''Tertium comparationis'' (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

for "the third artof the comparison") is the quality that two things which are being compared have in common. It is the point of comparison which prompted the author of the comparison in question to liken someone or something to someone or something else in the first place. If a comparison visualizes an action, state, quality, object, or a person by means of a parallel which is drawn to a different entity, the two things which are being compared do not necessarily have to be identical. However, they must possess at least one quality in common. This common quality has traditionally been referred to as ''tertium comparationis''. The most common devices used to achieve this are

metaphor A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are often compared wi ...

s and

simile A simile () is a figure of speech that directly ''compares'' two things. Similes differ from other metaphors by highlighting the similarities between two things using comparison words such as "like", "as", "so", or "than", while other metaphors c ...

s, especially, but by no means exclusively, in poetic language. In many cases one aspect of the comparison is implied rather than made explicit. The New Testament scholar,

Adolf Jülicher Adolf Jülicher (26 January 1857 – 2 August 1938) was a German scholar and biblical exegete. Specifically, he was the Professor of Church History and New Testament Exegesis, at the University of Marburg. He was born in Falkenberg near Berlin ...

, applied the concept of tertium comparationis to the parables of Jesus.

, ''Die Gleichnisreden Jesu'', 2nd ed. (Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr, 1910) According to Jülicher, a parable or similitude (extended simile or metaphor) has three parts: a picture part (''Bildhälfte''), a reality part (''Sachhälfte''), and the point of comparison (''tertium comparationis'') between the picture part and the reality part. "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field" (Matthew 13:44). In this parable, the picture part is the hidden treasure, the reality part is God's kingdom, and the ''tertium comparationis'' is the inestimable value of the kingdom.

Examples

*Necessity is the mother of invention. (English

proverb A proverb (from la, proverbium) is a simple and insightful, traditional saying that expresses a perceived truth based on common sense or experience. Proverbs are often metaphorical and use formulaic language. A proverbial phrase or a proverbia ...

) :Objects of comparison: relationship between mother and child, relationship between necessity and invention :''Tertium comparationis'': source, where something derives from *Woman is the

nigger In the English language, the word ''nigger'' is an ethnic slur used against black people, especially African Americans. Starting in the late 1990s, references to ''nigger'' have been progressively replaced by the euphemism , notably in cases ...

of the world. (

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

) :Objects of comparison: treatment of Black people in US culture, treatment of women in global culture :''Tertium comparationis'': inhumane treatment, subjugation,

discrimination Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of Racial discrimination, r ...

*Goodbye, England's rose. (

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

on the death of

Princess Diana Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...

) :Objects of comparison: Diana; roses :''Tertium comparationis'': beauty *If they ur two soulsbe two, they are two so :''As'' stiff twin compasses are two; :Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show :To move, but doth, if th'other do. ::(

John Donne John Donne ( ; 22 January 1572 – 31 March 1631) was an English poet, scholar, soldier and secretary born into a recusant family, who later became a cleric in the Church of England. Under royal patronage, he was made Dean of St Paul's Cathe ...

: "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning") (Read th
whole poem
) :Objects of comparison: two souls; twin compasses :''Tertium comparationis'': a non-physical link between separate objects that causes action in one to result in action to the other.

References

Rhetoric Semantics {{semantics-stub