anacoenosis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Rare / ArchaicLiterary, Rhetorical, Formal
Quick answer
What does “anacoenosis” mean?
A rhetorical device where a speaker asks the opinion of the audience or opposing party, often to invite agreement or shared responsibility.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A rhetorical device where a speaker asks the opinion of the audience or opposing party, often to invite agreement or shared responsibility.
A figure of speech that directly addresses listeners, drawing them into the argument by soliciting their judgment or moral stance, thereby creating a sense of communal deliberation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant regional difference in usage, as the term is scholarly and Latinate.
Connotations
Conveys erudition, classical education, or technical precision in rhetorical analysis.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both dialects, found almost solely in texts on rhetoric or stylistics.
Grammar
How to Use “anacoenosis” in a Sentence
[Speaker] + employs anacoenosis + by asking [audience/question]The passage features an anacoenosis + addressing [the crowd/opponents]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anacoenosis” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- Cicero's skilled anacoenosis won over the sceptical senators.
- The critic noted the poet's use of anacoenosis to bridge the gap with his readers.
American English
- The speechwriter included an anacoenosis to make the policy feel like a collective choice.
- Her analysis focused on the anacoenosis in the final act of the play.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in literary criticism, classical studies, and rhetoric papers to analyse textual engagement.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
A precise term within the technical vocabulary of rhetoric and stylistics.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “anacoenosis”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “anacoenosis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anacoenosis”
- Misspelling as 'anacoensis' or 'anacoenesis'.
- Confusing it with a simple rhetorical question; anacoenosis specifically seeks judgment or counsel.
- Using it in modern, non-academic contexts where it sounds jarringly archaic.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. While it involves questioning, anacoenosis specifically asks for the audience's opinion, judgment, or advice to foster agreement or shared responsibility. A general rhetorical question may not seek direct counsel.
Almost exclusively in academic texts about classical rhetoric, Shakespearean drama, or detailed literary analysis. You are very unlikely to encounter it in contemporary journalism or everyday speech.
In Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar', Mark Antony's speech "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears..." uses techniques related to anacoenosis, directly consulting the public's feelings about Caesar and Brutus.
No, it is an extremely rare and specialized term. Using it in everyday conversation would likely confuse listeners and be seen as unnecessarily obscure.
A rhetorical device where a speaker asks the opinion of the audience or opposing party, often to invite agreement or shared responsibility.
Anacoenosis is usually literary, rhetorical, formal in register.
Anacoenosis: in British English it is pronounced /ˌænəsiːˈnəʊsɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌænəsiˈnoʊsɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'ana-co-enosis': ANAlysts COnsult ENtire audiences in a rhetorical crisiS.
Conceptual Metaphor
ARGUMENT IS A SHARED JOURNEY (the speaker invites listeners to join the deliberative path).
Practice
Quiz
Anacoenosis is most closely related to which of the following concepts?