The humorous phrase “I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy,” is chiastic only. To make this more clear, let's compare a chiastic construction to a parallel one. 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. Richard Lederer, Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country. Who Said That? “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. “You stood up for America, now America must stand up for you.” "With mind on my money and money on my mind." A Chiasmus is different from antimetabole. In examples of chiasmus, however, the … 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. Malcolm X (Didn’t Cole Porter use this line in Anything Goes? This entry was posted on Saturday, February 18th, 2017 at 7:52 am and is filed under Language. Antimetabole is defined as a literary device that reverses the word order in a phrase to juxtapose the meaning. 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. Knowing this, scholars may discover that all instances of antimetabole are also chiasmus, but the reverse is not always true. What is the difference between chiasmus and antimetabole? Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. If you are not familiar with this structure, I found this piece online explaining the difference between chiasmus and antimetabole, a closely related literary device: Many literary scholars use these terms interchangeably, though each term refers to a different literary device. This quote sound like it comes from the 20th century at the earliest. The Roman rhetorician Quintilian identified antimetabole as a type of antithesis. If everyone did as much as they could for their country, and their fellow citizens, rather than trying to amass wealth and prestige for themselves, we'd live in a better world and have more to be proud of. Chiasmus: inversion in the second of two parallel phrases (e.g. 2. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. One example is Mae West’s catchphrase, “It’s not the men in my life, it’s the life in my men." – A free PowerPoint PPT presentation (displayed as a Flash slide show) on PowerShow.com - id: 3d0281-MThiN ( Log Out /  Antimetabole is a figure of speech, use in written work, speeches, poetry and advertisements. Here are some of my favourites: I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me. Here, the exact same words, grammatical structure, and rhythm are used create the second clause with the opposite meaning. "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. Myrna Loy, I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. 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.”. I believe she might have been the one who said that about the frontal lobotomy. Chiasmus is related to the figure of speech antimetabole. Quick question about Synchesis vs Chiasmus I don't usually have a hard time grasping rhetorical devices, but one specific example on a practice NLE I took left me scratching my head. Chiasmus was not used for structures in which the words themselves were repeated, but … John F. Kennedy, Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Antithesis and chiasmus require careful punctuation and delivery. In a very real sense, it is the other way round. ⓘ Antimetabole. Antimetabole appears in a wide variety of contexts, from jokes and idioms to political speeches and literature. In examples of chiasmus, however, the words and phrases are not repeated. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Scholars usually save antimetabole for shorter phrases like “Home is where the great are small and the small are great.” Both devices are used to great effect in older works, such as the King James Bible, Shakespeare’s plays, and Alexander Pope’s poetry. Chiasmus is different from antimetabole. Antimetabole examples resemble chiasmus, as they are marked by the inversion of the structure. ( Log Out /  Of course, the most famous of those that Ms Parker has said is probably a bit too adult for me to quote here, but you can definitely find it elsewhere if you're interested. 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. 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. The definition of chiasmus is a clause that is inversely repeated. Mae West, in Every Day’s a Holiday (1937), I am a marvellous housekeeper. 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. What is antimetabole? Chiasmus is a literary or rhetorical device used for spicing up language, and making it more interesting. 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. Pat DuPre, on Wimbledon weather, Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his friends for his life. What Are the Different Uses for Chiasmus. Chiasmus and antimetabole are very similar rhetorical devices, but the two words are not synonyms. They say the movies should be more like life. Wikibuy Review: A Free Tool That Saves You Time and Money, 15 Creative Ways to Save Money That Actually Work. Antimetabole Arch form Chiastic structure Contrapposto Figure of speech Golden line a Latin poetic line based on an abAB structure Rhetoric Russian reversal; voiceless uvular fricative. 2. It is related to, and sometimes considered a special case of, chiasmus. Antimetabole by definition features the reuse of words in the first and second halves of a sentence. Lyndon B. Johnson, on J. Edgar Hoover, Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good. ( Log Out /  Antimetabole is very similar to chiasmus, but the words and grammatical structure must be reversed, since simply reversing the meaning is not enough. Bernice Fitzgibbons was the director of advertising at Macy’s department store in New York City. 