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"Parataxis"
Meaning
[edit]Parataxis may be considered from three points of view:
- the psychological aspect,
- the linguistic means to express the paratactic relation,
- and the resulting sentence structure.
The underlying idea is that in a connected discourse, complete independence among the consecutive sentences is very rare. This observation is captured in the expression "train of thought". Consider the following:
- The sun was shining brightly. We went for a walk.
- The sun was shining brightly; we went for a walk.
- The sun was shining brightly, and we went for a walk.
- The sun was shining brightly, so we went for a walk.
In the first example, the two sentences are independent expressions, while in the last example they are dependent. However, the connection of thought in the first examples is just as real as in the last ones, where it is explicitly expressed via the syntax of subordination.
In spoken language, this continuance from sentence to sentence is supported by intonation and timing (rhythm, pause). While details may differ among different languages and cultures, generally similar musicality and shortness of pauses indicate the continuation, while the change of tone and longer pause generally indicate the transition to another connected group of ideas.
In storytelling, storytellers utilize paratactic or syntactic styles. Parataxis is common among oral storytellers. When telling a story orally, there are many inconsistencies because of the lack of a written-down, word-for-word, multiply-checked draft. However, audiences do not set out to compare the stories word for word and are only interested in the main points of the story.
Parataxis can most simply be described as and compared to the way children speak. They speak their ideas as they come to them, one after the other, without logically connecting the ideas together.
Examples
[edit]Literature
[edit]Perhaps the best A well-known paratactic phrase is Julius Caesar's famous laconic phrase, "Veni, vidi, vici" or, "I came, I saw, I conquered". Another example is Mr. Jingle's speech in Chapter 2 of The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens.
"Come along, then," said he of the green coat, lugging Mr. Pickwick after him by main force, and talking the whole way. "Here, No. 924, take your fare, and take yourself off—
respectable gentleman—know him well—none of your nonsense—this way, sir—where's your friends?—all a mistake, I see—never mind—accidents will happen—best regulated
families—never say die—down upon your luck—Pull him UP—Put that in his pipe—like the flavour—damned rascals." And with a lengthened string of similar broken sentences,
delivered with extraordinary volubility, the stranger led the way to the traveller's waiting-room, whither he was closely followed by Mr. Pickwick and his disciples
Perhaps a more extreme proponent of the form was Samuel Beckett. The opening to his monologue "Not I" is a classic example:
Mouth: .... out ... into this world ... this world ... tiny little thing ... before its time ... in a godfor– ... what? .. girl? .. yes ... tiny little girl ... into this ... out into this ... before her time ...
godforsaken hole called ... called ... no matter ... parents unknown ... unheard of ... he having vanished ... thin air ... no sooner buttoned up his breeches ... she similarly ... eight
months later ... almost to the tick ... so no love ... spared that ... no love such as normally vented on the ... speechless infant ... in the home ... no ... nor indeed for that matter any of
any kind ... no love of any kind ... at any subsequent stage ...
Although the use of ellipses here arguably prevents it from being seen as a classic example of parataxis, as a spoken text it operates in precisely that way. Other examples by Beckett would include large chunks of Lucky's famous speech in Waiting for Godot.
Another example is from Homer's Iliad. "So he spoke praying, and Phoebus Apollo heard him, and he came down from the peaks of Olympus, angered at heart holding his bow on his shoulders and the covered quiver. And the arrows clashed on the shoulders of the angered god leaping; and he came like the night then sat apart from the ships and shot an arrow; and terrible was the clash from the silver bow."
Notes
[edit]4. Heidegger, Martin. What Is Called Thinking? Perennial, 2004.
5. Thury, Eva M., and Margaret Klopfle Devinney. Introduction to Mythology: Contemporary Approaches to Classical and World Myths. Fourth ed., Oxford University Press, 2017.