paraprosdokian
English
editEtymology
editFrom Ancient Greek παρά (pará, “against”) + προσδοκία (prosdokía, “expectation”).
Pronunciation
edit- IPA(key): /ˌpæɹəˌpɹoʊsˈdoʊkiən/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
Noun
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paraprosdokian (plural paraprosdokians)
- Figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected, often humorously.
- 1906, J. C. Stobart, The Johnson Epoch (Epochs of English literature), volume VII, London: E. Arnold, page 144:
- This style of comic poetry, a kind of parody of the Ballad, a series of quatrains generally leading up to a paraprosdokian or surprise in the fourth line, was initiated by [Oliver] Goldsmith in this merry tale.
Translations
editfigure of speech
See also
editFurther reading
edit- paraprosdokian on Wikipedia.Wikipedia