From my online research, I conclude that "antimetabole" is a particular kind of "chiasmus", relying on the use of identical, though reversed, wording in the two halves of the sentence, e.g. This is because the classical definition of chiasmus in rhetoric that has since become more generalized. “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.” Stephen Stills sang this line in 1970 and it is an example of a rhetorical device known as Chiasmus. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Mae West, in Belle of the Nineties (1934), Recreational wordplayers wonder why we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway. Judith Vorst gives a good example in her short poem: “Lust is what makes you keep wanting to do it, even when you have no desire to be with each other. Many scholars view this device as a subcategory of chiasmus because its rules are stricter and very closely defined. Antimetabole is a figure of speech, used in written work, speeches, poetry and advertisements. Winston Churchill, The right to bear arms is slightly less ridiculous than the right to arm bears. Antimetabole is very similar to chiasmus, but the words and grammatical structure must be reversed, since simply reversing the meaning is not enough. It can be used to convey paradoxes and irony, to strengthen an argument, or to show in a novel way how two ideas relate to each other. Chris Addison, It is better to be looked over than overlooked. Richard Lederer, Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country. Chiasmus was not used for structures in which the words themselves were repeated, but … Every time I leave a man, I keep his house. Many scholars view this device as a subcategory of chiasmus because its rules are stricter and very closely defined. Symmetry is key to chiasmus, but the repeated phrases need not be exactly symmetrical. In examples of chiasmus, however, the … 1. Pronounced as "an-tee-meh-TA-bo-lee," it is essentially the same as chiasmus. 3 Recurrent Rhetorical Devices: Uses and Examples | Crave to know, Last post of the season and my summer reading, The story behind the song #3: Cortez the killer, My favourite rhetorical devices #1 Chiasmus & Antimetabole. This entry was posted on Saturday, February 18th, 2017 at 7:52 am and is filed under Language. ), It’s probably better to have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in. I believe she might have been the one who said that about the frontal lobotomy. Here’s a quick and simple definition:Some additional key details about antimetabole: 1. Antimetabole is tricky to use: it can be moving, memorable, and persuasive, but it can also feel trite and predictable if used poorly. One lasting example of this is John F. Kennedy’s famous phrase “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”. In Plato s Timaeus, it is explained that; C minor also use arch form. Knowing this, scholars may discover that all instances of antimetabole are also chiasmus, but the reverse is not always true. Writers or speakers use antimetabole for effect-calling attention to the words, or demonstrating that reality is not always what it seems by using the reversal of words. And I like the deeper meaning of the phrase, really. Rochester was a famous 17th poet and author of Signor Dildo. Learn how your comment data is processed. According to this, every example on this page is antimetabole. It is a form of chiasmus, and the word comes from the Latin anti, which means "against" or "opposite," and metabole, which translates to "turn around" or "about." You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Here’s a quick and simple definition:Some additional key details about chiasmus: 1. According to scholars, when a sentence is repeated by reversing it, so as to convey an idea or stress a point, it is called chiasmus. Antimetabole comes from the Greek phrase, "turning about in the opposite direction." What is the difference between chiasmus and antimetabole? words Chiasmus should not be confused with a subtype of this scheme, antimetabole which also involves a reversal of grammatical structures in successive speaker Chiasmus and antimetabole are very similar rhetorical devices, but the two words are not synonyms. Here, the meanings in the two clauses are opposite, but the grammatical structure and the wording are different, meaning it cannot be an example of antimetabole. Anyway, I don’t want to get too bogged down in all the technical stuff. The restrictive rules for antimetabole make it much harder to use in longer works than chiasmus. Antimetabole is a literary and rhetorical device in which a phrase or sentence is repeated, but in reverse order.. What is antimetabole? What Are the Different Uses for Chiasmus. Scholars generally know that chiasmus occurs when a phrase is repeated, but reversed, to make a point or emphasize an action. "You Or they've read them and maybe thought they were clever without knowing what they were called. Presidential speechwriters also use these devices to help the people remember their causes. ( Log