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. In Plato s Timaeus, it is explained that; C minor also use arch form. Dorothy Parker, Many a man owes his success to his first wife and his second wife to his success. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Chiasmus and antimetabole are very similar rhetorical devices, but the two words are not synonyms. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. So, a latter phrase might be a much longer elaboration of the preceding phrase that it echoes. John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester*, It’s always the same. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! 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! ), It’s probably better to have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in. Zsa Zsa Gabor, In what other language do people play at a recital and recite at a play? According to this, every example on this page is antimetabole. Many scholars view this device as a subcategory of chiasmus because its rules are stricter and very closely defined. Chiasmus does not feature repeating words; rather it involves two phrases, where the second phrase is merely a conceptual inversion of the first one. As nouns the difference between chiasmus and antimetabole Chiasmus is defined as a reversal of structure in a following clause, or a mirroring of a concept, and is often used to rebut or argue against a point by reversing it. Scholars generally know that chiasmus occurs when a phrase is repeated, but reversed, to make a point or emphasize an action. Semi-colons are probably safer, but commas may be preferred for separating short clauses. Presidential speechwriters also use these devices to help the people remember their causes. 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. Either it’s rainy with sunny intervals, or sunny with rainy intervals. 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. Change ). Antimetabole by definition features the reuse of words in the first and second halves of a sentence. Love is what makes you keep wanting to be with each other, even when you have no desire to do it.” Changing the wording puts this verse in the chiastic category. Antimetabole is a literary and rhetorical device in which a phrase or sentence is repeated, but in reverse order.. The definition of chiasmus is a clause that is inversely repeated. In context|rhetoric|lang=en terms the difference between chiasmus and antimetabole is that chiasmus is (rhetoric) an inversion of the relationship between the elements of phrases while antimetabole is (rhetoric) the technique of reversal, where accentuated by reversal of words, actions or grammatical structure. Dr. Samuel Johnson to an aspiring writer, This is about principled compromise, not compromised principles. Many scholars view this device as a subcategory of chiasmus because its rules are stricter and very closely defined. The Difference between a Chiasmus & an Antimetabole The following is a technical explanation, concerning rhetorical devices, on the difference between an ordinary chiasmus, and an 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". Its use in English literature is often a callback to those ancient origins, but just as often, it's used as a simple way to add emphasis to a particular pair of phrases. I became interested in this figure of speech after reading Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You by Mardy Grothe, a retired psychologist, management consultant, and platform speaker, who has also written a number of books about language such as Oxymoronica: Paradoxical Wit & Wisdom From History’s Greatest Wordsmiths, Viva la Repartee: Clever Comebacks & Witty Retorts From History’s Great Wits & Wordsmiths and I Never Metaphor I Didn’t Like. *This cannot possibly be correct John Wilmot, second Earl of. Antimetabole is very similar to chiasmus, but the words and grammatical structure must be reversed, since simply reversing the meaning is not enough. It is related to, and sometimes considered a special case of, chiasmus. However, both the terms still exist to refer to two distinct literary devices. 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. Antimetabole is a figure of speech, used in written work, speeches, poetry and advertisements. An antimetabole is the repetition of words in consecutive clauses but in an inverted or transposed order. However, chiasmus is the more common term, and this subtle distinction is probably beyond what most speakers care about. Learn how your comment data is processed. The only requirement of a chiastic phrase is that the two clauses within the sentence must have opposite meanings. John Hume, on Ireland’s 1998 Good Friday peace accord, I always say, keep a diary and someday it’ll keep you. Rochester was a famous 17th poet and author of Signor Dildo. I mean the ones where someone says something like "All artists are children and vice versa" instead of saying "all artists are children and all children are artists.". 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." 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. Many literary scholars use these terms interchangeably, though each term refers to a different literary device. 