SYNTAX Word Order Not Sin Tax!

He poked her in the eye. Insert “only” in different locations to come up with different shades of meaning.

One of the important ways we secure meaning in English is by putting words in a certain order. COMPARE THESE TWO SENTENCES Blowing down the chimney, the wind chilled the girl. The wind chilled the girl blowing down the chimney. How would you explain the difference word order makes?

“the boy loves the girl” Not every language depends on word order to make meaning. Latin, for example, is an inflected language. All of the following mean exactly the same thing: “the boy loves the girl” Puer amat puellam Puellam amat puer Puellam puer amat Amat puer puellam

English, however, DOES depend on word order. We call it word order syntax. Skillful use of syntax will enhance your writing.

parallelism

This is not it:

This is: Veni! Vidi! Vici! Julius Caesar upon conquering Gaul (France)

"adjective plus prepositional phrase" Ideas presented in parallel structures are understood as parallel in importance. For instance, in this sentence: Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra is rich in melodies, fresh in invention, lucid in texture. three ideas of equal importance are placed in the "adjective plus prepositional phrase" structure.

Anaphora This kind of parallel structure emphasizes words by repeating them in successive clauses, and repeating them in successive clauses.

Winston Churchill speech to the House of Commons, June 4, 1940 We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender. Winston Churchill speech to the House of Commons, June 4, 1940

Brylcreem, a little dab'll do ya, you'll look so debonair! the gals'll all pursue ya! They'll love to run their fingers through your hair." 1950s advertising jingle for hair cream

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine. Rick Blaine in Casablanca

And my favorite anaphora source: COUNTRY MUSIC!

Antimetabole repeating them in successive clauses, This kind of parallel structure also emphasizes words by repeating them in successive clauses, but reversing the order.

We didn't land on Plymouth Rock; Plymouth Rock landed on us. Malcolm X

to master your rage . . . . . . your rage will become your master? Okay, am I the only one who finds these sayings just a little bit formulaic? "If you want to push something down, you have to pull it up. If you want to go left, you have to go right." It's . . . Your temper is very quick, my friend. But until you learn to master your rage . . . . . . your rage will become your master? That's what you were going to say. Right? Right? Not necessarily. Mystery Men, 1999

Starkist doesn't want tuna with good taste, Starkist wants tuna that tastes good!

This kind of parallel structure Polysyndeton This kind of parallel structure repeats conjunctions. And But Or Both…and Not only…but also Either…or Neither…nor Whether…or Because While Although So After Since Even if

Let the whitefolks have their money and power and segregation and sarcasm and big houses and schools and lawns like carpets, and books, and mostly--mostly--let them have their whiteness. It was better to be meek and lowly, spat upon and abused for this little time than to spend eternity frying in the fires of hell.

we are the origins of war-- not history's forces, nor the times, Oh, my piglets, we are the origins of war-- not history's forces, nor the times, nor justice, nor the lack of it, nor causes, nor religions, nor ideas, nor kinds of government-- not any other thing. We are the killers. Katherine Hepburn in The Lion in Winter

Alliteration This kind of parallel structure repeats consonant sounds.

If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss. From Romeo and Juliet

My style is Public negotiations for Parity, rather than Private negotiations for Position. Jesse Jackson

Isocolon This kind of parallel structure repeats clauses that are the same type or length.

It takes a licking, but it keeps on ticking!

Never in the field of human conflict have so many owed so much to so few. Winston Churchill, 1940

She's a Pepper, We're a Pepper, I'm a Pepper, He's a Pepper, She's a Pepper, We're a Pepper, Wouldn't you like to Be a Pepper, too? Dr. Pepper!

Now go out and conquer Syntax! Veni! Vidi! Vici!