US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his visit to India recently made news by calling the phrase UN experts an oxymoron during a press briefing about protests in India.
When reporters asked about UN statements Rubio simply said Washington would not interfere in India's internal matters in regards of ongoing protests. He calls it a domestic political issue for a democracy.
His comment quickly went viral. Now netizens are asking what the term Oxymoron actually means.
To know what an oxymoron is helps you see how speakers combine opposite words during a diplomatic meeting and trade deals to make a strong point.
Why US Secretary Marco Rubio Calls Term UN Experts an Oxymoron?
During a media briefing Marco Rubio responded to questions about United Nations statements regarding ongoing protests in India. He made it clear that the US would not judge political matters of India. And he emphasizes that democratic countries manage their own elections and internal affairs.
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The Indian delegation in the UN also dismissed the accusation by stating that the existing laws in their country safeguard the rights of the individuals involved and that human rights should not be used against particular nations. Language device was employed by Rubio to express his lack of faith in the group.
What is an Oxymoron? Definition and Meaning
An oxymoron is a figure of speech that puts two opposite or contradictory words right next to each other. The word comes from two old Greek terms:
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oxus (meaning sharp) and
moros (meaning foolish).
Putting them together gives you sharp-foolish which makes the word itself an example of what it describes.
Paradox vs Oxymoron: What’s the Difference?
People use Oxymoron device in speech and writing to grab attention, point out a surprising truth, or add humor.
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Feature
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Oxymoron
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Paradox
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Structure
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Puts two opposite words together
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A full sentence or statement
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Length
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Usually 2 words
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A complete sentence or idea
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Example
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Deafening silence
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Less is more
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Popular Examples of Oxymorons in Daily English
You hear and read oxymorons all the time in daily life, books, and news reports. They put contrasting ideas together to make you stop and think about what is being said.
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Deafening silence: A quietness so heavy that everyone notices it.
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Bittersweet: Feeling happy and sad at the exact same time.
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Open secret: Something that is supposed to be private but everyone already knows.
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Seriously funny: Using two opposite words to show that something is genuinely amusing.
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Original copy: A phrase that combines two conflicting ideas about where a document came from.
Why do Writers and Speakers Use Oxymorons?
Speakers, writers, and politicians use oxymorons to make their statements memorable. By putting two opposing words together they force the listener to pause and pay close attention to the message behind the phrase.
When someone calls a phrase an oxymoron in politics they are saying the two words cannot logically work together. So when Marco Rubio paired UN with experts he used this language trick to challenge the group's credibility in a single sentence.