Asyndeton is a figure of style consisting of suppression of connectives in a sentence. Originally, the word asyndeton comes from the Greek asyndetos, which means “disunity” or “separation”. Opposing this definition, polysyndeton is the figure of speech that consists of the repetitive use of connectives and has meaning coming from the greek polysondeton, that is, "multiple links".
Read too: Hyperbate - figure of speech that concerns the syntactic inversion of the utterance
What is asyndeton?
Within the figures of speech, the asyndeton occupies the classification of syntax pictures. Therefore, it consists in the suppression of the coordinative connectives, that is, elements that link the coordinated prayers.
See the examples:
You gained a lot of weight. Did not follow the diet.
gained a lot of weight, because did not follow the diet.
Note that, in the second period, the insertion of the conjunctionbecause.
Participated in the event. Was very happy!
Participated in the event and was very happy!
Occurs in the second period, the insertion of the conjunction and.
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
I didn't go to practice. I didn't go to school.
I didn't go to training nor I went to college.
In the second period, the insertion of the additive conjunction nor.
See too: Metaphor - figure of speech consisting of implicit comparisons
Asyndeton and polysyndeton
Asyndeton is figure of speech which consists of the omission of coordinating connectives, that is, those that link the coordinated prayers. It is an expressive resource that increases the eloquence of the speech, making it concise and efficient. Usually, expressive pauses in asyndetic periods are marked by comma.
See the example:
The singer interpreted the song, the audience booed. He insisted, the audience continued. He stopped, broke his guitar, left the stage.
Note that in this period the comma fulfills a role that could be attributed to the conjunctions. If so, we would have a construction defined by polysyndeton:
The singer interpreted the song and the audience booed. he insisted and the audience continued. He stopped and broke the guitar, and left the stage.
Note the repetitive use of the additive conjunction and in the previous period. The expressive function of this figure of speech - polysyndeton - is to give the idea of succession of facts, attributing to the text a paused and, at the same time, conventional speech.
For Marcelo Sartel
grammar teacher
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SARTEL, Marcelo. "Asyndeton"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/assindeto.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
