Tag Archives: asyndeton

Asyndeton

Asyndeton (a-syn’-de-ton): The omission of conjunctions between clauses, often resulting in a hurried rhythm or vehement effect. [Compare brachylogia. Opposite of polysyndeton.]


I went to the mall. I got lost. I was surrounded by major appliances. There was nobody around. I opened a refrigerator. A briefcase fell out. I opened it. It was filled with credit cards. I took the L.L. Bean card. I stuck it in my wallet. I put the briefcase back in the refrigerator.

I got home. I turned on my laptop. I got on the internet. I went to the L.L. Bean site. I searched men’s clothing. I liked the navy blue hand-made Pemaquid Lighthouse Low Tide cable knit watch cap.

I entered the the required demographic information, followed by the card’s account number. I put in the security code. It worked!

Two days later, 5 police cars converged on my front yard. I was busted for credit card fraud. I paid the bail and went home. Strangely, two days later my watch cap arrived. I kept it, but I won’t wear it to court.


Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.

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Asyndeton

Asyndeton (a-syn’-de-ton): The omission of conjunctions between clauses, often resulting in a hurried rhythm or vehement effect. [Compare brachylogia. Opposite of polysyndeton.]

Hope. Fear. Love. Hate. Life. Death. Now. Never. We are morally, intellectually, experientially buffeted by opposites all of our lives. Without knowing or caring we rarely hit the extremes. Rather, we just hum along until we are jolted by life’s unpredictable exigences & it may be the unpredictability that vexes us the most. It tears at our agency and leaves us to choose how to understand what we can’t control–to face a terrible omen that is void of intrinsic meaning and bereft of any guiding indices: that may be interpreted, but never known.

Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.

Asyndeton

Asyndeton (a-syn’-de-ton): The omission of conjunctions between clauses, often resulting in a hurried rhythm or vehement effect. [Compare brachylogia. Opposite of polysyndeton.]

Stop. Go. Stop. Go. Stop. Go. This traffic is driving me crazy. This is supposed to be a freeway to somewhere & somewhere soon! Instead, it’s turning into a slow-motion montage of frustrated drivers and complaining passengers.

Does anybody know a shortcut, bypass, pass, passage–anything to get us out of here before tomorrow?

  • Post your own asyndeton on the “Comments” page!

Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.

Acervatio

Acervatio (ak-er-va’-ti-o): Latin term Quintilian employs for both asyndeton (acervatio dissoluta: a loose heap) and polysyndeton (acervatio iuncta: a conjoined heap).

Asyndeton: the omission of conjunctions between clauses, often resulting in a hurried rhythm or vehement effect.

Stand up, speak, talk, yell, gesture, cry, scream, laugh, cry again–do whatever needs to be done to move the constipated blocks of stinking cheese euphemistically called “the audience.”

Let them know, if they don’t get up and go, another child will cry, and go hungry, and be dehydrated, and fall overboard, and drown, and end up face-down-dead on a beach instead of chasing blue waves and laughing, and eating ice cream, and watching shore birds, and paddling, and swimming to his mother’s outstretched arms!

Polysydeton: employing many conjunctions between clauses, often slowing the tempo or rhythm.

Stand up, speak, talk, yell, gesture, cry, scream,laugh, cry again–do whatever needs to be done to move the constipated blocks of stinking cheese euphemistically called “the audience.”

Let them know, if they don’t get up and go, another child will cry, and go hungry, and be dehydrated, and fall overboard, and drown, and end up face-down-dead on a beach instead of chasing blue waves, and laughing, and eating ice cream, and watching shore birds, and paddling, and swimming to his mother’s outstretched arms!

Definitions courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).

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Articulus

Articulus (ar-tic’-u-lus): Roughly equivalent to “phrase” in English, except that the emphasis is on joining several phrases (or words) successively without any conjunctions (in which case articulus is simply synonymous with the Greek term asyndeton). See also brachylogia.

Articulus is also best understood in terms of differing speeds of style that depend upon the length of the elements of a sentence. The Ad Herennium author contrasts the the slower speed of concatenated membra (see membrum) to the quicker speed possible via articulus.

