epanalepsis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2formal, academic, literary
Quick answer
What does “epanalepsis” mean?
A rhetorical figure in which the beginning of a clause or sentence is repeated at the end of that same clause or sentence.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A rhetorical figure in which the beginning of a clause or sentence is repeated at the end of that same clause or sentence.
A literary device used for emphasis, creating a circular structure by repeating the initial words of a phrase at its conclusion. It creates a sense of closure, symmetry, or heightened emotional effect.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The term is equally technical in both varieties.
Connotations
Connotes erudition, classical education, and analysis of style. Neutral within its specific technical domain.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties, confined to advanced studies in rhetoric, literature, and linguistics.
Grammar
How to Use “epanalepsis” in a Sentence
The [text/passage/speech] [employs/contains/features] epanalepsis.Epanalepsis [creates/emphasises/encapsulates] [the feeling/idea].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “epanalepsis” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The orator epanalepsised the opening phrase to powerful effect. (extremely rare/non-standard)
American English
- The poet chose to epanalepsize the line for emphasis. (extremely rare/non-standard)
adverb
British English
- The line repeats epanaleptically. (rare)
American English
- The phrase was constructed epanaleptically. (rare)
adjective
British English
- The epanaleptic structure of the verse was noted by critics.
American English
- The line has an epanaleptic quality, ending where it began.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in advanced literary criticism, rhetorical analysis, and linguistics papers.
Everyday
Never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Core term in the technical vocabulary of rhetoric and stylistics.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “epanalepsis”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “epanalepsis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “epanalepsis”
- Confusing it with other repetition figures like anadiplosis or symploce.
- Using it to refer to any kind of repetition.
- Misspelling (e.g., epanaleipsis, epinalepsis).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
To create emphasis, a sense of completeness, symmetry, or to encapsulate an idea by returning to its starting point.
Epanalepsis repeats the beginning of a clause at its end (A...A). Anadiplosis repeats the end of one clause at the beginning of the next (...A, A...).
No, it is a specialized literary and rhetorical term. While the structure itself might occasionally appear in speech or writing, the term is only used in analysis.
In his 'I Have a Dream' speech, Martin Luther King Jr. uses it: 'We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.' The structure 'We must... as fools' frames the clause.
A rhetorical figure in which the beginning of a clause or sentence is repeated at the end of that same clause or sentence.
Epanalepsis is usually formal, academic, literary in register.
Epanalepsis: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɛpənəˈlɛpsɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɛpənəˈlɛpsɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No idioms”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'epan' (from Greek for 'again') + 'aleipsis' (akin to 'taking up'): taking up the beginning again at the end.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPEECH/WRITING IS A CIRCLE (completion by returning to the start).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best illustrates epanalepsis?