Construction Figures or Syntax integrate the so-called figures of speech, representing a subgroup of these. Thus, given the unconventional pattern that prevails in figures of speech (ie, subjectivity, the sensitivity on the part of the issuer, making its stylistic aspects clear), we must understand its name. In other words, why “construction figures or syntax”?
We can say that they are called that because they present some kind of modification in the structure of the sentence, in view of the real and already highlighted objectives of the enunciation (of the speech) - the main one being to emphasize the Is it over there.
Therefore, let's start by understanding that, in conventional terms, the syntactic structure of our language is made up of a sequence, demarcated by the following elements:
SUBJECT + PREDICATED + COMPLEMENT
(We) ARE LATE TO THE MEETING.
We thus have a hidden subject – us; a verbal predicate – we are late; and a complement, represented by an adverbial adjunct of place – to the meeting.
When there is a rupture in this logical sequence, materialized by the inversion of terms, repetition or even omission of these, it is precisely there that the figures in question manifest themselves. Thus, they are very present in literary language, in advertising and in everyday language in general. So let's see about each of them, in a particular way:
Ellipse
This figure is characterized by the omission of a term in the sentence not previously expressed, however, easily identified by the context. Let's look at an example:
Rondo dos Cavalinhos
[...]
The little horses running,
And we horsemen eating...
Brazil politicking,
Our! Poetry dying...
The sun so bright outside,
The sun so clear, Esmeralda,
And in my soul — nightfall!
Manuel Bandeira
We note that in all verses there is an omission of the verb to be, which is easily identified by the context.
Zeugma
Unlike the ellipse, in zeugma there is an omission of a term already expressed in the speech. Let us therefore verify:
Maria likes Mathematics, I like Portuguese.
We observed that the verb like was omitted.
Anaphora
This figure of speech is characterized by the intentional repetition of a term at the beginning of a period, phrase or verse. Let's look at a representative case:
The star
I saw such a high star,
I saw such a cold star!
I saw a star shining
In my empty life.
It was such a high star!
It was such a cold star!
I was a star alone
Glowing at the end of the day.
[...]
Manuel Bandeira
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
We note the use of terms that are repeated successively in each verse of Manuel Bandeira's creation.
polysyndeton
Figure whose main characteristic is defined by the emphatic repetition of the connective, usually represented by the coordinated conjunction “and”. Let's look at a verse taken from a creation by Olavo Bilac, entitled “To a poet”:
"Work and persist, and file, and suffer, and yours!"
Asyndeton
Unlike what happens in the polysyndeton, manifested by the repetition of the conjunction, in the asyndeton there is omission of it. Let's see:
I came, I saw, I won (Julio Cesar)
We infer that these are asyndetic clauses, precisely because of the omission of the connective “and”.
Anacoluto
It is a figure that is characterized by the interruption of the logical sequence of thought, that is, in terms syntactic, it is stated that there is a change in the construction of the period, leaving some term disconnected from the rest of the elements. Let's see:
these children of today, they are very evolved.
We note that the highlighted term, which was to represent the subject of the clause, is disconnected from the other terms, thus not fulfilling any syntactic function.
Inversion
As the concept reveals to us, it is an inversion of the direct order of the terms of the clause. Let us verify:
Euphoric the boy arrived.
We deduce that the subject's predicative (since it is a verb-nominal predicate) is found at the beginning of the sentence, when it should be expressed at the end, that is: The boy arrived euphoric.
Pleonasm
Figure that consists of the emphatic repetition of an idea previously expressed, both from a syntactical and semantic point of view, in order to reinforce the message. So let's look at some examples:
we live a life quiet.
The highlighted term reinforces an idea highlighted above, since living is already about life. We have a semantic order repetition.
to him nothing you I must.
We realize that the oblique pronoun refers to the third person singular, already expressed. It is, therefore, a repetition of a syntactic order demarcated by what we call the pleonastic direct object.
Important note:
The pleonasm used without the intention of giving emphasis to the speech becomes what we call language addiction – an occurrence that should be avoided. Like for example:
climb up
down down
to enter inside, among other linguistic circumstances.
By Vânia Duarte
Graduated in Letters