ANECDOTES: CHARACTERISTICS, TYPES AND EXAMPLES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

An anecdote is a very short story that is significant to the topic you are talking about. They usually add a personal experience or specific knowledge on that topic.

In fact, anecdotes are stories. Like many stories, anecdotes are generally told orally. They are spoken more than written.

The term anecdote comes from the Greek phrase ἀνέκδοτα, which means "unpublished things." Anecdotes are used in daily life, and also in literature, in movies or series, and also in poetry and theater.

They have a great variety of styles, tones and utility. In addition, they can be used in any situation and by anyone. A context becomes more interesting with an anecdote.

The 5 main types of anecdotes

1- humorous

This is an anecdote that adds a touch of humor to the conversation.

Example

Two friends argue about how to get to the destination they are driving to. The driver tells the passenger to turn off the GPS because he knows the way. The companion responds:

"Yes, of course, like that day we turned off the GPS and ended up in the middle of a field full of cows?"

At that moment, the image of cows surrounding the car appears in his memories, leading to a humorous moment.

2- Reminder

It is a story that reminds something general about the past or a specific event. It is expressed with phrases such as: "this reminds me when…", "when I was a child…", "I remember once…", and so on.

Example

An example might be the story of a mother and father arguing about whether to adopt a dog for the family or not.

Then the father says: “Do you know something? When I was a child my dog ​​was my best friend. My childhood was happier thanks to him ”.

Then the mother reflects on the anecdote and agrees to adopt a dog.

3- Philosophical

This type of anecdote makes you think deeply about a topic.

Example

A group of university students discuss whether it is moral to lie. Most agree that it is never okay to lie.

Then one of them tells the following anecdote: “What do you think of the families who lied to the German soldiers? They did not tell them that they were hiding Jews in their houses. Doesn't saving lives justify telling lies? "

Therefore, after listening to the anecdote, the students question the validity of their previous arguments.

4- Inspirational

It is an anecdote that is told to inspire hope or other positive emotions.

They are often about not giving up, reaching dreams or goals, and making the impossible possible.

Example

A doctor tells a group of soldiers who returned from the war and who have suffered amputations, the story of another soldier who arrived without his hands and without hope. But when he left the hospital, he was carrying his newborn baby in his orthopedic hands.

5- Warning

They are anecdotes that speak of the dangers or negative consequences that a certain action entails.

Example

A speaker tells a group of teenagers about the danger of using drugs.

During the presentation he tells the anecdote of a good student, very intelligent, who always got the highest marks, and who died of a heroin overdose a few years ago. In this way he warns them that dependency can affect anyone.

References

1. PW Nathan (1967) What is an anecdote? The Lancet, Elsevier.
2. RJ Pelias (2005) Performative writing as scholarship: an apology, an argument, an anecdote. 12/20/2017. Cultural Studies. journals.sagepub.com
3. Editor (2017) What is an example of an anecdote? 12/20/2017. Literary Terms. literaryterms.com
4. Editor (2017) What is an anecdote? 12/20/2017. Reader K12. k12reader.com
5. Editor (2017) Definition of Anecdote by Merriam Webster. merriam-webster.com