Acutezza ([akuˈtettsa]) is the act or use of wordplay. It is an Italian derived word. Therefore, the direct translation from Italian to English is acuteness, shrewdness or shrillness.
In rhetoric
Writers most commonly use wordplay to give the audience a sense relevance to themselves and a sense of likability. Writers also use acutezza to mask an unpleasant-sounding phrase as a means of persuasion. At times acutezza can seem clever or witty as if the writer is trying to "put one over" on the audience similar to an enthymeme, which can be the case. More often than not the speaker is only trying to make their case sound better and as positive as possible. In addition to speech, acutezza can be seen visually as well. This is done through positioning words in a certain manner on the page to reflect the actual content of the sentence or phrase, yet, still giving it the illusion of positiveness.
References
- "Acutezza." Acutezza. Changing Minds, 2014. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.
- "Translation of Acutezza in English:." Acutezza: Translation of Acutezza in English in Oxford Dictionary (Italian-English) (US). Oxford University Press, 2014. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.
- Grassi, Ernesto; Krois, John Michael (1986). "Remarks on German Idealism, Humanism, and the Philosophical Function of Rhetoric". Philosophy & Rhetoric. 19 (2): 125–133. ISSN 0031-8213.
- Parker, Alexander A. (1982). ""Concept" and "Conceit": An Aspect of Comparative Literary History". The Modern Language Review. 77 (4): xxi–xxxv. doi:10.2307/3726577. ISSN 0026-7937.
- Williams, Mark (2002). Mazzotta, Guiseppe; Goetsch, James Robert (eds.). "Ancient Language and Myth as New Science: Vico's Response to the Moderns". Eighteenth-Century Studies. 35 (2): 301–304. ISSN 0013-2586.
- Anderson, Holly, and Morgan Styles, eds. Teaching Through Texts: Promoting Literacy Through Popular and Literary Texts in the Primary Classroom. N.p.: Routledge, 2002. 99-100. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.