paraprosdokian
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English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From 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; frequently used in a humorous situation.
- 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
[edit]figure of speech
See also
[edit]Further reading
[edit]paraprosdokian on Wikipedia.Wikipedia