Anaphora: what it is, uses, examples

Anaphora can refer to a figure of speechin which the same word is repeated or expression at the beginning of prayers. Anaphora can still be a linguistic term related to resumption of an expression in the utterance.

Read too: Ellipse - figure of speech that consists in the suppression of a term implied in the utterance

What is anaphora?

Anaphora is a figure of speech characterized by the repetition of the same word or expression at the beginning of each sentence or sentence. Because it affects the structure of the utterance, it is classified as syntax figure (or construction figure).

Uses of anaphora

This figure is very common in poetic texts or music, when the verses start with the same word or expression, giving more musicality to the text.

In the following verses, from the song “Pedro Pedreiro”, there is anaphora via repetition of the verb “esperando”.

"Thus, thinking about it, time passes and we are left behind
Waiting, waiting, waiting
Waiting the sun
Waiting the train
Waiting increase
From last year to next month"
(Chico Buarque)

In the same way, Carlos Drummond de Andrade uses anaphora in several verses of the poem “And now, Joseph?”.

If you scream,
if youmoan,
if you played
the Viennese waltz,
if you slept,
if you get tired,
if you died...
But you don't die,
you're tough, Joseph!"

Many advertising texts they can use the anaphora, since repetition draws attention and makes the utterance easier to memorize.

it's in fashion, it's in hand, it's in HERE."

It is also common to use anaphora in prose, to emphasize and enhance an element of the utterance, as in this excerpt of the novel Aires Memorial, in Machado de Assis.

“This one, by the way, followed the woman's narration in silence with her eyes on the ceiling; of course, he did not want to be accused of being weak, but weakness, if it was, began in his gestures; hestood up, hesat down, helit a cigar, herectified the position of a vase..."

Read too:Polysyndeton - figure of speech that consists of the repetitive use of a certain conjunction

Difference between anaphora and cataphore

Anaphora can refer to a figure of speech or a mechanism of textual cohesion.
Anaphora can refer to a figure of speech or a mechanism of textual cohesion.

In the field of linguistics, the anaphora can refer to the element of cohesion textual, in which a previous element in the utterance is resumed via another expression, avoiding the repetition of the referred term. Watch:

Geovana and Flavia are very studious. Theyhave great grades.

In the example, the anaphora occurs when thepronoun “they” takes up the element “Geovan and Flávia”, presented earlier. Note that, instead of repeating the term “Geovana and Flávia”, another term was used as a reference: “they”.

At cataphor, on the other hand, occurs the anticipation of a later element in the utterance, which will still be spelled out. Look:

My favorite is This one: the green dress.

Here, we see that the pronoun “this” anticipates a later term in the utterance: “the green dress”. This is a typical case of anaphora.

By Guilherme Viana
grammar teacher

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