Asyndeton

Asyndeton (UK: /æˈsɪndɪtən, ə-/, US: /əˈsɪndətɒn, ˌeɪ-/;[1][2] from the Greek: ἀσύνδετον, "unconnected", sometimes called asyndetism) is a literary scheme in which one or several conjunctions are deliberately omitted from a series of related clauses.[3][4] Examples include veni, vidi, vici and its English translation "I came, I saw, I conquered". Its use can have the effect of speeding up the rhythm of a passage and making a single idea more memorable. Asyndeton may be contrasted with syndeton (syndetic coordination) and polysyndeton, which describe the use of one or multiple coordinating conjunctions, respectively.

More generally, in grammar, an asyndetic coordination is a type of coordination in which no coordinating conjunction is present between the conjuncts.[5]

Quickly, resolutely, he strode into the bank.

No coordinator is present here, but the conjoins are still coordinated. Asyndetic coordination is the omission of conjunctions between words or phrases that would typically be connected by conjunctions such as "and" or "or." In this sentence, there are no coordinating conjunctions that are omitted. "Quickly" and "resolutely" are simply two adverbs modifying the verb "strode," but they are not being coordinated with each other. Therefore, there is no asyndetic coordination in this sentence.

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011). Roach, Peter; Setter, Jane; Esling, John (eds.). Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-15255-6.
  2. ^ Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
  3. ^ Corbett and Connors, 1999. p.51
  4. ^ Baldick, 2008. p. 27
  5. ^ "Asyndetic Coordination @ The Internet Grammar of English". UCL. 18 April 2018. Archived from the original on 2004-12-14.