How to Write an Understatement
Using this device is easy:
- First, think of the subject you want to understate.
- Then, think of a creative way to minimize an aspect of that subject.
For example, imagine you have a cavity and have been experiencing strong tooth pain. When going to the dentist, you want to sound pleasant, polite, and comedic. Here’s how to turn a normal expression into an understatement:
- Normal expression:
My tooth is killing me! I’m in a lot of pain.
- Understatement #1:
I’m experiencing a little bit of tooth pain.
Using understatement, you would sound professional and polite.
- Understatement #2
It’s slightly difficult not to scream out in pain.
Using understatement, you can express deep pain but in a comedic and lighthearted way.
When to Use Understatement
Understatement can often be used everyday speech as well as in writing. Or, it can express a variety of intentions from extreme comedy to prim politeness. However, there are situations in which using understatement would be inappropriate. For example, understating slight tooth pain would be considered polite. Understating heart palpitations or what feels like a tumor would be considered very dangerous for your health and inappropriate. Understatement would be considered inappropriate in situations that are highly serious or only require literal truth. Some situations are when writing medical texts or research journals. For example, doctors cannot say, “Eh, give him a few drops of this medicine.” Rather, they must say, “Please take three milligrams by mouth once a day.”