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Épanadiplose

French
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 figure of repetition in which the last word of one verse or clause becomes the first word of the next, creating a chain-like linking structure. Used to suggest logical consequence or emotional continuity.

Detailed Definition
The épanadiplose, also called anadiplosis, is a figure of verbal chaining in which the final word or phrase of one line or clause reappears as the opening of the following one, creating a concatenation that suggests logical progression, emotional intensification, or inevitable consequence. This figure is particularly effective in argumentative or passionate poetry, where the chain structure mimics the relentless advance of thought or feeling. Medieval poets use it in didactic sequences; Romantic poets exploit its emotional momentum. It creates both rhetorical rigor and musical resonance through the repetition and displacement of key words.
Example
Example in poetry:
The classical figure of anadiplosis appears when a medieval poet writes "Amour me fait souffrir; souffrir est mon destin; destin cruel que l'amour impose," each clause taking up the last word of the previous one in a chain of logical and emotional consequence; Ronsard uses anadiplosis in his love sonnets to create a sense of inevitable logical progression from observation to conclusion, each step following necessarily from the previous one in a demonstration of how love's logic works; A student practicing épanadiplose might write "La nuit tombe sur la ville; la ville s'endort dans la nuit; la nuit efface tout" experiencing how the chained repetitions create a hypnotic, spiraling meditation that deepens rather than simply advances the thought; The device is particularly effective in argumentative or philosophical poetry, where the chain structure mimics the appearance of logical demonstration while actually creating rhetorical momentum through sonic repetition rather than genuine logical proof; Dante uses anadiplosis structurally across the Divine Comedy's cantos, where the last word of each canto often echoes into the first of the next, creating a chain that links the entire poem into a continuous movement; A more complex example might chain images rather than single words: "La mer efface les traces; les traces de nos pas; nos pas vers l'horizon; l'horizon que la mer recouvre," creating a meditation on impermanence through the chain's circular return.
Additional Notes
Épanadiplose creates linkage through repetition, binding phrases or lines together with a sense of continuity or rhetorical insistence. Students should identify whether the repeated term simply connects clauses or develops altered meaning through repetition. Compare with anadiplosis in broader rhetorical terminology, as classifications sometimes overlap depending on tradition. This figure is particularly effective in persuasive or emotionally heightened poetry, where recurrence reinforces rhythm, memory, and thematic emphasis.
Also Known As
Epanadiplosis
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