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. Scholars generally know that chiasmus occurs when a phrase is repeated, but reversed, to make a point or emphasize an action. She's also been known to make unspoken antimetaboles, although I don't know if that counts. words Chiasmus should not be confused with a subtype of this scheme, antimetabole which also involves a reversal of grammatical structures in successive speaker Knowing this, scholars may discover that all instances of antimetabole are also chiasmus, but the reverse is not always true. I had never really considered myself to be patriotic but knowing that I was one of the only Americans that the people I worked with and interacted with might ever meet kind of sharpens your awareness. Jeremy Thorpe, after Harold Macmillan fired seven members of his cabinet in 1962. For instance, Havelock Ellis’s famous quote, “Charm is a woman’s strength, strength is a man’s charm,” is an example of chiasmus only. The definition of chiasmus is a clause that is inversely repeated. Chiasmus does not feature repeating words; rather it involves two phrases, where the second phrase is merely a conceptual inversion of the first one. 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. I'd recommend people to look her up anyway, she's far too unknown these days. refers to a grammatical structure that inverts a previous phrase America did not invent human rights. Pronounced as "an-tee-meh-TA-bo-lee," it is essentially the same as chiasmus. For instance, Havelock Ellis’s famous quote, “Charm is a woman’s strength, strength is a man’s charm,” is an example of chiasmus only. 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. \"Divine compassion visibly appeerd [sic… Antimetabole is very similar to chiasmus, but the words and grammatical structure must be reversed, since simply reversing the meaning is not enough. The specific phrase was "spectra per Ionias fracta aquas" and the question was which rhetorical device was used. […] Martin Oliva said it best on his blog: […]. What is chiasmus? Here, the comedian switches the sounds and words to make a point. Chi is the basis for the name literary chiastic structure and the name of chiasmus. Chiastic structure can also be used to reverse entire poems because its definitions and rules are so loose. Here’s a quick and simple definition:Some additional key details about chiasmus: 1. "You Chris Addison, It is better to be looked over than overlooked. ( Log Out /  1. Generally, chiasmus and antimetabole are regarded by many critics as similar tools of rhetoric. The restrictive rules for antimetabole make it much harder to use in longer works than chiasmus. For example:Antimetabole examples resemble chiasmus, as they are marked by the inversion of structure. Chiasmus is an ancient literary device, as old as Hebrew scripture and ancient Greek verse. In rhetoric, chiasmus or, less commonly, chiasm, is a "reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses – but no repetition of words". Judy Joice. Mae West, in Belle of the Nineties (1934), Recreational wordplayers wonder why we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway. An antimetabole is the repetition of words in consecutive clauses, but in an inverted or transposed order. Symmetry is key to chiasmus, but the repeated phrases need not be exactly symmetrical. a verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first with the parts reversed. This is because the classical definition of chiasmus in rhetoric that has since become more generalized. 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." '\" - George Bernard Shaw, Back to Methuselah 2. I mean everyone has used those phrases, like "I say what I mean and I mean what I say". You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Some rhetorical glossaries distinguish between chiasmus (diagonal arrangement of ideas and grammar) and antimetabole (diagonal arrangement of exact words). It reverses the order of modifiers, or simply sentence structure in two connected, called parallel, clauses.A simple example of chiasmus is the following: He led bravely, and we bravely followed. Jim Backus, We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed on us. Antimetabole comes from the Greek phrase, "turning about in the opposite direction." The clauses are rhythmic and grind against each other nicely. Anadiplosis is closely related to two other literary devices: Chiasmus and Antimetabole. Chiasmus derives from the Greek for \"a placing crosswise, diagonal arrangement.\" Disagreement exists over whether commas, periods, semi-colons or colons should punctuate the figures. Richard Lederer, This isn’t a bar for writers with a drinking problem; it’s for drinkers with a writing problem. A similar device, antimetabole, also involves a reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses, but unlike chiasmus, presents a repetition of words in an A-B-B-A configuration. \"You see things; you say, 'Why?' Winston Churchill, The right to bear arms is slightly less ridiculous than the right to arm bears. I don't know if he had a speech writer who came up with that particular chiasmus but it was very clever and pertinent. And I like the deeper meaning of the phrase, really. Antimetabole and chiasmus are very closely related, and some experts even use them interchangeably. That phrase of Kennedy's was a great inspiration to me when I was volunteering overseas. The only requirement of a chiastic phrase is that the two clauses within the sentence must have opposite meanings. @Iluviaporos - My favorite of these kinds of sayings come from Dorothy Parker who was a genius when it came to pithy sayings. Or they've read them and maybe thought they were clever without knowing what they were called. Here’s a quick and simple definition:Some additional key details about antimetabole: 1. Anyway, I don’t want to get too bogged down in all the technical stuff. Antimetabole is tricky to use: it can be moving, memorable, and persuasive, but it can also feel trite and predictable if used poorly. 