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The hysteron proteron (from the Greek: ὕστερον πρότερον, hýsteron próteron, "later earlier") is a rhetorical device. It occurs when the first key word of the idea refers to something that happens temporally later than the second key word. The goal is to call attention to the more important idea by placing it first.^[1]

The standard example comes from the Aeneid of Virgil: "Moriamur, et in media arma ruamus" ("Let us die, and charge into the thick of the fight"; ii. 353).^[2] An example of hysteron proteron encountered in everyday life is the common reference to putting on one's "shoes and socks", rather than "socks and shoes".

By this deliberate reversal, hysteron proteron draws attention to the important point, so giving it primacy. Hysteron proteron is a form of hyperbaton, which describes general rearrangements of the sentence.^[3]

It can also be defined as a figure of speech consisting of the reversal of a natural or rational order (as in "then came the thunder and the lightning").^[4]

Example from the Quran

An example from the Quran that demonstrates hysteron proteron, verse (aya) number 89–90 from Sura Number 21 says that God granted Zechariah's prayer for a son even though Zechariah was very old and his wife was sterile:

We granted his prayer and gave him John, and we made his wife fertile for him.

A more conventional phrasing would be: "We granted his prayer; we made his wife fertile for him; and [having done so] we gave him John." The reversal of the expected sequence (hysteron proteron) in the verse suggests immediacy: Zechariah's prayer was granted without any delay at all, so much so that the detail itself, "We made his wife fertile for him," was not allowed to intervene between the prayer and its acceptance.^[5]

References

^ Smyth, Herbert Weir (1920). Greek Grammar. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press. pp. 679–680. ISBN 0-674-36250-0.
^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Hysteron-proteron" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 14 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 212.
^ "Hysteron proteron". changingminds.org.
^ "Definition of HYSTERON PROTERON". www.merriam-webster.com.
^ Literature and the Quran, Encyclopaedia Of The Quran

[1] Smyth, Herbert Weir (1920). Greek Grammar. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press. pp. 679–680. ISBN 0-674-36250-0.

[2] Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Hysteron-proteron" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 14 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 212.

[3] "Hysteron proteron". changingminds.org.

[4] "Definition of HYSTERON PROTERON". www.merriam-webster.com.

[5] Literature and the Quran, Encyclopaedia Of The Quran

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[2]

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[4]

[5]

