Synergetic Analysis of Language-Level Units in the Realization of the Chiasmus Figure

Abstract

This article employs the theoretical framework of synergetic linguistics to analyze the formation and functionality of chiasmus, a complex rhetorical figure characterized by its inverted, cross-like structure (ABBA). Traditionally studied within the domains of rhetoric and literary criticism, chiasmus is re-contextualized here as a emergent phenomenon within a dynamic linguistic system. The central thesis posits that chiasmus is not merely an ornamental device but a stable, self-organized macro-structure that arises from the non-linear interaction and cooperation of micro-level linguistic units across all levels of language—phonological, morphological, lexical, syntactic, and semantic. Utilizing a synergetic approach, this paper examines how these heterogeneous units subordinate themselves to a single order parameter—the chiastic pattern—thereby temporarily reducing the entropy of the system and creating a highly salient and memorable utterance. The analysis draws on existing linguistic corpora and theoretical work by scholars such as Wolfgang Wildgen, Victor Krupa, and George Lakoff to demonstrate the synergistic effects at play. Findings indicate that the cognitive potency and cross-linguistic prevalence of chiasmus can be attributed to its foundation in fundamental principles of self-organization, cognitive processing, and ecological balance within the language system, transcending its traditional perception as a mere stylistic ornament.