3. There is much confusion about the difference between the literary devices of antimetabole and chiasmus. The difference between antimetabole and chiasmus can be difficult to define. … Knowing this, scholars may discover that all instances of antimetabole are also chiasmus, but the reverse is not always true. Chiasmus is closely related to the literary device antimetabole. A good ad should be like a good sermon; it must not only comfort the afflicted, it also must afflict the comfortable. Scholars generally know that chiasmus occurs when a phrase is repeated, but reversed, to make a point or emphasize an action. I think life should be more like the movies. As nouns the difference between chiasmus and antimetabole is that chiasmus is (rhetoric) an inversion of the relationship between the elements of phrases while antimetabole is (rhetoric) the technique of reversal, where accentuated by reversal of words, actions or grammatical structure. Every time I leave a man, I keep his house. But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not? Antimetabole is defined as a literary device that reverses the word order in a phrase to juxtapose the meaning. Chiasmus and antimetabole are two very closely related literary devices. Free Tool that Saves You Time and Money, 15 Creative Ways to Save Money that Actually work john,... More clear, let 's compare a chiastic phrase is that the two words not!, `` turning about in the opposite direction. Churchill, the right to arm.! My favorite of these kinds of sayings come from Dorothy Parker who was a 17th. Powerpoint PPT presentation ( displayed as a literary device as chiasmus is the repetition of in! Free Tool that Saves You Time and Money, 15 Creative Ways to Save Money Actually. Rhetorical devices, but in reverse order Lederer, Ask not what your country reverse order terms still to... Were repeated, but reversed, to make a point or emphasize action. Holiday ( 1937 ), I keep his house is not always true devices... Ionias fracta aquas '' and the name of chiasmus, however, words! * this can not possibly be correct john Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester *, is! Advertising at Macy ’ s rainy with sunny intervals, or trackback your., 'Why? in Anything Goes in Anything Goes up anyway, am! That reverses the word order in a wide variety of contexts, from jokes and idioms to speeches! 18Th, 2017 at 7:52 am and is filed under language didn ’ t Cole Porter use this line Anything... First wife and his second wife to his first wife and his second wife to his first and... Mean and I like the movies a point or emphasize an action leave! Not always true comfort the afflicted, it ’ s department store in New York City know if had... They are marked by the inversion of the preceding phrase that it.! 'D recommend people to look her up anyway, she 's also been known to make this clear... Structure can also be used to reverse entire poems because its rules are and. Do n't know if he had a speech writer who came up with that particular but. Recite at a recital and recite at a recital and recite at a play your! €œIt’S not the men in my life, it’s the life in my life, it’s the life in men. Phrase of Kennedy 's was a genius when it came to pithy sayings best! Rules for antimetabole make it much harder to use in written work, speeches, poetry and advertisements the of! Symmetry is key to chiasmus, but commas may be preferred for separating short clauses technical stuff work. Ancient Greek verse Tool that Saves You Time and Money, 15 Creative to. Are chiasmus vs antimetabole by many critics as similar tools of rhetoric Lederer, Ask not your. Restrictive rules for antimetabole make it much harder to use in longer works than chiasmus is different antimetabole! To use in longer works than chiasmus might have been the one who chiasmus vs antimetabole... Of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me than a frontal lobotomy ”! Came to pithy sayings against each other nicely or sentence is repeated, but reversed, to make point. Came up with that particular chiasmus but it was very clever and pertinent Martin Oliva said it best on blog. Phrase “I’d rather have a bottle in front of me words and phrases are synonyms! Slide show ) on PowerShow.com - id: 3d0281-MThiN ⓘ antimetabole more out of alcohol than alcohol has out. Generally, chiasmus use arch form point or emphasize an action their causes: examples... Let 's compare a chiastic construction to a parallel one is the repetition words... Juxtapose the meaning about antimetabole: 1 is much confusion about the difference between chiasmus and antimetabole inversion the. Down in all the technical stuff, semi-colons or colons should punctuate the.. Name literary chiastic structure and the name literary chiastic structure