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Anadiplosis
Hyperbaton
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to repeat the last word or phrase of a clause at the beginning of the next clause; from the Greek ana 'again' and diploun 'to double'
to disrupt normal syntactic word order; from the Greek hyper 'over' and bainein 'to step'; also called anastrophe
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Examples
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Anadiplosis
Ridley Scott's Gladiator
The general who became a slave; the slave who became a gladiator; the gladiator who defied an emperor. Shakespeare
My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, And every tongue brings in a several tale, And every tale condemns me for a villain. Samuel Johnson
Labour and care are rewarded with success; success produces confidence; confidence relaxes industry. King James Bible
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed. |
Hyperbaton
Richard Lovelace
Stone walls do no a prison make, nor iron bars a cage. Yoda in Star Wars
If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice. P.G. Wodehouse
I hadn't liked those last words. A sinister ring they had seemed to me to have. Shakespeare
Bloody thou art; bloody will be thy end. Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall. Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. Why should their liberty than ours be more? |
Quintilian
Hyperbaton we rank, not improperly, among the excellences of language. For speech would often become rough and harsh, lax and nerveless, if words should be ranged exactly in their original order, and if, as each presents itself... Some words and phrases must, therefore, be kept back, others brought forward, and, as in structures of unhewn stones, each must be put in the place which it will fit.
Purpose
Emphasis, Surprise & Logic
Anadiplosis and hyperbaton are emphatic figures. Anadiplosis emphasizes by repeating words in a logical progression. Hyperbaton emphasizes by disrupting normal syntactic order, putting the most important words in disrupted, emphatic positions. Hyperbaton is therefore a more literary figure.
Usage
Anadiplosis Coheres
Use anadiplosis to cohere ideas through repetition. Tying together sentences by beginning them with words ending a previous sentence creates a seemingly logical progression. The logic depends more on repetition than structures of logic or coherency, however.
We cannot sustain anadiplosis for more than a few lines or it becomes repetitive or ridiculous. Compare Shakespeare's artful use with the repetitious but memorable use in the nursery rhyme.
We cannot sustain anadiplosis for more than a few lines or it becomes repetitive or ridiculous. Compare Shakespeare's artful use with the repetitious but memorable use in the nursery rhyme.
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Shakespeare
For your brother and my sister no sooner met but they looked; no sooner looked but they loved; no sooner loved but they sighed; no sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason; no sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy; and in these degrees have they made a pair of stairs to marriage which they will climb incontinent; or else be incontinent before marriage. |
Nursery Rhyme
There was an old lady who swallowed a cow, I don't know how she swallowed a cow; She swallowed the cow to catch the dog, She swallowed the dog to catch the cat, She swallowed the cat to catch the bird, She swallowed the bird to catch the spider, She swallowed the spider to catch the fly; I don't know why she swallowed the fly - Perhaps she'll die! |
Description of a Dismal Dinner
(anonymous)
If the soup had been as warm as the wine, and the wine as old as the fish, and the fish as young as the maid, and the maid as willing as the hostess, it would have been a very good meal.
(anonymous)
If the soup had been as warm as the wine, and the wine as old as the fish, and the fish as young as the maid, and the maid as willing as the hostess, it would have been a very good meal.
Anadiplosis Empowers
Use anadiplosis to deliver powerful messages. Politicians use it, advertisers use it, religions use it. Anadiplosis is powerful because its apparent logic carries an argument, and because its rhythms seductively beat out a more memorable message. See also anaphora, epistrophe and chiasmus.
King James Bible
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
Anadiplosis vs. Chiasmus
Anadiplosis seems similar to chiasmus but does not invert. Compare:
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Chiasmus
J.F. Kennedy Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. |
Anadiplosis
Invented Ask not what you country offers; offer to your country your talents; our talents make the nation; the nation of talent prospers. |
Hyperbaton Disrupts, Startles & Impresses
Use hyperbaton to emphasize and stylize your message. Rearranged syntax startles your reader and locks her gaze upon the thing you want to emphasize. And because English syntax is difficult to disrupt, hyperbata are sophisticated and 'literary'.
Linguists distinguish between 'unmarked' and 'marked' forms. Everyday, grammatically correct language is unmarked because it attracts no special attention. Hyperbata are 'marked' forms by comparison. Compare:
Linguists distinguish between 'unmarked' and 'marked' forms. Everyday, grammatically correct language is unmarked because it attracts no special attention. Hyperbata are 'marked' forms by comparison. Compare:
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Unmarked (normal syntax)
Sure, it's tasty but... He navigated many uncharted territories and... |
Marked (abnormal syntax)
Tasty it is, sure, but Many uncharted territories he navigated and... |
Hyperbata live happily in the freest and most deviant texts, like poetry.
Shakespeare
Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.
As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free.
Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.
As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free.
Hyperbaton & Syntax
Although sophisticated, hyperbaton has simple construction rules. Know the rules of syntax we must however before dare we to break them. Non-expert language users should probably avoid using hyperbaton.
For maximum emphasis, place hyperbata in initial and final clause positions. These are natural locations of emphasis.
For maximum emphasis, place hyperbata in initial and final clause positions. These are natural locations of emphasis.
Wolcott Gibbs
Backward ran the sentences, till reels the mind.
Peugeot Advertisement
One ad does not a survey make.
Backward ran the sentences, till reels the mind.
Peugeot Advertisement
One ad does not a survey make.
We can also make other hyperbaton rearrangements.
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Position adjectives after nouns
His was a careworn yet careless face. →His was a face careworn yet careless. |
Reposition adverbs
The moon shone still and bright. →Bright and still shone the moon. |
Reposition verbs before or after subjects and objects
You may silence us; but we will never surrender.
→Silence us you may; but surrender we will never.
Peace finally flowered forth across that benighted land.
→Upon that benighted land finally peace there flowered.
You may silence us; but we will never surrender.
→Silence us you may; but surrender we will never.
Peace finally flowered forth across that benighted land.
→Upon that benighted land finally peace there flowered.
Rearranging syntax creates several effects, especially when markedness fronts the sentence. We can emphasize, assert, correct, thematize and cohere texts like this. Always ask yourself what effect you are aiming for and ensure your hyperbata do not slow comprehension or suffocate affect.