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Wednesday 3 April 2019

Nuts and Bolts: anapodoton.

This is one of those literary terms with a long Greek name which describe something really easy and obvious.

Hurrah!

Anapodoton is when you stop saying something halfway through. This may be either because a new thought has occurred to you, or because everyone can see where the sentence is going, and so there's no need to say it.

A fool and his money...

for instance, doesn't need finishing because everyone knows that a fool and his money are soon parted.

Another example might be - actually, no, I'm sure you can think of your own examples. 

Anyway better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool...*, eh?

Word To Consider Today: anapodoton. The Greek word anapodosis means without a main clause. If you are obsessed with the rules of language then the word anapodoton may seem to be technically a descriptive error - though actually, of course, it's your rules that are wrong.

*...than open it and remove all doubt.



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