Particular Ways of Combining the Parts of the Utterance

Particular Ways of Combining Parts of the Utterance

1) Asyndeton

2) Polysyndeton

3) Attachment (gap – sentence link; annexation)

4) Punctuation. Rhetorical questions

The arrangement of sentence members, the completeness of sentence structure necessarily involve various types of connection used within the sentence or between sentences, which is also called linkage [‘ l I ŋ k I d з].

Nowdays they distinguish three types of connection which contribute to this or that stylistic effect: asyndeton [æ ‘ s I n d I t n], polysyndeton [] and attachment.

Asyndeton is a deliberate omission of conjunctions where it is generally expected to be according to the norms of the literary language. Here is an example:

He yawned, went out to look at the thermometer, slammed the door, patted her head, unbuttoned his waistcoat, yawned, wound the clock, went to look at the furnace, yawned (and) climbed upstairs to bed, casually scratching his thick woolen undershirt (S. L. (uis)).

Functionally asyndeton, cutting off connecting words, helps to create the effect of terse, energetic, active prose

Repeated use of conjunctions is called polysyndeton.

So polysyndeton is the stylistic device of connecting sentences or phrases or syntagms or words by using connectives (mostly conjunctions and prepositions) before each component part.

e.g.

It (the tent) is soaked and heavy, AND it flops about. AND tumbles down on you, AND clings round your head, AND makes you mad. (Jerome K. Jerome)

Both polysyndeton and asyndeton, have a strong rhythmic impact.

Besides, the function of polysyndeton is to strengthen the idea of equal logical (or emotive) importance of connected sentences.

These two types of connection are more characteristic of the author’s speech.

The third – attachment (otherwise called gap – sentence link or annexation) on the contrary, is mainly to be found in various representations of the voice of the personage – dialogue, reported speech entrusted narrative. In the attachment the second part of the utterance is separated from the first one by a full stop though their semantic and grammatical ties remain very strong. The second part appears as an afterthought and is often connected with the beginning of the utterance with the help of a conjunction which brings the latter into the foregrounded opening position.

Cf.: “It wasn’t his fault. It was yours. And mine. I now humbly beg you give me the money with which to buy meals for you to eat. And hereafter do remember it: the next I shan’t beg. I shall simply starve.” (S. Lewis)

The attachment has various functions. It may serve to signal the introduction of inner represented speech; it may be used to indicate a subjective evaluation of the facts; e.g.

“He is a very deliberate, careful guy and we trust each other completely. With a few reservations” (J.D. Uhnak)

it may introduce an effect resulting from a cause which has already had verbal expression. e.g.

“I got a small apartment over the place. And, well, sometimes I stay over. In the apartment. Like the last few nights” (D. Uhnak)

In all these functions attachment aims at stirring up in the reader’s mind the suppositions, associations and conditions under which the sentence uttered can really exist.

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