asyndeton

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a·syn·de·ton

(ə-sĭn′dĭ-tŏn′)

The omission of conjunctions from constructions in which they would normally be used, as in "Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, / Shrunk to this little measure?" (Shakespeare).

[Late Latin, from Greek asundeton, from neuter of asundetos, without conjunctions : a-, not; see a-¹ + sundetos, bound together (from sundein, to bind together : sun-, syn- + dein, to bind).]

as′yn·det′ic (ăs′ĭn-dĕt′ĭk) adj.

as′yn·det′i·cal·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

asyndeton

(æˈsɪndɪtən)

n, pl -deta (-dɪtə)

1. (Linguistics) the omission of a conjunction between the parts of a sentence

2. (Linguistics) an asyndetic construction. Compare syndeton

[C16: from New Latin, from Greek asundeton, from asundetos unconnected, from a-¹ + sundein to bind together]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

a•syn•de•ton

(əˈsɪn dɪˌtɒn, -tən)

n.

the omission of conjunctions, as in “He has provided the poor with jobs, with opportunity, with self-respect.”

[1580–90; < Latin < Greek, n. use of neuter of asýndetos not linked =a- a-⁶ + sýndetos, v. adj. of syndeîn to tie together (syn- syn- + deîn to bind)]

as•yn•det•ic (ˈæs ɪnˈdɛt ɪk) adj.

as`yn•det′i•cal•ly, adv.

asyndeton

a rhetorical device in which conjunctions or other connecting words are omitted, produced a staccato, emphatic effect. — asyndetic, adj.

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Noun

asyndeton - the omission of conjunctions where they would normally be used

rhetorical device - a use of language that creates a literary effect (but often without regard for literal significance)

Translations

asíndeton

асиндетон

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References in periodicals archive ?

In fact, asyndeta and paratactic constructions, ekphraseis, digressions and summaries, sonority and rhythm, rhymes, as well as verbal repetitions and the use of the historical present are wholly suitable to the characterization of the ancient novels as a mixture of literary and oral elements.

Bernard Pouderon--Jocelyne Peigney (eds.), Discours et debats dans l'ancien roman

In both cases, the answer is "no," and more significantly for readings such as Paul de Man's of "Correspondances," it is well-nigh impossible to distinguish Baudelaire's own use of "allegorie" from his use of "symbole." What is possible, however, is to detect, in precisely those later poems designated by Benjamin as "allegorical," a profusion of parataxis, asyndeta, and anacolutha, combined with increasingly irregular meter: "Ainsi, ce que Benjamin, Jauss, De Man et d'autres appellant 'allegorie moderne,' sans regarder de pres son rapport avec l'allegorie traditionnelle, ce serait la rupture de l'analogie poetique, la disproportion du metre et de la phrase, l'irregularite ou le non sequitur, pour ainsi dire, le vers sans nombre, innombrable" (177).

Compagnon, Antoine. Baudelaire devant l'innombrable

For example, it is remarkable that such a careful writer would have several anakolutha (1:3-4; 1:17; 2:4-7), lack of congruence (3:1, 6), and several asyndeta (2:lb, 9, 14-15, 22; 3:9).