Paraprosdokian Statement

A Paraprosdokian Statement is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence, phrase, or larger discourse is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part.

• Example(s):
  • “I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure.".
  • “Where there's a will. I want to be in it.".
  • …
• See: Ironic Statement, Sarcasm, Anticlimax.

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References

2020

• (Wikipedia, 2020) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraprosdokian Retrieved:2020-5-12.
  • A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence, phrase, or larger discourse is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect, sometimes producing an anticlimax. For this reason, it is extremely popular among comedians and satirists such as Groucho Marx.

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