Anthypophora (an’-thi-po’-phor-a): A figure of reasoning in which one asks and then immediately answers one’s own questions (or raises and then settles imaginary objections). Reasoning aloud. Anthypophora sometimes takes the form of asking the audience or one’s adversary what can be said on a matter, and thus can involve both anacoenosis and apostrophe.
A: Am I from planet Earth? No!
A: What planet am I from? No!
B: There’s such planet as No.
A: No? That’s where I’m from you idiot. No! No! No!
B: You sound like a toddler.
A: I turn green when I’m angry. Am I green now? Yes! Am I going to zap you now with my hand-held eco-friendly toilet-paper roll atomizer? Yes!
B: Don’t shoot!
A: Am I green?
B: Yes, yes, yes!
A: Liar! I’m not angry any more. What planet am I from?
B: No?
A: No? Yes! Well, not really. Am I actually from Jersey City? Yes! It’s a very small planet adjacent to New York. Earth is good distance away.
B: Oh well, let’s head to the New Years party & leave your atomizer here, ok?
A: I’m turning green.
B: Ok, bring your damn atomizer.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
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