China. Yemen. Syria.

Hacking. Bombing. Destroying.

One word, one meaning?

Or do they all add up to a planet that’s bleeding?

  • Post your own articulus on the “Comments” page!

Definition and commentary courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).

 

Asyndeton

Asyndeton (a-syn’-de-ton): The omission of conjunctions between clauses, often resulting in a hurried rhythm or vehement effect. [Compare brachylogia. Opposite of polysyndeton.]

Run! Run! Run! Down! Down! Hurry! Run! Down! Hurry!

Museum, mall, mosque.

Main Street, temple, church.

Police station, train station, bus station.

Cafe, concert, public park.

Morning, daylight, evening, dark.

Doesn’t matter.

Pop Pop Pop

People cry.

People die.

People scatter.

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Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.

 

Brachylogia

Brachylogia (brach-y-lo’-gi-a): The absence of conjunctions between single words. Compare asyndeton. The effect of brachylogia is a broken, hurried delivery.

Trust me. I am your ambulance. Cane! Crutch! Wheelchair! Everything that shows I care. Electric chair. Firing squad. Beneficent God. iPod. Oatmeal. Black Seal. Golden rod. Ping pong. Overdose. Comatose. Medicare.

Now mom, here we go. With the Flow. Petroleum rivers. Gasoline falls. Diesel cataracts. Flaming gush.

You sign the waiver. I’ll pull the plug. Hush hush. No rush.

Here’s the pen.

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Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).

 

Articulus

Articulus (ar-tic’-u-lus): Roughly equivalent to “phrase” in English, except that the emphasis is on joining several phrases (or words) successively without any conjunctions (in which case articulus is simply synonymous with the Greek term asyndeton). See also brachylogia.

Articulus is also best understood in terms of differing speeds of style that depend upon the length of the elements of a sentence. The Ad Herennium author contrasts the the slower speed of concatenated membra (see membrum) to the quicker speed possible via articulus.

Building collapses, phones tapped, Putin divorces, thousands protest, 30 lashes, new Android, Toronto’s mayor, 165 kidnapped, Bible’s comeback, Fake farm, Koreas agree, Teacher found, Afghan anger, Dresden braces, London stabbing, radioactive leak, giant cats.

Sound familiar?

It’s the news!

  • Post your own articulus on the “Comments” page!

Definition and commentary courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).

Acervatio

Acervatio (ak-er-va’-ti-o): Latin term Quintilian employs for both asyndeton (acervatio dissoluta: a loose heap) and polysyndeton (acervatio iuncta: a conjoined heap).

Asyndeton: the omission of conjunctions between clauses, often resulting in a hurried rhythm or vehement effect.

Close your eyes, feel your heart, open your eyes, now start. Start being here, being where is was is, now and again.

Polysydeton: employing many conjunctions between clauses, often slowing the tempo or rhythm.

After doing a little shopping, on my way to the parking lot I tripped in a pothole and I dropped my bag of oranges, and I skinned my knee, and I twisted my ankle, and I was humiliated, and I was late to work, and I got yelled at by the manager, and I’m going to hire a lawyer, and I’m going to sue Walymart!

  • Post your own acervatio on the “Comments” page!

Definitions courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).

Asyndeton

Asyndeton (a-syn’-de-ton): The omission of conjunctions between clauses, often resulting in a hurried rhythm or vehement effect. [Compare brachylogia. Opposite of polysyndeton.]

Mitt joked, gestured, scowled, shook his head, sighed, grimaced, blustered, interrupted, spoke overtime, and lied, lied, lied.

That guy knows how to impress an audience and win a debate! None of that “empty Ombamababble” for Mitt! He’s knows how to tell it like it isn’t with such conviction that it’s better than the truth!!

  • Post your own asyndeton on the “Comments” page!

Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.

Polysyndeton

Polysyndeton (pol-y-syn’-de-ton): Employing many conjunctions between clauses, often slowing the tempo or rhythm. (Asyndeton is the opposite of polysyndeton: an absence of conjunctions.)

