Antanagoge

An antanagoge (Greek ἀνταναγωγή, a leading or bringing up), is a figure in rhetoric, in which, not being able to answer the accusation of an adversary, a person instead makes a counter-allegation or counteracting an opponent's proposal with an opposing proposition in one's speech or writing.^[1]

Antanagoge places a negative point next to and/or between a positive point, attempting to redirect attention away from the negative point.

It may also refer to placing a positive outlook on a situation that has a negative connotation, such as in the following examples:^[2]

Literary examples

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

"I got in a car accident, but I was planning on getting a new car anyway."

"Many are the pains and perils to be passed,

But great is the gain and glory at the last."

References

This page was last edited on 16 June 2024, at 03:45