Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

gish gallop

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.32 in modern English

Syllables
gish -gal-lop
IPA
17
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A rhetorical technique in which a dishonest speaker lists a string of falsehoods or misleading items so that their opponent will be unable to counter each one and still be able to make their own counterpoints.

Etymology

Coined by American physical anthropologist Eugenie C. Scott in 1994, referencing a rhetorical strategy often employed by creationist Duane Gish in debates about evolution.

Inflected Forms

Gish gallops (plural)

Questions

What does gish gallop mean?
A rhetorical technique in which a dishonest speaker lists a string of falsehoods or misleading items so that their opponent will be unable to counter each one and still be able to make their own counterpoints.
Where does gish gallop come from?
Coined by American physical anthropologist Eugenie C. Scott in 1994, referencing a rhetorical strategy often employed by creationist Duane Gish in debates about evolution.

How to pronounce gish gallop

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