Parallel constructions

P a r all e I construct i o n is a device which may be encoun­tered not so much in the sentence as in the macro-structures dealt with earlier, viz. the syntactical whole and the paragraph. The necessary condition in parallel construction is identical, or similar, syntactical structure in two or more sentences or parts of a sentence Parallel constructions are often backed up by repetition of words (lexical repetition) and conjunctions and prepositions (polysyndeton). Pure parallel construction, however, does not depend on any other kind of repetition but the repetition of the syntactical design of the sentence. Parallel constructions may be partial or complete. Partial parallel arrangement is the repetition of some parts of successive sentences or clauses. Parallel construction is most frequently used in enumeration, antithesis and in climax, thus consolidating the general effect achieved by these stylistic devices.

There are two main functions of parallel construction: semantic and structural. On the one hand a parallel arrangement sug­gests equal semantic significance of the component parts, on the other hand, it gives a rhythmical design to these component parts, which makes itself most keenly felt in balanced constructions.

Parallel construction is used in different styles of writing with slightly different functions. When used in the matter-of-fact styles it carries, in the main, the idea of semantic equality of the parts, as in scientific prose, where the logical principle of arranging ideas predom­inates. In the belles-lettres style parallel construction carries an emotive function.

Chiasmus

Chiasmus belongs to the group of stylistic devices based on the repetition of a syntactical pattern, but it has a cross order of words and phrases. The structure of two successive sentences or parts of a sentence may be described as reversed parallel construction, the word order of one of the sentences being inverted as compared to that of the other. Chiasmus is sometimes achieved by a sudden change from active voice to passive or vice versa. This device is effective in that it helps to lay stress on the second part of the utterance, which is opposite in structure, as in our dejec­tion; Scrooge signed it. This is due to the sudden change in the struc­ture which by its very unexpectedness linguistically requires a slight pause before it. There are different variants of the structural design of chiasmus. The first example given shows chiasmus appearing in a complex sen­tence where the second part has an opposite arrangement. The second example demonstrates chiasmus in a sentence expressing semantically the relation of cause and effect. Structurally, however, the two parts are presented as independent sentences, and it is the chiasmatic struc­ture which supports the idea of subordination. The third example is composed of two independent sentences and the chiasmus serves to increase the effect of climax. Here is another example of chiasmus where two parallel constructions are followed by a reversed parallel construc­tion linked to the former by the conjunction

Repetition and its types

It has already been pointed out that repetition, is an expres­sive means of language used when the speaker is under the stress of strong emotion. It shows the state of mind of the speaker. ''Repetition is also one of the devices having its origin in the emotive language. Repetition when applied to the logical language becomes simply an instrument of grammar. Its origin is to be seen in the excitement accompanying the expression of a feeling being brought to its highest tension." Repetition is classified according to compositional design. If the repeated word (or phrase) comes at the beginning of two or more consecutive sentences, clauses or phrases, we have anaphora, as in the example above. If the repeated unit is placed at the end of consecutive sentences, clauses or phrases we have the type of repetition called epiphora Any repetition of a unit of language will inevitably cause some slight modification of meaning, a modification suggested by a no­ticeable change in the intonation with which the repeated word is pronounced.

Sometimes a writer may use the linking device several times in one utterance

Stylistic enumeration

E n u me r a t i o n is a stylistic device by means of which homo­geneous parts of an utterance are made heterogeneous from the semantic point of view. There is hardly anything in this enumeration that could be regarded as making some extra impact on the reader. Each word is closely associated semantically with the following and preceding words in the enumeration, and the effect is what the reader associates with all kinds of consecutive disasters. The utterance is perfectly coherent and there is no halt in the natural flow of the communication. In other words, there is nothing specially to arrest the reader's attention; no effort is required to decipher the message: it yields itself easily to im­mediate perception.