Sustentio

The sustentio (n) is a rhetorical figure through which the speaker triggers a surprise in his audience by

• a certain expectation of the audience regarding what should actually come now, is not satisfied by z. B. a proverb or a well-known formulation is modified: Self-knowledge is the best way to disguise . The well-known saying is expected here: Self-knowledge is the best way to get better . However, the speaker brings his own unexpected version.

• gives a seemingly contradicting reason for a previously given declaration: I love strong drinks. That's why I always order milk at the bar. Strong drinks are more likely to be associated with spirits than with milk, which also has the properties of a children's drink.

If it is only about a single word, it is called an aprosdoketone .