They huffed, and puffed, and huffed, and huffed, and huffed, and puffed, and spit, and yelled, and made fair and balanced wise cracks on Fox News, and called it Obamacare, but they couldn’t blow down The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Will the Supreme Court demolish it for them?

  • Post your own polysyndeton on the “Comments” page!

Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)

Polysyndeton

Polysyndeton (pol-y-syn’-de-ton): Employing many conjunctions between clauses, often slowing the tempo or rhythm. (Asyndeton is the opposite of polysyndeton: an absence of conjunctions.)

Over one month ago the oil rig Deep Horizon exploded and 11 people were killed, and the oil still gushes from the blown out well–barrels and barrels and barrels and barrels of water-polluting, and wildlife-killing, and coastline-wrecking oil.  And soon, the hurricanes will come, and nobody knows what the combination of 120+ mph winds, and surging sea water, and millions of gallons of oil will do to the Gulf of Mexico and its contiguous shorelines. One thing is for certain though: our nation’s dependence on fossil fuel (for profit and power) trumps all the imaginable catastrophic consequences of crude oil flowing up from beneath the sea through 5,000 feet of pipe.

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Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)

Asyndeton

Asyndeton (a-syn’-de-ton): The omission of conjunctions between clauses, often resulting in a hurried rhythm or vehement effect. [Compare brachylogia. Opposite of polysyndeton.]

The car was low slung, loudly rumbling, ready to race.

  • Post your own asyndeton on the “Comments” page!

Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.

Acervatio

Acervatio (ak-er-va’-ti-o): Latin term Quintilian employs for both asyndeton (acervatio dissoluta: a loose heap) and polysyndeton (acervatio iuncta: a conjoined heap).

Asyndeton: the omission of conjunctions between clauses, often resulting in a hurried rhythm or vehement effect.

We practice, we play, we win, we lose, we love it! That’s it. That’s our game plan. Let’s go!

Polysydeton: employing many conjunctions between clauses, often slowing the tempo or rhythm.

You told me you were my friend, and you let me believe you were going to help me, and you kept me thinking everything was going to be all right, and then you walked out the door, and you didn’t leave a trace, and all my dreams were shattered; and now you’re asking me to forgive you and welcome you back like nothing happened at all? Get out!

  • Post your own acervatio on the “Comments” page!

Definitions courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).

Articulus

Articulus (ar-tic’-u-lus): Roughly equivalent to “phrase” in English, except that the emphasis is on joining several phrases (or words) successively without any conjunctions (in which case articulus is simply synonymous with the Greek term asyndeton). See also brachylogia.

Articulus is also best understood in terms of differing speeds of style that depend upon the length of the elements of a sentence. The Ad Herennium author contrasts the the slower speed of concatenated membra (see membrum) to the quicker speed possible via articulus.

My yard is big, gigantic, huge! I need some sheep to keep it clipped.

  • Post your own articulus on the “Comments” page!

Definition and commentary courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).

Brachylogia

Brachylogia (brach-y-lo’-gi-a): The absence of conjunctions between single words. Compare asyndeton. The effect of brachylogia is a broken, hurried delivery.

Love, hate, fear, joy, anger, pity, hope, guilt, disgust–all banging together in his pulsing head. He was flipping out! He needed more than a vacation–he needed a medical leave.

  • Post your own brachylogia on the “Comments” page!

Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).

Polysyndeton

Polysyndeton (pol-y-syn’-de-ton): Employing many conjunctions between clauses, often slowing the tempo or rhythm. (Asyndeton is the opposite of polysyndeton: an absence of conjunctions.)

Over four years ago we held hearings, and we were shown evidence, and we deliberated, and a decision was made, and we went to war. And recently, we held more hearings and evidence was shown, and we deliberated, and again, a decision was made.  And so, the war continues.

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Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)

Asyndeton

Asyndeton (a-syn’-de-ton): The omission of conjunctions between clauses, often resulting in a hurried rhythm or vehement effect. [Compare brachylogia. Opposite of polysyndeton.]

She found it, picked it up, threw it at the wall, broke it. What a relief! It was like waking up from a bad dream.

  • Post your own asyndeton on the “Comments” page!

Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu). Bracketed text added by Gorgias.