Litotes is a type of figure of speech that uses negative words to highlight a positive idea. In spoken language, the way someone says a phrase, such as "not bad," can change its meaning. For example, it might mean "average" or "very good" depending on how it is said. The meaning of a negative statement can also depend on the situation and culture. Litotes is often used to soften the impact of a statement, like saying, "He isn't the cleanest person I know," which suggests someone is messy without being direct. This form of understatement is always intentional and may use two negatives to create emphasis. Litotes is also called antenantiosis or moderatour in classical terms.

Litotes appears in many languages and is found in Old English poetry and Icelandic stories, where it reflects a calm and controlled style of expression. The word "litotes" comes from Greek (λιτότης), meaning "simplicity," and is based on the Greek word λιτός (litos), which means "plain, simple, small, or meager."

Classical litotes

The first recorded use of the term "litotes" appears in a letter written by Cicero in 55 BC, titled De Oratore. At that time, Cicero used the word to describe a simple or modest way of living. Over time, the meaning of "litotes" changed to refer to a type of understatement that uses double negatives to express ideas in a simple way.

Old Norse language had different forms of litotes. These included phrases that denied something negative to imply a positive meaning (for example, "She's not a terrible wife" suggests "she's a good wife"), phrases that denied a positive trait to imply a lack of it (for example, "He's not a great learner" suggests "he has difficulty learning"), and phrases that used negatives without directly denying anything (for example, "Days spent in his home left him unenthused" suggests "he preferred to be outside").

Litotes and ethos

Litotes is a rhetorical device that can help build ethos, or trust, by showing modesty or avoiding praise for one's own achievements. In the ancient text Rhetorica ad Herennium, litotes is described as part of a group called deminutio, which includes understatement. It is listed with two other forms: antenantiosis and meiosis. For example, a skilled artist might say, "I'm not a bad painter." By not boasting but still recognizing their talent, the artist appears both capable and humble, which can increase their credibility.

Other languages

In Classical Greek, examples of litotes can be found in Homer's works. In Book 24 of the Iliad, Zeus describes Achilles with the words: οὔτε γάρ ἔστ᾽ ἄφρων οὔτ᾽ ἄσκοπος, which translates to "not without wisdom, neither without purpose," meaning Achilles is both wise and purposeful.

In French, the phrase pas mal ("not bad") is used similarly to English. Another example is il n'est pas antipathique ("he is not disagreeable"), which actually means il est très sympathique ("he is nice"), though the speaker avoids being too direct. Another example is Ce n'est pas bête ("It's not stupid"), often used to acknowledge a clever idea without showing too much enthusiasm. This phrase can also mean the thing is clever or somewhere between clever and stupid.

One of the most famous examples of litotes in French literature is from Pierre Corneille’s Le Cid (1636). The heroine, Chimène, tells her lover Rodrigue, who just killed her father: Va, je ne te hais point ("Go, I hate you not"), meaning "I love you."

In Chinese, the phrase 不错 (Pinyin: bù cuò, traditional characters 不錯, literally "not wrong") is often used to describe something as very good or correct. This differs from the English "not bad" or the French pas mal. Another phrase, 不简单 (Pinyin: bù jiǎn dān, traditional characters 不簡單, literally "not simple"), refers to an impressive achievement.

In Danish, understated expressions using litotes are common in the Jutlandic dialect. A typical example is det er ikke så ringe endda ("it is not even so bad"), meaning "that's great."

In Dutch, the phrase niet slecht ("not bad") is often used to describe something as very good or correct. The German phrase nicht schlecht is used in the same way.

In Italian, meno male (literally "less bad") is similar to the English phrase "thank goodness" or "just as well," used to say a situation is better than expected. The phrase mica male (literally "not bad at all") has the same meaning as the English "not bad."

In Latin, an example of litotes appears in Ovid’s Metamorphoses: non semel ("not one occasion"), meaning "on more than one occasion." Some Latin words, like nonnulli ("not none") and nonnumquam ("not never"), are derived from litotes and mean "several" and "sometimes," respectively.

In Russian, the most common litotes is неплохо ("not bad"). It is acceptable to say очень неплохо ("very not bad") to mean something is very good. In Nikolai Gogol’s The Government Inspector, the Mayor says, "There's no such thing as a man with no sins on his conscience," meaning "All men have sins on their conscience." This is a way to soften the statement.

In Spanish, it is common to say No es nada tonto ("It's not at all foolish") as a compliment, meaning something was smart or clever. The phrase menos mal (similar to Italian meno male) means "less bad" and is used like the English phrases "Thank goodness!" or "It's just as well."

In Swedish, litotes is frequently used. For example, when meeting someone after a long time, it is common to say Det var inte igår ("It wasn't yesterday").

In Turkish, it is common to say Hiç fena değil! ("Not bad at all!") as a compliment.

In Welsh, the phrase Siomi ar yr ochr orau ("To be disappointed on the best side") means "to be pleasantly surprised."