Epanorthosis

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An epanorthosis is a figure of speech that signifies emphatic word replacement. The example "thousands, no, millions!" is a stock example. More often, however, epanorthosis signifies immediate and emphatic self-correction, and as such often follows a Freudian slip (either accidental or deliberate).

Examples:

  • "The psychologist known as Sigmund Fraud--Freud, I mean!"
  • "I've eaten over 8--er, nine-thousand grains of rice, that is."

Here the words in italics are technically the epanorthosis, although all of the words following the dash may be considered part of the epanorthosis as well.

Languages