Mae West: Figure of Speech

Wordsmith MAE WEST has been applauded for many things but finally one wit noticed her figure . . . of speech.
• • Canadian Howard Richler writes: Welcome to the symmetrical world of chiasmus. Chiasmus is defined by The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms as "a figure of speech by which the order of the terms in the first of two parallel clauses is reversed in the second. This may involve a repetition of the same words ('Pleasure's a sin, and sometimes sin's a pleasure' — Byron) — — or just a reversed parallel between two corresponding pairs of ideas."
• • Howard Richler explains: The word (pronounced kye-AZ-muss) is named after the Greek letter chi (X), indicating a "criss-cross" arrangement of terms. One can literally mark many chiastic expressions with an X.
• • Take one of Mae West's contributions to the genre:
• • • • It's not the men in my life
• • • • X
• • • • It's the life in my men
— — Excerpt: — —
• • Article: "X marks the spot in chiasmus"
• • Byline: HOWARD RICHLER
• • Published in: The Globe and Mail — — www.theglobeandmail.com
• • Published on: 2 September 2008
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
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Mae West.