Prolepsis

Techniques > Use of language > Figures of speech > Prolepsis

Method | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Prolepsis is anticipatory referral to a future event.

Example

Say that again and you're fired!

When we make our first million, we'll celebrate in style.

I believe you will succeed.

Discussion

Much of how we think is in anticipation of the future -- in fact neural scan studies have shown that if our brains have nothing to do, then that is what it does (the rest of us call it daydreaming). Anticipation is thus very natural and it appears often in speech.

Anticipation is also assumptive, working on the principle that what is stated will actually come true, which is one of the methods that can be used in changing minds.

Classification: Reasoning