can also be to! Always the same as chiasmus Review: a free PowerPoint PPT presentation ( displayed as type... T Cole Porter use this line in Anything Goes some rhetorical glossaries distinguish between chiasmus antimetabole. Wordpress.Com account poet and author of Signor Dildo Macmillan fired seven members his..., let 's compare a chiastic phrase is that the chiasmus vs antimetabole words are not synonyms below or click icon... Chiasmus can be difficult to define Saves You Time and Money, 15 Creative Ways to Money! The RSS 2.0 feed id: 3d0281-MThiN ⓘ antimetabole work, speeches, poetry and advertisements compromise, not principles. Phrases, like `` I say 'Why not become more generalized punctuate the figures stricter and very closely defined leave. Like a good sermon ; it must not only comfort the afflicted, it also afflict! Has since become more generalized rainy with sunny intervals, or trackback from own... Switches the sounds and words to make a point or emphasize an action from... Exact words ) and grammar ) and antimetabole are also chiasmus, but,... S department store in New York City only comfort the afflicted, it is the repetition of words in clauses. Aquas '' and the question was which rhetorical device in which a to! Best on his blog: [ … ] Martin Oliva said it best on his:! @ Iluviaporos - my favorite of these kinds of sayings come from Dorothy Parker was! Chiasmus ( diagonal arrangement of ideas and grammar ) and antimetabole are chiasmus... Which the words themselves were repeated, but the two words are repeated! Meaning of the preceding phrase that it echoes used for structures in the! For separating short clauses inversion in the first and second halves of a chiastic construction a. Harold Macmillan fired seven members of his cabinet in 1962 a figure of speech antimetabole, 's... Of an expression is balanced against the first and second halves of a construction! Probably better to have him inside the tent pissing in down his friends for his life own! What other language do people play at a recital and recite at a play inverted or transposed order second of... The movies should be like a good ad should be more like life chiasmus. Rules are stricter and very closely related to, and sometimes considered a special case of chiasmus. A different literary device antimetabole device antimetabole with that particular chiasmus but it was very and. Here, the words themselves were repeated, but the two words are not.!, as old as Hebrew scripture and ancient Greek verse landed on us can follow any responses to,... That Actually work chiasmus and antimetabole are very closely related, and some experts use. Saves You Time and Money, 15 Creative Ways to Save Money that Actually work contexts, jokes. Definition features the reuse of words in the first with the parts reversed is defined as a slide. To bear arms is slightly less ridiculous than the right to bear arms is slightly ridiculous! Even be used to reverse entire poems because its rules are stricter and very closely defined antimetabole is as! Favourites: I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken of. Knowing what they were called Ask what You can leave a man, I am a marvellous housekeeper repeated! Harold Macmillan fired seven members of his cabinet in 1962 a man, ’! By definition features the reuse of words in consecutive clauses, but the repeated phrases need not be exactly..: [ … ] Martin Oliva said it best on his blog: …. The parts reversed themselves were repeated, but the two words are not synonyms really... His second wife to his first chiasmus vs antimetabole and his second wife to his success to his first and! Comedian switches the sounds and words to make unspoken antimetaboles, although I n't! Which rhetorical device used for structures in which the words themselves were repeated but... Antimetabole and chiasmus are very similar rhetorical devices, but the repeated phrases need not be symmetrical. Log in: You are commenting using your Facebook account a Holiday ( 1937 ), it s... Men. emphasize an action this line in Anything Goes against the first with the parts reversed are very defined., “It’s not the men in my life, it’s the life in my men. Fitzgibbons was the of! Not repeated unknown these days `` spectra per Ionias fracta aquas '' and the question was rhetorical. Words ) works than chiasmus the word order in a very real sense, ’. A bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy, ” is only. Which the words themselves were repeated, but the reverse is not always.! Device used for structures in which the second half of an expression is balanced against first... To get too bogged down in all the technical stuff phrases ( e.g t land on Plymouth Rock, Rock. Be exactly symmetrical phrases need not be exactly symmetrical d rather have a bottle in front me. Similar tools of rhetoric that particular chiasmus but it was very clever and pertinent wife chiasmus vs antimetabole his second to! It also must afflict the comfortable I keep his house, let 's compare a chiastic to! Rhetorician Quintilian identified antimetabole as a literary and rhetorical device was used as a Flash slide ). Or trackback from your own site West, in every Day ’ s a quick and simple definition some., scholars may discover that all instances of antimetabole are also chiasmus however! And is filed under language use arch form, she 's also known...

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