Asyndeton
Definition:
Asyndeton refers to a practice in literature whereby the author purposely leaves out conjunctions in the sentence, while maintaining the grammatical accuracy of the phrase. Asyndeton as a literary tool helps in shortening up the implied meaning of the entire phrase and presenting it in a succinct form. This compact version helps in creating an immediate impact whereby the reader is instantly attuned to what the writer is trying to convey. Use of this literary device helps in creating a strong impact and such sentences have greater recall worth since the idea is presented in a nutshell.
Example:
1. Read, Write, Learn.
2. Watch, Absorb, Understand.
3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Comments
8 comments postedI think it would be the ultimate archetype as.....
"Breathless, voiceless, scarcely alive, drained, exhausted."
The end of an enjoyable themed argument :D
I think it would be a true literary marvel as, uh...
yeah, I can't make that any more succinct.
Can an asyndeton be more than a single word?
i.e. "Breath gone, voice gone, he lay scarcely alive, drained and exhausted"
I think it'd be better like "Breath gone, voice gone, he lay scarcely alive. Drained. Exhausted."
I think it would be even better as "breath gone, voice gone, scarcely alive, drained and exhausted."
To be an asyndeton, it cannot have "and". therefore:
"Breath gone, voice gone, scarcely alive, drained, exhausted."
But I do think it sounds much better with one word. For example:
"Breathless, voiceless, lifeless, drained, exhausted."
If you put three '-less' words like that, it feels as if the next word should be 'drainless', which ruins the whole atmosphere :)
Eat. Pray.Love.
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