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What exactly is anaphora?

Does anaphora have to be words clearly repeated at the start of sentences or clauses, or can it involve words repeated at the beginning of phrases within clauses and sentences?
Well technically speaking, an anaphora is repetition of a word or phrase with literary significance. For example, 'I was falling. I was dying. I was lost'. It has suspense to it.

It absolutely depends on what thing is repeated if you call the middle of the clause (per se) an anaphora. Personally, I would call it repetition but if it isn't so obvious just ignore it!
In writing or speech, the deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence in order to achieve an artistic effect is known as Anaphora. Anaphora, possibly the oldest literary device, has its roots in Biblical Psalms used to emphasize certain words or phrases.
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Original post by 11owolea
Does anaphora have to be words clearly repeated at the start of sentences or clauses, or can it involve words repeated at the beginning of phrases within clauses and sentences?


If you are even slightly interested in stuff like this can I recommend Mark Forsyth's "The Elements of Eloquence". It's a fun way to spend a few hours learning about the figures of rhetoric.

He says:

"Anaphora is starting each sentence with the same words. It is the king of rhetorical figures. ... It's so preposterously easy to do. It's so preposterously easy to pick some words. It's so preposterously easy to repeat them.
...
But anaphora is dangerous. It's almost too powerful. Or to put it more precisely, it's like a gun: very useful, but you need to point it the right way before pulling the trigger."


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(edited 7 years ago)

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