ANTIMETABOLE:FORMS AND RHETORICAL FUNCTIONS IN SAHIDIC COPTIC TEXTS

Abstract

Fathers tackled their aphorisms using multiple rhetorical methods. Perhaps this is due to the ability of such rhetorical devices to simplify the idea in a way that attracts the listener’s and the reader’s attention. Antimetabole is one of those figures of speech which are noted occasionally in Coptic. This article aims to present a linguistic study of the types of this figure of speech in Coptic literary texts, especially the Sahidic texts which were written between the 4th and 7th centuries AD. In addition, it investigates the rhetorical purposes which motivated the scribes to use this rhetorical device in their texts.