PARATAXIS

views updated May 23 2018

PARATAXIS [Stress: ‘pa-ra-TA-xis’].
1. Placing together phrases, clauses, and sentences, often without conjunctions, often with and, but, so, and with minimal or no use of subordination. A paratactic style is common in orature (oral literature) and in fast-moving prose, especially if intended for young listeners or readers:
Not always was the Kangaroo as now we do behold him, but a different Animal with four short legs …. He was grey and he was woolly, and his pride was inordinate: he danced on a sandbank in the Middle of Australia, and he went to the Big God Nqong. He went to Nqong at ten before dinner-time, saying: ‘Make me different from all other animals; make me popular and wonderfully run after by five this afternoon.’

( Rudyard Kipling, ‘The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo’, Just So Stories, 1902).

2. Punctuating two or more sentences as if they were one, as in I came, I saw, I conquered (translating Latin Veni, vidi, vici) and Come on, let's get going! See COMMA, COORDINATION.

parataxis

views updated May 23 2018

parataxis (gram.) placing of propositions or clauses side by side without connecting words. XIX. — Gr. parātaxis, f. paratássein place side by side; see PARA-1.
So paratactic XIX.