TermsTerms

PolysyndetonPolysyndeton

Figure of addition and emphasis which Figure of addition and emphasis which intentionally employs a series of intentionally employs a series of conjunctions (and, or, but, for, nor, so, yet) conjunctions (and, or, but, for, nor, so, yet) not normally found in successive words, not normally found in successive words, phrases, or clauses; the deliberate and phrases, or clauses; the deliberate and excessive use of conjunctions in successive excessive use of conjunctions in successive words or clauses. words or clauses.

Polysyndeton examplesPolysyndeton examples

"They all tasted to me like undersexed "They all tasted to me like undersexed morons who had blundered morons who had blundered oror trickled into trickled into the wrong beds in automatic response to the wrong beds in automatic response to sexy advertisements, sexy advertisements, oror to make to make themselves feel modern and emancipated, themselves feel modern and emancipated, oror to reassure themselves about their virility to reassure themselves about their virility oror their "normalcy," their "normalcy," or or even because they even because they had nothing else to do." -- C.S. Lewis, The had nothing else to do." -- C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape LettersScrewtape Letters

Polysyndeton examplesPolysyndeton examples

"Oh, my piglets, we are the origins of war -- "Oh, my piglets, we are the origins of war -- not history's forces, not history's forces, nornor the times, the times, nornor justice, justice, nornor the lack of it, the lack of it, nornor causes, causes, nornor religions, religions, nornor ideas, ideas, nornor kinds of kinds of government -- not any other thing. We are government -- not any other thing. We are the killers." -- delivered by Katherine the killers." -- delivered by Katherine Hepburn (from the movie Hepburn (from the movie The Lion in WinteThe Lion in Winterr))

Polysyndeton examplesPolysyndeton examples

"In years gone by, there were in every "In years gone by, there were in every community men and women who spoke the community men and women who spoke the language of duty language of duty andand morality morality andand loyalty loyalty andand obligation." -- William F. Buckley obligation." -- William F. Buckley

Parallel StructureParallel Structure

Figure of balance identified by a similarity in Figure of balance identified by a similarity in the syntactical structure of a set of words in the syntactical structure of a set of words in successive phrases, clauses, sentences; successive phrases, clauses, sentences; successive words, phrases, clauses with the successive words, phrases, clauses with the same or very similar grammatical structure. same or very similar grammatical structure.

Parallel structure examplesParallel structure examples

"...and that government "...and that government of the peopleof the people, , by by the peoplethe people, , for the peoplefor the people, shall not perish , shall not perish from the earth." from the earth."

-- Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address -- Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address (here delivered by Jeff Daniels)(here delivered by Jeff Daniels)

Parallel structure examplesParallel structure examples

""We have petitioned and our petitions We have petitioned and our petitions have been scornedhave been scorned. . We have entreated We have entreated and our entreaties have been and our entreaties have been disregardeddisregarded. We have begged and they . We have begged and they have mocked when our calamity came. have mocked when our calamity came. We We beg no longerbeg no longer. . We entreat no moreWe entreat no more. . We We petition no morepetition no more. We defy them." -- William . We defy them." -- William Jennings Bryan Jennings Bryan

AnaphoraAnaphora

Figure of repetition that occurs when the first Figure of repetition that occurs when the first word or set of words in one sentence, word or set of words in one sentence, clause, or phrase is/are repeated at or very clause, or phrase is/are repeated at or very near the beginning of successive sentences, near the beginning of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases; repetition of the initial clauses, or phrases; repetition of the initial word(s) over successive phrases or clauses. word(s) over successive phrases or clauses.

Anaphora examplesAnaphora examples

""ThatThat my heart has been troubled, my heart has been troubled, that Ithat I have not sought this nomination, have not sought this nomination, that Ithat I could could not seek it in good conscience, not seek it in good conscience, that Ithat I would would not seek it in honest self-appraisal, is not to not seek it in honest self-appraisal, is not to say that I value it the less. Rather, it is say that I value it the less. Rather, it is that Ithat I revere the office of the Presidency of the revere the office of the Presidency of the United States." -- Adlai Stevenson, United States." -- Adlai Stevenson, 1952 1952 DNC Presidential Nomination Acceptance DNC Presidential Nomination Acceptance AddressAddress

