| Juxtaposition is the placing, side by side, | | | | 'sandy beach,' 'young child,' 'positive |
| of two ideas or items usually for the purpose | | | | praise,' and 'angry rage' are pleonasms.Here |
| of comparison or contrast.I staged an event | | | | are some ways you can use comical |
| at Washington National Airport where I had a | | | | juxtaposition in a business world public |
| huge 450-pound man and a very small man | | | | speaking engagement:* Use a large copy of |
| (three feet eleven inches) dressed as | | | | your company logo or company name on a slide |
| chauffeurs. They were waiting at the gate for | | | | or overhead, or in a drawing on your |
| a man from Japan arriving for his first visit | | | | flipchart. Next to it, place extremely small |
| to the United States.To take the comical | | | | logos or company names of your competitors. |
| juxtaposition one step further, the small man | | | | Use this as a greeting slide to a meeting or |
| was holding a gigantic sign with the Japanese | | | | let it pop up as a slide or overhead at a |
| man's name on it and the extra large man was | | | | strategic point in your presentation. You |
| holding a similar sign, except it was about | | | | could draw an outline of a large duck around |
| the size of a business card. Believe me, we | | | | your company logo and little duckling |
| had the attention of everyone in the gate | | | | outlines around the competition. You could |
| area. What a visual!Now let's look at two | | | | say: 'Our company was born to lead and the |
| specialized types of juxtaposition: oxymoron | | | | others were meant to follow.'* Use an |
| and pleonasm.OxymoronWarren S. Blumenfeld, | | | | oxymoron in conjunction with a simile to |
| Ph.D., in his book Pretty Ugly states, 'I | | | | drive home the point that something is a |
| {passively tried} to warn you oxymorons had | | | | little out of kilter. You could say, 'Acme |
| {almost absolutely} no socially redeeming | | | | Co. claims that its market share is |
| quality except that they make people {smile | | | | increasing, yet their sales are down while |
| out loud} and are addictive.' His first book | | | | everyone elses' are up. It's just like a |
| on the subject was called Jumbo | | | | Jumbo Shrimp. It just doesn't make sense.'* |
| Shrimp.According to Dr. Blumenfeld, ;An | | | | Invite a tall person and a short person on |
| oxymoron is two concepts {usually two words} | | | | stage when you call for audience |
| that do not go together, but are used | | | | participation. If you are considerably |
| together. It is a bringing together of | | | | shorter than the tall person say, 'I don't |
| contradictory expressions.' Terms like 'old | | | | want you to talk down to me.' If you are |
| news,' 'extensive briefing,' 'direct | | | | considerably taller than the short person |
| circumvention' and 'random order' are | | | | say, 'I don't want you to feel like I'm |
| oxymorons. Also concepts like 'an advanced | | | | talking down to you.' (be careful that the |
| state of decline' and 'expecting a surprise' | | | | person you get on stage is not overly |
| are oxymorons.PleonasmCombinations like | | | | sensitive about their height. |
| 'frozen ice,' 'sharp point,' 'killed dead,' | | | | |