Scheme (linguistics)
Encyclopedia
In linguistics, scheme is a figure of speech
that changes the normal arrangement of words in a sentence's structure. A good example of a playwright who is notorious for his use of schemes and tropes is William Shakespeare
(Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Julius Caesar).
Figure of speech
A figure of speech is the use of a word or words diverging from its usual meaning. It can also be a special repetition, arrangement or omission of words with literal meaning, or a phrase with a specialized meaning not based on the literal meaning of the words in it, as in idiom, metaphor, simile,...
that changes the normal arrangement of words in a sentence's structure. A good example of a playwright who is notorious for his use of schemes and tropes is William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
(Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Julius Caesar).
Structures of balance
- ParallelismParallelism (rhetoric)Parallelism means giving two or more parts of the sentences a similar form so as to give the whole a definite pattern.Parallelisms of various sorts are the chief rhetorical device of Biblical poetry in Hebrew. In fact, Robert Lowth coined the term "parallelismus membrorum Parallelism means giving...
– The use of similar structures in two or more clauses- IsocolonIsocolonIsocolon is a figure of speech in which parallelism is reinforced by members that are of the same length. A well-known example of this is Julius Caesar's "Veni, vidi, vici" , which also illustrates that a common form of isocolon is tricolon, or the use of three parallel members.It is derived from...
– Use of parallel structures of the same length in successive clauses - TricolonTricolonIn rhetoric, a bicolon, tricolon, or tetracolon is a sentence with two, three, or four clearly defined parts , usually independent clauses and of increasing power.-Tricolon:...
– Use of three parallel structures of the same length in independent clauses and of increasing power
- Isocolon
- AntithesisAntithesisAntithesis is a counter-proposition and denotes a direct contrast to the original proposition...
– The juxtaposition of opposing or contrasting ideas - ClimaxClimax (figure of speech)In rhetoric, a climax is a figure of speech in which words, phrases, or clauses are arranged in order of increasing importance. It is sometimes used with anadiplosis, which uses the repetition of a word or phrase in successive clauses.Examples:*"There are three things that will endure: faith,...
– The arrangement of words in order of increasing importance
Changes in word order
- AnastropheAnastropheAnastrophe is a figure of speech in which a language's usual word order is inverted: for example, saying "smart you are" to mean "you are smart"....
– Inversion of the usual word order - ParenthesisParenthesis (rhetoric)In rhetoric, a parenthesis is an explanatory or qualifying word, clause, or sentence inserted into a passage with which it doesn't necessarily have any grammatical connection...
– Insertion of a clause or sentence in a place where it interrupts the natural flow of the sentence - AppositionAppositionApposition is a grammatical construction in which two elements, normally noun phrases, are placed side by side, with one element serving to define or modify the other. When this device is used, the two elements are said to be in apposition...
– The placing of two elements side by side, in which the second defines the first
Omission
- EllipsisEllipsisEllipsis is a series of marks that usually indicate an intentional omission of a word, sentence or whole section from the original text being quoted. An ellipsis can also be used to indicate an unfinished thought or, at the end of a sentence, a trailing off into silence...
– Omission of words - AsyndetonAsyndetonAsyndeton is a stylistic scheme in which conjunctions are deliberately omitted from a series of related clauses. Examples are veni, vidi, vici and its English translation "I came, I saw, I conquered." Its use can have the effect of speeding up the rhythm of a passage and making a single idea more...
– Omission of conjunctions between related clauses - Brachylogia – Omission of conjunctions between a series of words
Repetition
- AlliterationAlliterationIn language, alliteration refers to the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of Three or more words or phrases. Alliteration has historically developed largely through poetry, in which it more narrowly refers to the repetition of a consonant in any syllables that, according to...
– A series of words that begin with the same letter or sound alike - Anaphora – The repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses
- AnadiplosisAnadiplosisAnadiplosis is the repetition of the last word of a preceding clause. The word is used at the end of a sentence and then used again at the beginning of the next sentence.-Examples:...
– Repetition of a word at the end of a clause at the beginning of another - AntanaclasisAntanaclasisIn rhetoric, antanaclasis is the stylistic trope of repeating a single word, but with a different meaning each time. Antanaclasis is a common type of pun, and like other kinds of pun, it is often found in slogans.-Examples:...
– Repetition of a word in two different senses - AntimetaboleAntimetaboleIn rhetoric, antimetabole is the repetition of words in successive clauses, but in transposed grammatical order...
– Repetition of words in successive clauses, in reverse order - AssonanceAssonanceAssonance is the repetition of vowel sounds to create internal rhyming within phrases or sentences, and together with alliteration and consonance serves as one of the building blocks of verse. For example, in the phrase "Do you like blue?", the is repeated within the sentence and is...
– The repetition of vowel sounds, most commonly within a short passage of verse - AsyndetonAsyndetonAsyndeton is a stylistic scheme in which conjunctions are deliberately omitted from a series of related clauses. Examples are veni, vidi, vici and its English translation "I came, I saw, I conquered." Its use can have the effect of speeding up the rhythm of a passage and making a single idea more...
– Lack of conjunctions - ChiasmusChiasmusIn rhetoric, chiasmus is the figure of speech in which two or more clauses are related to each other through a reversal of structures in order to make a larger point; that is, the clauses display inverted parallelism...
– Reversal of grammatical structures in successive clauses - ClimaxClimax (figure of speech)In rhetoric, a climax is a figure of speech in which words, phrases, or clauses are arranged in order of increasing importance. It is sometimes used with anadiplosis, which uses the repetition of a word or phrase in successive clauses.Examples:*"There are three things that will endure: faith,...
– Repetition of the scheme anadiplosis at least three times, with the elements arranged in an order of increasing importance - EpanalepsisEpanalepsisThe epanalepsis is a figure of speech defined by the repetition of the initial word of a clause or sentence at the end of that same clause or sentence. The beginning and the end are the two positions of stronger emphasis in a sentence; so, by having the same phrase in both places, the speaker...
– Repetition of the initial word or words of a clause or sentence at the end of the clause or sentence - EpistropheEpistropheEpistrophe , also known as epiphora , is a figure of speech and the counterpart of anaphora. It is the repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses or sentences...
– The counterpart of anaphora - Consonance – The repetition of consonant sounds without the repetition of the vowel sounds
- PolyptotonPolyptotonPolyptoton is the stylistic scheme in which words derived from the same root are repeated . A related stylistic device is antanaclasis, in which the same word is repeated, but each time with a different sense....
– Repetition of words derived from the same root - PolysyndetonPolysyndetonPolysyndeton is the use of several conjunctions in close succession, especially where some might be omitted . It is a stylistic scheme used to achieve a variety of effects: it can increase the rhythm of prose, speed or slow its pace, convey solemnity or even ecstasy and childlike exuberance...
– Repetition of conjunctions - SymploceSymploceIn rhetoric, symploce is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is used successively at the beginning of two or more clauses or sentences and another word or phrase is used successively at the end of the same. It is the combination of anaphora and epistrophe...
– Combination of anaphora and epistrophe
External links
- Schemes from Silva Rhetoricae