Hyperbolic hyperboles

ARREY, he is totally hyper,” says a New Delhi’s Hinglish speaker. His confidant responds, “Hyperbole tho?” The first speaker proceeds to explain the hyper status of the third person under discussion. In this exchange, the word ‘hyper’ is used to describe some form of  extreme or excessive behaviour. Hyper (Greek; huper, over) was  originally used  in the English language with other words suffixed to it.  Words such as hyperactive (over-active, hypertension (high psychological stress or high blood pressure),  hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland) illustrate this. A person who ‘hyper ventilates’ is either overexcited or breathing at an abnormally rapid rate. In the 1940s, ‘hyperactive’ was whittled down to ‘hyper’in popular usage, indicating excess, excitability, nervousness or the quality of  being high strung.

Incidentally, the prefix ‘hypo’ is the antonym of the prefix hyper. Hypo (Greek , under, inadequate) when prefixed to ‘dermia’ refers to something happening beneath the skin. Hypodermic is the process of injecting into or extracting fluids from beneath the skin. Hypothermia indicates a condition of insufficient bodily heat.  

Hyper, denoting excess, became the popular mode of usage. It found its way into spoken English and Hinglish and did away with the old rule that no  prefix can exist on its own without being linked to another word. 

The second speaker uses the expression hyperbole as part of a Hinglish query. Both speakers are probably unaware  that hyperbole is a singular noun (plural, hyperboles), pronounced as ‘hy-per-bo-li’. It has consistently been in use for well over 200 years and is an identifiable figure of speech,  both in literary analysis and  regular conversation. Hyperboles in writing and speech are all about exaggeration.

Take a look at the following sentences: “I have told you a million times”; “I have seen this film two thousand times”; “This must be the slowest train in the world”. Each one of them is imprecise. It is difficult to say the same thing a million times. It is extremely difficult to watch a film two thousand times. It is doubtful whether the train qualifies as the slowest in the world. The speaker in each sentence is overstating the case, or simply exaggerating.

Hyper (excessive), bole (throw) indicates a throwing over (of moderation or reasonableness) and making a  statement that is excessive, wherein precision and accuracy are overlooked. Instead, we see exaggeration at work. Unsurprisingly, the antonym for hyperbole is ‘understatement’.  Those who understate play down significant aspects of their life admirably. Hyperbolic (adjective) individuals tend to overstate the case, creating comic situations, in which they display their impatience, temperamental or excessive natures.

Hyperbolic excess is sanctioned for the lover waxing eloquent over the charms of his beloved. The sycophant who exalts his superior, the parent who adores his children, the student  who idolises his teacher, worshippers of theory, state, religion or mammon and the politician who swells with self-importance and pontificates over his smallest action, can be typecast in hyperbolical settings. “Making mountains out of molehills,” axiomatically describes the working of hyperboles. These are delightful when they embellish or amuse. They malfunction or self-destruct when used to curry favour or ingratiate oneself.