Stylistic classification of the english vocabulary

a) Asyndeton

The connection of sentences, phrases or words with­out any conjunctions is called a stylistic device of asyn­deton. Here is a deliberate omission of connectives where they are expected to be according to the norms of the literary language.

I insist: it will give me the greatest pleasure, I assure you. My car is in the stable: I can get it round in five minutes. (B. Shaw)

The deliberate omission of "for" before "it will give..." and "so" before "I can get it..." in above example helps the author to make each phrase or word sound independent and significant.

Asyndeton generally creates an effect that the enume­ration is not completed as in the above example.

Asyndeton also creates a certain rhythmical arran­gement, usually making the narrative measured and ener­getic:

She watched them go; she said nothing; it was not to begin then. (W.Faulkner)
b) Polysyndeton

Polysyndeton is the stylistic device of connecting sen­tences, phrases, syntagms or words by using connectives (mostly conjunctions and prepositions) before each com­ponent part. For example:

"And I looked at the piles of plates and cups, and kettles, and bottles, and jars, and pies, and stoves, and cakes, and tomatoes." (J. K. Jerome)

In this utterance conjunction "and" is used as polysyndeton. It stresses the similar nature or close con­nection between parts of the sentence.

In the following passage from Longfellow's "The Song of Hiawather", there is a repetition both of conjunc­tions and prepositions:

"Should you ask me whence these stories? Whence these legends and traditions, With the odours of the forest, With the dew, and damp of meadows, With the curling smoke of wigwams, With the rushing of great rivers, With their frequent repetitions,..."

The repetition of conjunctions and other means of connection makes an utterance more rhythmical. The con­junctions and other connectives, being generally unstres­sed elements, when placed before each meaningful mem­ber becomes the essential requirement of rhythm in verse. So one of the functions of polysyndeton is a rhythmical one.

Polysyndeton has a disintegrating function. It combi­nes homogeneous elements into one whole like enume­ration. But unlike enumeration, which integrates both homo-geneous and heterogeneous elements into one whole, polysyndeton causes each member of a string to stand apart. Enumeration shows things united; polysyn­deton shows them isolated.