ー英会話講師の英語日記ー　札幌英会話スクールSTEP UP（札幌駅、大通駅徒歩５分）

Ever heard of an antanaclasis?

2017年6月22日 (木)

An antanaclasis is a sentence in which the same word is used twice with different meanings. Here are some examples:

“We must all hang together, or we’ll hang apart.”

In this sentence hang is firstly used to mean “stay together” and secondly to “each be executed as criminals”. A bit morbid, probably spoken by some revolutionary trying to rally his soldiers.

Here’s another: “Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”

A double antanaclasis! The first flies like compares the passage of time to that of an arrow. The second flies like is literally saying small flying insects enjoy eating bananas.

See if you can understand the next few:

“Death strikes all things, but never strikes a bargain.”

“Your argument is sound…all sound.”

“If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you’ll be fired with enthusiasm.”

And from the great American TV drama Breaking Bad: ” You don’t need a criminal lawyer. You need a criminal lawyer.” Get it?

See if you can make your own antanaclasis. It’s a fun way to improve your English.

Cheers!

Jon