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Chiasmus

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A rhetorical inversion in the order of words or phrases (ABBA pattern).

Detailed Definition
Chiasmus is a rhetorical figure where two clauses invert parallel structures (AB:BA), creating symmetry and emphasis; in poetry, it reinforces thematic contrasts or resolutions, as in Pope’s "To err is human; to forgive, divine," enhancing memorability and balance.
Example
Example in poetry:
Chiasmus inverts parallel clauses: “By day the frolic, and the dance by night” (Pope); Shakespeare’s “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”; modern example: “Never let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You”; the device creates balance and surprise; chiasmus appears in political rhetoric and lyrical poetry for emphasis
Additional Notes
Chiasmus is a rhetorical inversion of the second half of a sentence or phrase that mirrors the first (e.g., “Ask not what your country can do for you…”); it emphasizes balance and paradox in poetic argument.
Other Meanings of “Chiasmus”
Also Known As
Inverted parallelism reversal structure ABBA pattern syntactic inversion symmetrical term Chiasmic reversal chiasmatic phrase
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