The longer I read, the more I think. The more I think, the more I read. A true statement! And it is also a fair example of “chiasmus”.
Before you race to the dictionary, let me help you out. Chiasmus comes from a Greek word based on the letter “X”, meaning crossing. It refers to a literary device that follows a specific formula: words or phrases appear in one order and then repeated in reverse.
For example:
• “A man loves ‘A’ and hates ‘B’; unless he hates ‘A’ and loves ‘B’.”
It’s a way of structuring language to make it more memorable and impactful.
Famous examples include:
• Mae West: “It’s not the men in my life, it’s the life in my men!”
• John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
• The Bible: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Chiasmus has been used for centuries to make speeches and writing more memorable. While most people don’t recognize the structure by name, they often remember the words because they sound clever or profound. Originally, it may have been a technique for helping audiences recall spoken messages, and over time, it became a mark of refined and effective writing.
If you get interested in the details, you will discover the ‘cousins’ of chiasmus; parallelism, antithesis, juxtaposition, and antimetabole. Powerful words, even more powerful writing tools!
A Work Progressing 
Word Ponder
The longer I read, the more I think. The more I think, the more I read. A true statement! And it is also a fair example of “chiasmus”.
Before you race to the dictionary, let me help you out. Chiasmus comes from a Greek word based on the letter “X”, meaning crossing. It refers to a literary device that follows a specific formula: words or phrases appear in one order and then repeated in reverse.
For example:
• “A man loves ‘A’ and hates ‘B’; unless he hates ‘A’ and loves ‘B’.”
It’s a way of structuring language to make it more memorable and impactful.
Famous examples include:
• Mae West: “It’s not the men in my life, it’s the life in my men!”
• John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
• The Bible: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Chiasmus has been used for centuries to make speeches and writing more memorable. While most people don’t recognize the structure by name, they often remember the words because they sound clever or profound. Originally, it may have been a technique for helping audiences recall spoken messages, and over time, it became a mark of refined and effective writing.
If you get interested in the details, you will discover the ‘cousins’ of chiasmus; parallelism, antithesis, juxtaposition, and antimetabole. Powerful words, even more powerful writing tools!
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