Out /  Sometimes I almost wish I didn't know what all these terms were because I think it makes it more difficult to relax and enjoy a bit of writing. These three devices are sometimes confused and can even be used concurrently in writing. Antimetabole is very similar to chiasmus, but the words and grammatical structure must be reversed, since simply reversing the meaning is not enough. I always find it fascinating to have these rhetorical terms spelled out and labeled, since they are things that I've used myself, but have never really thought of as something you could quantify. Richard Lederer, This isn’t a bar for writers with a drinking problem; it’s for drinkers with a writing problem. In a very real sense, it is the other way round. The clauses are rhythmic and grind against each other nicely. John F. Kennedy, Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories. a verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first with the parts reversed. Anadiplosis is closely related to two other literary devices: Chiasmus and Antimetabole. The difference between antimetabole and chiasmus can be difficult to define. However, both the terms still exist to refer to two distinct literary devices. Verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the fir but with the words in reverse grammatical order Activity Land! "Eat to live, not live to eat", while under the broader rules of chiasmus, synonyms can be used instead to convey the meaning, e.g. The specific phrase was "spectra per Ionias fracta aquas" and the question was which rhetorical device was used. They say the movies should be more like life. Malcolm X (Didn’t Cole Porter use this line in Anything Goes? Jeremy Thorpe, after Harold Macmillan fired seven members of his cabinet in 1962. Antithesis and chiasmus require careful punctuation and delivery. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. […] Martin Oliva said it best on his blog: […]. Chiasmus is different from antimetabole. In rhetoric, antimetabole is the repetition of words in successive clauses, but in transposed order; for example, I know what I like, and I like what I know. She's also been known to make unspoken antimetaboles, although I don't know if that counts. The definition of chiasmus is a clause that is inversely repeated. On Chiasmus and Antimetabole All our sources agree that while antimetabole is an inversion of repeated words in successive clauses, chiasmus is an inversion of parallel grammatical structures only. Chiastic structure can also be used to reverse entire poems because its definitions and rules are so loose. So, a latter phrase might be a much longer elaboration of the preceding phrase that it echoes. For example:Antimetabole examples resemble chiasmus, as they are marked by the inversion of structure. Antimetabole is a figure of speech, use in written work, speeches, poetry and advertisements. Here, the exact same words, grammatical structure, and rhythm are used create the second clause with the opposite meaning. 3. Here are some of my favourites: I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me. An antimetabole is the repetition of words in consecutive clauses, but in an inverted or transposed order. ( Log Out /  Here, the meanings in the two clauses are opposite, but the grammatical structure and the wording are different, meaning it cannot be an example of antimetabole. Here, the comedian switches the sounds and words to make a point. In rhetoric, chiasmus or, less commonly, chiasm, is a "reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses – but no repetition of words". In rhetoric, antimetabole is the repetition of words in successive clauses, but in transposed order; for example, "I know what I like, and I like what I know". Chiasmus is related to the figure of speech antimetabole. One example is Mae West’s catchphrase, “It’s not the men in my life, it’s the life in my men.” Here, the exact same words, grammatical structure, and rhythm are used create the second clause with the opposite meaning. Who Said That? There is much confusion about the difference between the literary devices of antimetabole and chiasmus. Knowing this, scholars may discover that all instances of antimetabole are also chiasmus, but the reverse is not always true. Either it’s rainy with sunny intervals, or sunny with rainy intervals. Chiasmus does not feature repeating words; rather it involves two phrases, where the second phrase is merely a conceptual inversion of the first one. Chiasmus is an ancient literary device, as old as Hebrew scripture and ancient Greek verse. In the stricter definition (which separates chiasmus from antimetabole), chiasmus is used to describe an ABBA structure, composed of grammatical or semantic elements, but not consisting of an inversion of the same words between clauses. Variety of contexts, from jokes and idioms to political speeches and literature for... Is probably beyond what most speakers care about structures in which a phrase repeated... 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