Figures of speech. Hidden one?

[silentmetaphor]

I was researching figures of speech, different forms of them.
Found it interesting that Epithet, a Figure of speech used so often in literature, is rarely placed alongside Metaphor, Hyperbole, Euphemism, Personification, etc.
It is a well and frequently utilized literary device, so it was surprising I couldn’t find it as a separate form.
In the literature of my culture, Epithet is incredibly prevalent, especially in poetry ( and I don't think the poetry of my country is unique in this).
Poet/writer Vaja ( Poet of the figure ) represents this sentiment perfectly.
I would like to ask a few questions to my fellow “figure of speech enthusiasts” about the form and hierarchy of different tools, literary devices used in language ( English in this case, Most of the English literature I Have ever read was a translation either in my native language or Russian ).

 

[The Judge]

Sorry, can't help with this at all, and I'd be surprised if many native English speakers are able to assist you to any great extent unless they happen to be specialists in the area. The regrettable fact is that -- in England at least, and I suspect in the whole of the UK -- we are not systematically taught much about grammar, let alone figures of speech or other literary devices, though we might get an odd lesson on imagery and metaphor. For the rest of it, those of us who are writers just muddle along and pick up what we can from reading and a kind of innate sense of what feels right in a sentence.

We certainly use epithets for historical figures -- eg Edith Swanneck (though that's likely a corruption of something else, not actually that she had an elegant or white neck!) -- or, rather, we continue with epithets created in former times, and I've no doubt they occur in poetry, though off the top of my head I can't think of any, but Tennyson springs to mind as a likely user of them. But if there is any kind of hierarchy of word forms when it comes to writing I don't imagine epithets are very high up the list, and certainly nowadays "epithet" is often used as a synonym for a term of abuse!

 

[tinkerdan]

I think that one reason Epithet might not be highlighted as a figure of speech is because it is meant to be descriptive and in some cases a way of differentiating say on specific Tom, Dick, or Harry from the others such as in Richard the lion hearted.

One case where it might be of literary value would be:
The Rhetorical side that might be considered a derogatory and that can be covered under Euphemisms in figures of speech.

 

[Parson]

American English education is generally not great about grammar either. But my sense is that in English an epithet is used much more in common parlance than in a written or formal form. Epithets are common among friends, sports figures, and, sadly, most especially when used in anger to "put someone in their place."

 

[farntfar]

Tolkein seems to have used Epithet to a large degree, it seems to me, if I have understood the definition correctly. (As others have already said, it's not a form I was ever taught.)
Grima Wormtongue and Thorin Oakenshield seem to me to be simple examples.
He also used it in his other languages; Dwarfish and Elvish.
Thus:
Luthien is called Tinuviel (Elvish for Daughter of twilight)
Finrod: Felagund (Dwarfish for Hewer of caves)
Turin carried several nicknames that appear to me to be epithets. Mormegil for example means black sword.
Bombadil was called Iarwain Ben-adar by the elves (Oldest and Fatherless)
Even Fëanor was only an epithet given to him by his mother. It means spirit of fire. His real name was CuruFinwë. (Skill of Finwë. An epithet in its own right, perhaps?)

And in Farmer Giles of Ham, the dragon is called Crysophlax Dives (*). (Latin for rich)
(* I think I've spelt Crysophlax wrongly )

 

[hitmouse]

I dont think that epithet is part of a formal heirarchy in English, in the sense that you suggest, or indeed that such a heirarchy exists.

 

[paranoid marvin]

I suppose Dickens used epithet to in the surnames of many of the people in his stories to give you some insight into their character. So if you came across a Bounderby , Bumble, Dedlock or Grimwig you had a good idea as to what type of person they were.

 

[farntfar]

And if they weren't descriptive in their time, P.M., many, like Scrooge or Uriah Heep, became so later.

Unrelatedly, listen out for the hidden word in the following.