‘rhetoric’ is viewed as a skill of handling language to impress audience, it is dubbed ‘insincere’ / grandiloquent. Grandiloquent is viewed as big or bombastic. Grandiloquent is a product of merger of terms” Grand “and ‘Eloquent’

Grand suggests size or volume while ‘eloquent’ signifies free flow of words. Unlike Chicanery that aims to willfully misleading, Rhetoric has only the purpose of making an impression and is not intent on cheating.

CACOPHONY [Noun]

Pronounced: kuf- kaw-fuh -nee

Cacophony is a noisy cluster of words and unpleasant to hear. So, cacophony is a jarring sound of words, that are discordant. It relates more to the volume than to the content. Often, rhetoric is delivered in a fierce noise that cacophony gets associated with it.

Though the words ‘chicanery’, rhetoric’ and cacophony mean different things, the three can come together in terms of effect.

Prof .K. Raman