What is anadiplosis?
It is a rhetorical device that is all about beginning a sentence or line with the last word of the preceding sentence or line.
I will give you an example:
“The market was filled with uncertainty.
Uncertainty created hesitation.
Hesitation led to missed opportunities.
Opportunities, when seized, drive success.”
Do you see the pattern at the begining and the end of each line?
This pattern resembles a chain that can be extended with successive interlocking words. These words can be separated by a period, comma, or semicolon. The repeated words don’t have to be in the exact same grammatical form—they can be modified or supplemented with necessary additional words. What matters is that the key word forming the basis of the thought is repeated.
Some rhetorical masters are particularly fond of using this figure. One such master is Barack Obama, who once said:
“One voice can change a room. If it can change a room, it can change a city. If it can change a city, it can change a state. If it can change a state, it can change a nation. And if it can change a nation, it can change the world.”
A beautiful and inspiring quote—I love it.
One of my favorite quotes comes from the incomparable Martin Luther King Jr.:
“ If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving.”
This is also anadiplosis.
Yes, that is one of my favorite rhetorical devices. Do you want to see more examples?
Watch the video clip below wher I share more insights on this: