| hysteron proteron | |
| his'-ter-on pro'-ter-on | from
Gk. hysteros, "later" and protos, "first" ("the latter put as the former") |
| praeposteratio, prepostera loquutio | |
| preposterous | |
 |
Disorder of time. (What should be first, isn't.) A kind of hyperbaton. | |
| Examples | ||
| Put on your
shoes and socks. (not in that order, of course) In the following example, the turning of the
rudder logically precedes the flight described, yet is mentioned after: |
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| Related Figures | ||
| See Also | ||
| Sources: | Susenbrotus (1540) 32-33 ("hysteron proteron," "praeposteratio"; Sherry (1550) 31 ("hysterologia," "prepostera loquutio"); Peacham (1577) F4r; Putt. (1589) 181 ("histeron proteron," "the preposterous"); Day 1599 83 | |
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