Do these make any sense?

Ever wondered why some of these sayings don’t seem to really make sense?

And how about…confirmed rumor, or unbiased opinion, or military intelligence?

Each of these is called an oxymoron, which a dictionary defines as “a combination of contradictory or incongruous words.”

Still another dictionary defines an oxymoron as a “wittily paradoxical turn of phrase that appeals to ‘unconscious responses’ instead of rational examinations.” Wow!

The word itself is said to have originated from the Greek words, oxy, meaning ‘sharp, pointed’ and the word moros that meant ‘dull or foolish.‘

Think about:

• clearly confused,
• original copy,
• passive aggessive,
• exact estimate.

Ever chuckled at a sign like one of these?

Or how about this one?

They may not make logical sense, but they are dramatic…flavorful…and fun!

And here are some of my favorite quotations that make use of oxymorons:

• “I can resist anything, except temptation.” Oscar Wilde
• “Modern dancing is so old fashioned.” Samuel Goldwyn
• “I am a deeply superficial person.” Andy Warhol
• “No one goes to that restaurant anymore-it’s always too crowded.” Yogi Berra

Playing with words is fun and I’m always delighted when I come across new plays with words and ideas. Do you have any that you could share?