In other words, chiasmus creates only two sides of an argument or idea for the listener to consider, and then leads the listener to favor one side of the argument.

Chiasmus is a rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures in order to produce an artistic effect.

Nov 22, 2024 · Chiasmus is a figure of speech where different words are used in the second half of a sentence to convey (or contrast) the same message in the first half in reverse.

chiasmus noun chi· as· mus kī-ˈaz-məs kē- : an inverted relationship between the syntactic elements of parallel phrases (as in Goldsmith's to stop too fearful, and too faint to go)

Chiasmus is a powerful rhetorical and literary device that leads the reader or hearer into the comparison and back out. It emphasizes what the writer wants to communicate.

Jan 31, 2023 · What is chiasmus? Chiasmus is defined as a literary device in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order. It comes from a Greek word meaning …

Sep 9, 2024 · Chiasmus is a figure of speech in which the structure of a phrase or sentence is reversed in its second part, without repeating the same words. This creates an X-shaped structure, from which …

Chiasmus is a figure of speech in which the grammar of one phrase is inverted in the following phrase, such that two key concepts from the original phrase reappear in the second phrase in inverted order.

The rhetorical device chiasmus is named after the Greek letter X and suggests a criss-crossing of sentence members, a grammatically balanced statement of contrasting or opposing ideas or sounds.

May 4, 2025 · John F. Kennedy is more famous for his chiasmus than for many of his policies: "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."