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+{{short description|Figure of speech reversing a natural or rational order}}
-The '''hysteron proteron''' (from the {{lang-el|ὕστερον πρότερον}}, ''hýsteron próteron'', "latter before") is a [[rhetoric]]al device. It occurs when the first key word of the idea refers to something that happens temporally later than the second key word. The goal is to call attention to the more important idea by placing it first.<ref>{{cite book | last = Smyth | first = Herbert Weir | year = 1920 | title = Greek Grammar | publisher = Harvard University Press | location = Cambridge MA | isbn = 0-674-36250-0 | pages = 679&ndash;680}}</ref>
+The '''hysteron proteron''' (from the {{langx|el|ὕστερον πρότερον}}, ''hýsteron próteron'', "later earlier") is a [[rhetoric]]al device. It occurs when the first key word of the idea refers to something that happens temporally later than the second key word. The goal is to call attention to the more important idea by placing it first.<ref>{{cite book | last = Smyth | first = Herbert Weir | year = 1920 | title = Greek Grammar | publisher = Harvard University Press | location = Cambridge MA | isbn = 0-674-36250-0 | pages = 679–680}}</ref>
-The standard example comes from the ''[[Aeneid]]'' of [[Virgil]]: "''Moriamur, et in media arma ruamus''" ("Let us die, and charge into the thick of the fight"; ii. 353). An example of hysteron proteron encountered in everyday life is the common reference to putting on one's "shoes and socks", rather than "socks and shoes".
+The standard example comes from the ''[[Aeneid]]'' of [[Virgil]]: "''Moriamur, et in media arma ruamus''" ("Let us die, and charge into the thick of the fight"; ii. 353).<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Hysteron-proteron|volume=14|page=212}}</ref> An example of hysteron proteron encountered in everyday life is the common reference to putting on one's "shoes and socks", rather than "socks and shoes".
 By this deliberate reversal, hysteron proteron draws attention to the important point, so giving it primacy.
-Hysteron proteron is a form of [[hyperbaton]], which describes general rearrangements of the sentence.<ref>http://changingminds.org/techniques/language/figures_speech/hysteron_proteron.htm</ref>
+Hysteron proteron is a form of [[hyperbaton]], which describes general rearrangements of the sentence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://changingminds.org/techniques/language/figures_speech/hysteron_proteron.htm|title=Hysteron proteron|website=changingminds.org}}</ref>
-It can also be defined as a figure of speech consisting of the reversal of a natural or rational order (as in "then came the thunder and the lightning").<ref>http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hysteron%20proteron</ref>
+It can also be defined as a figure of speech consisting of the reversal of a natural or rational order (as in "then came the thunder and the lightning").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hysteron+proteron|title=Definition of HYSTERON PROTERON|website=www.merriam-webster.com}}</ref>
 ==Example from the Quran==
-There is a good example from the [[Quran]] that demonstrates hysteron proteron, verse (aya) number 89-90 from Sura Number 21 from the Quran says that God granted [[Zechariah (priest)|Zechariah’s]] prayer for a son, even though Zechariah was very old and his wife was sterile:
+An example from the [[Quran]] that demonstrates hysteron proteron, verse (aya) number 89–90 from [[Surah|Sura]] Number 21 says that God granted [[Zechariah (priest)|Zechariah's]] prayer for a son even though Zechariah was very old and his wife was sterile:
-''“We granted his prayer and gave him [[John the Baptist|John]], and we made his wife fertile for him.”'' Quran(89-90, 21)
+{{blockquote|We granted his prayer and gave him [[John the Baptist|John]], and we made his wife fertile for him. }}
-The sequence, one feels, should have been: We granted his prayer; we made his wife fertile for him; and [having done so] we gave him John. The reversal of the expected sequence (hysteron proteron) in the verse suggests immediacy: Zechariah’s prayer was granted without any delay at all, so much so that the detail itself, ''“We made his wife fertile for him,”'' was not allowed to intervene between the prayer and its acceptance.<ref>Literature and the Quran, [[Encyclopedia of the Quran|Encyclopaedia Of The Quran]]</ref>
+A more conventional phrasing would be: "We granted his prayer; we made his wife fertile for him; and [having done so] we gave him John." The reversal of the expected sequence (hysteron proteron) in the verse suggests immediacy: Zechariah's prayer was granted without any delay at all, so much so that the detail itself, ''"We made his wife fertile for him,"'' was not allowed to intervene between the prayer and its acceptance.<ref>Literature and the Quran, [[Encyclopedia of the Quran|Encyclopaedia Of The Quran]]</ref>
 ==See also==
+* [[Begging the question]], a subtype of which is sometimes called "hysteron proteron" as well
 * [[Cart before the horse]]
 * [[George Hysteron-Proteron]]
-* [[Yoda]]
+* [[Hysteron Proteron Club]]
-* [[Begging the question]], a subtype of which is sometimes called "hysteron proteron" as well
 ==References==
-{{reflist|1}}
+{{reflist}}
+{{Figures of speech}}
+{{Aeneid}}
 {{Odyssey navbox}}
-{{Aeneid}}
-[[Category:Rhetorical techniques]]
 [[Category:Figures of speech]]
 [[Category:Narratology]]
+[[Category:Word order]]
+[[Category:Oxymorons]]

v t e Figures of speech
Schemes	Alliteration Anadiplosis Anaphora Antimetabole Antithesis Aposiopesis Assonance Asyndeton Chiasmus Climax Anti Consonance Epanalepsis Epiphrase Epistrophe Epizeuxis Hendiadys Homeoteleuton Hypallage Hyperbaton Hysteron proteron Isocolon Parallelism Polyptoton Polysyndeton Spoonerism Symploce Tmesis Zeugma
Tropes	Allegory Allusion Antiphrasis Antonomasia Aphorism Apostrophe Catachresis Ecphonesis Ekphrasis Epanorthosis Hyperbole Adynaton Dysphemism Euphemism Meiosis Innuendo Irony Apophasis Sarcasm Litotes Metaphor Metonymy Oxymoron Personification Pleonasm Procatalepsis Pun Antanaclasis Rhetorical question Simile Synecdoche Tautology