Epanorthosis is a rhetorical device where a speaker or writer deliberately retracts or corrects something just said, and replaces it with a stronger, clearer, or more appropriate expression. It often shows self-correction in real time for emphasis.
✅ Definition: A rhetorical correction that immediately improves, strengthens, or clarifies what was just stated.
✅ Example:
- “He was the best friend—no, the only true friend—I ever had.”
- “This city is the most beautiful in the country—no, in the entire world.”
It’s often used to intensify meaning, showing that the speaker refines their words to better capture the truth or emotion.
And there you have it! Now go ahead and use epanorthosis in your CXC prep/CSEC prep.
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