Definition: “The use of a famous proverb, maxim, quotation or saying to support one’s argument.”
Mannerofspeaking. “Rhetorical Devices: Sententia.” Manner of Speaking, 27 July 2022, mannerofspeaking.org/2012/09/18/rhetorical-devices sententia/.
Informal: In simple terms, sententia is a catchy or insightful phrase that is usually utilised to condense previous information or support an argument. It is frequently employed by authors when they intend to emphasise or highlight a previously stated sentiment.
Example: "The lesson we have to learn is that our dislike for certain persons does not give us any right to injure our fellow creatures, however odious they may be. As I see it, the social rule must be: 'Live and let live.'" -- G. B. Shaw, BBC talk on Pacifism
['Live and let live' summarises the preceding statement as a short and clever phrase]
Etymology:
-from the Latin term 'sententia', closely resembling 'sentiens', meaning “sensing” or “feeling”.
The word 'sententia' was first recorded in use in 1917, in a way that is similar to its modern connotation. The term referred to a familiar, succinct wise saying usually woven within an argument for the purpose of emphasis or emotional reaction.
“Sententia Definition; Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sententia#examples.
Hugo P.