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Anastrophe

Techniques > Use of language > Figures of speech > Anastrophe

Method | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Anastrophe is a reversal of a normal word order, with words or phrases being juxtaposed.

Example

Blessed are the meek. (vs. The meek are blessed.)

Good, it is. Strong in the force, you are. (Star Wars' Yoda speaks in anastrophe!)

Tripping the light fantastic.

Discussion

Anastrophe retains the meaning of a sentence whilst creating a little attention-causing confusion as the listener spends a little more time than usual working out what is being said.

A typical anastrophe is created by putting an adjective after a noun rather than before it (or adverb after a verb), such as 'He's a man happy' instead of 'He's a happy man'. Another way is to put the verb at the end of the sentence, such as in the Yoda example above.

Anastrophe has a slightly foreign and archaic feel and is common in poetry. Using it too much, however, opens you to parody (perhaps as in the fun had at Yoda's expense).

Anastrophe comes from the Greek 'anastrephein', meaning 'to turn up', or 'to turn back', which in turn come from 'ana', meaning 'up', and 'strephein', meaning 'to turn'.

Classification: Rearrangement

See also

Confusion principle

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Site Menu

| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings |

Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories |

Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help |

More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes |

Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate |

Please help and share:

Quick links

Disciplines

* Argument
* Brand management
* Change Management
* Coaching
* Communication
* Counseling
* Game Design
* Human Resources
* Job-finding
* Leadership
* Marketing
* Politics
* Propaganda
* Rhetoric
* Negotiation
* Psychoanalysis
* Sales
* Sociology
* Storytelling
* Teaching
* Warfare
* Workplace design

Techniques

* Assertiveness
* Body language
* Change techniques
* Closing techniques
* Conversation
* Confidence tricks
* Conversion
* Creative techniques
* General techniques
* Happiness
* Hypnotism
* Interrogation
* Language
* Listening
* Negotiation tactics
* Objection handling
* Propaganda
* Problem-solving
* Public speaking
* Questioning
* Using repetition
* Resisting persuasion
* Self-development
* Sequential requests
* Storytelling
* Stress Management
* Tipping
* Using humor
* Willpower

Principles

Explanations

* Behaviors
* Beliefs
* Brain stuff
* Conditioning
* Coping Mechanisms
* Critical Theory
* Culture
* Decisions
* Emotions
* Evolution
* Gender
* Games
* Groups
* Habit
* Identity
* Learning
* Meaning
* Memory
* Motivation
* Models
* Needs
* Personality
* Power
* Preferences
* Research
* Relationships
* SIFT Model
* Social Research
* Stress
* Trust
* Values

Theories

* Alphabetic list
* Theory types

And

– About
– Guest Articles
– Blog!
– Books
– Changes
– Contact
– Guestbook
– Quotes
– Students
– Webmasters

| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links |

© Changing Works 2002-
Massive Content — Maximum Speed