I'll post something here friday night.

No, seriously.

Cowan defines on his own terms, Burton takes gold for enargeia

Mr Burns: Oh, ''meltdown'' - it's one of those annoying buzzwords. We prefer to call it an ''unrequested fission surplus''

Last thursday, during the second Dail debate on NAMA, An Taoiseach Brian Cowan did his best to swap the 'bad bank' label with his own defintion of NAMA:

''One of the main approaches has been what is sometimes called the “bad bank” model - although in reality it could better be called an asset management model - where a special vehicle is set up to hold damaged assets and seek to recover value.''

To define on your own terms is a classic trick of persuasion. Cowan is relying here on what our ancient friends called 'periphrasis', which swaps the name of something for a description of it. ''Bad banks'' is easy to remember, and has worse negative financial connotations than ''good artist''. ''Asset management model'' sounds good and is easy to remember.

But he who knoweth his ancient stuff can tell you that the politician spouting the periphrasis is usually in trouble. Why? It's a tool of defense.

Our toga-wearing friends listed 'definition' as to the tool to fall back on when the facts are against you, or when you lack a good grasp of them. If you really don't know you stuff you can employ definition techniques to the point of having won the argument without knowing any facts at all. (youtube ''bush vs kerry debate'' if you don't believe me)

Here's how it works.

1. If the facts are on your side, use them. If they're against you, or you don't know them try:

2. Redefining your terms instead. Another unrequested fission surplus? Failing that:

3. Insist that your opponent's argument is less important than it seems. And if you can't do that:

4. Claim the discussion is irrelevant.

And claim victory. These four tactics, taken in order, usually work. Unless your opponent knows them too and outwits you.

But things (sadly) never get that far in the Dail. Mostly because none of them had the classical education that's marked the best speakers in the House of Commons in the last 15 years.

Joan Burton won the communications front with a little enargia, saying: ''Look at the girl from Kildare''.

Zing. Can't beat enargia.