Anaphora examplesAnaphora examples

"To raise a happy, healthy, and hopeful "To raise a happy, healthy, and hopeful child, child, it takesit takes a family; a family; it takesit takes teachers; teachers; it it takestakes clergy; clergy; it takesit takes business people; business people; it it takestakes community leaders; community leaders; it takes it takes those those who protect our health and safety. who protect our health and safety. It takesIt takes all of us." -- Hillary Clinton, all of us." -- Hillary Clinton, 1996 Democratic 1996 Democratic National Convention AddressNational Convention Address

EpistropheEpistrophe

eh-PISS-truh-FEE): Figure of repetition that eh-PISS-truh-FEE): Figure of repetition that occurs when the last word or set of words in occurs when the last word or set of words in one sentence, clause, or phrase is repeated one sentence, clause, or phrase is repeated one or more times at the end of successive one or more times at the end of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases. sentences, clauses, or phrases.

Epistrophe ExamplesEpistrophe Examples

"The minister who has been called "The minister who has been called by Godby God, , ordained ordained by Godby God, appointed , appointed by Godby God, and , and anointed anointed by Godby God, is assumed guilty until , is assumed guilty until proven innocent." proven innocent."

-- Ravi Zacharias-- Ravi Zacharias

AnadiplosisAnadiplosis

an-uh-dih-PLO-sis): Figure of repetition that an-uh-dih-PLO-sis): Figure of repetition that occurs when the last word or terms in one occurs when the last word or terms in one sentence, clause, or phrase is/are repeated sentence, clause, or phrase is/are repeated at or very near the beginning of the next at or very near the beginning of the next sentence, clause, or phrase. sentence, clause, or phrase.

Anadiplosis examplesAnadiplosis examples

"Once you change your philosophy, "Once you change your philosophy, you you change your thought patternchange your thought pattern. Once . Once you you change your thought patternchange your thought pattern, , you change you change your attitudeyour attitude. Once . Once you change your you change your attitudeattitude, it changes your behavior pattern , it changes your behavior pattern and then you go on into some action." -- and then you go on into some action." -- Malcolm X,  Malcolm X,  The Ballot or the BulletThe Ballot or the Bullet

Anadiplosis examplesAnadiplosis examples

"Somehow, with the benefit of little formal "Somehow, with the benefit of little formal education, my grandparents recognized the education, my grandparents recognized the inexorable downward spiral of conduct inexorable downward spiral of conduct outside the guardrails: If you lie, you will outside the guardrails: If you lie, you will cheatcheat; if you ; if you cheatcheat, you will , you will stealsteal; if you ; if you stealsteal, you will kill." -- USSC Justice , you will kill." -- USSC Justice Clarence ThomasClarence Thomas

EpanalepsisEpanalepsis

eh-puh-nuh-LEAP-siss): Figure of emphasis eh-puh-nuh-LEAP-siss): Figure of emphasis in which the same word or words both in which the same word or words both begin(s) and end(s) a phrase, clause, or begin(s) and end(s) a phrase, clause, or sentence; beginning and ending a phrase or sentence; beginning and ending a phrase or clause with the same word or words. clause with the same word or words.

Epanalepsis examplesEpanalepsis examples

But I ain't goin' no 10,000 miles to help But I ain't goin' no 10,000 miles to help murder and kill other poor people. murder and kill other poor people. If I If I wanna diewanna die, I'll die right here, right now , I'll die right here, right now fightin' you -- fightin' you -- if I wanna dieif I wanna die. -- delivered by . -- delivered by Will Smith (from the movie Will Smith (from the movie Ali)Ali)

Epanalepsis examplesEpanalepsis examples

"My name is Robert Neville. I'm a survivor "My name is Robert Neville. I'm a survivor living in New York City. I am broadcasting living in New York City. I am broadcasting on all AM frequencies. If you are out there, on all AM frequencies. If you are out there, if if anyone is out thereanyone is out there, I can provide food, I , I can provide food, I can provide shelter, I can provide security -- can provide shelter, I can provide security -- if there's anybody out thereif there's anybody out there." -- delivered ." -- delivered by Will Smith (from the movie, by Will Smith (from the movie, I Am Legend)I Am Legend)