Explanation
Exemplum carries a particular case from history, myth, or remembered experience into a present line of thought. The Rhetorica ad Herennium ties it to a past deed or saying and a specified author; later handbooks also include mythical cases and illustrative anecdotes. Its probative force is not automatic but depends on the claimed comparability between the case and the present situation.
Example
When the first draft failed, the cartographer left the rejected lines visible; her example shows how false starts can carry knowledge.
Counterexample
Rejected lines can be instructive. The general claim cites no particular case.
Distinction
Unlike chreia, which fashions a compact attributed teaching scene, exemplum more broadly denotes a particular case used for support or illustration. Unlike apodeixis, it does not invoke a ground accepted as common but a singular case.
Effect on thought and perception
Makes abstract claims testable against a concrete case, yet may make similarity and authority appear stronger than they warrant.
Resonance
A past particular enters a new context and continues to resonate there as model, warning, or countervoice.
Cite this entry
Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Exemplum“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-RHE-209-001. ATLAS 251, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-RHE-209-001The address remains stable; editorial content may evolve. A verified modification date per entry is not yet available. Include your access date for precise references.