Chiasmus

In rhetoric, chiasmus (kaɪˈæzməs ) or, less commonly, chiasm (Latin term from Greek χίασμα, "crossing", from the Greek χιάζω, , "to shape like the letter Χ"), is a "reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses – but no repetition of words". A similar device, antimetabole, also involves a reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses in an A-B-B-A configuration, but unlike chiasmus, presents a repetition of words. Chiasmus balances words or phrases with similar, though not identical, meanings: But O, what damned minutes tells he o'er Who dotes, yet doubts; suspects, yet strongly loves. "Dotes" and "strongly loves" share the same meaning and bracket, as do "doubts" and "suspects". Additional examples of chiasmus: By day the frolic, and the dance by night. Despised, if ugly; if she's fair, betrayed. For comparison, the following is considered antimetabole, in which the reversal in structure involves the same words: Pleasure's a sin, and sometimes sin's a pleasure. Both chiasmus and antimetabole can be used to reinforce antithesis. In chiasmus, the clauses display inverted parallelism. Chiasmus was particularly popular in the literature of the ancient world, including Hebrew, Greek, Latin and Ancient K'iche' Maya, where it was used to articulate the balance of order within the text. Many long and complex chiasmi have been found in Shakespeare and the Greek and Hebrew texts of the Bible. It is also found throughout the Quran and the Book of Mormon. Chiasmus can be used in the structure of entire passages to parallel concepts or ideas. This process, termed "conceptual chiasmus", uses a criss-crossing rhetorical structure to cause an overlapping of "intellectual space". Conceptual chiasmus utilizes specific linguistic choices, often metaphors, to create a connection between two differing disciplines. By employing a chiastic structure to a single presented concept, rhetors encourage one area of thought to consider an opposing area's perspective.