What is the ASYNDETON

the asyndeton is a literary figure in which there are no conjunctions or links between the elements of a sentence, in order for it to take on a much higher speed. It is quite common in literature and it is important that you know how to recognize when you are faced with an asyndeton, since usually the author will be wanting to show you something through his way of writing.

In this lesson of a PROFESSOR we want to explain what is the asyndeton and examples so that you not only learn to detect it in a text, but also know how to use it to your advantage in the texts you write.

the asyndeton, as we have pointed out previously, is a Figure of speech in which omitted, intentionally, conjunctions and links that should exist between the words. We can also find asyndeton between complete sentences or enumerations and the purpose of this will always be to speed up reading and give greater fluidity and speed to the text.

The origin of the word asyndeton comes from the Greek "asyndeton" which means "deprivation" or "something detached".

This figure of speech directly affects the construction and parsing of a sentence, since we will be omitting all kinds of nexus necessary to express an idea in a coherent way. When reciting a text that contains some words with an asyndeton, we must make a little pause in the intonation, which will be positioned between the terms.

For example:Our love became everything, little, nothing.

The absence of conjunctions and links in the previous example is used for the purpose of create more dynamism and intensify the intonation only in the words that interest the author.

The figure opposite to the asyndeton is the polysyndeton, which is characterized by using and repeating links unnecessarily to cause greater expressiveness in sentences.

One of the clearest examples of asyndeton was written by the great Lope de Vega in one of his poems:

faint, dare, be furious

rough, tender, liberal, elusive,

encouraged, deadly, deceased, alive,

loyal, traitorous, cowardly and courageous.

But, we are going to put you Some examples asyndeton, so you can see how this figure of speech works in practice:

• I saw her, smiled, shut up, fled.
• Hours, days, months, years go by.
• I arrived, it arrived; I looked, looked; I smiled, he smiled.
• The boys run, play, fight.
• He sings, laughs, dreams, comes with me, calms my sorrow. (Peter Del Castillo)
• The sky, starry, illuminated, but desolate.
• Beautiful, naive, cheerful, but distant.
• I get closer, you move away; I look at you, you ignore me.
• Government of the people, by the people, for the people. (Abraham Lincoln)
• I love you from here to the sun, to infinity, always.
• Love, love until death.
• On earth, in smoke, in dust, in shadow, in nothing. (Luis de Gongora)
• I breathe, I live, I walk, I die slowly.
• Our leader, brave, strong, but also intelligent.
• You go, I come; you forget, I remember.
• His faces illuminated, sweaty, hopeful.
• His presence is peace, silence, tranquility; the absence of him, the emptiness.
• I laugh, he laughs; I love, he nothing.
• Come, vidi, vici. I came, I saw, I conquered. (Julius Caesar)
• I loved, I cried, I forgot.
• Children cry, laugh, sleep, dream.
• Run, run away, forget.
• Her absence hurts, reveals.

In this section you will find the solutions to the previous exercise. We have marked the hidden asyndetons, in bold:

• When I was hungry I had no food, and now that I have food I'm not hungry
• Why this restless burning desire?
• Year of snow, year of goods
• I conclude; you invent words and make them feelings, sciences, arts, objects of existence. Politics, glory, knowledge, power, wealth, friendship, love!
• wool up wool down... (razor)
• your golden hair
• White on the inside, green on the outside, if you want me to tell you wait (wait)
• her eyes wide open, her mouth ajar, her lips white, her limbs rigid, dead; scared to death!

Now you know what is the asyndeton and you have seen some clear examples that will help you identify when you are faced with this rhetorical figure. If you want to continue learning more about this topic or something similar, do not hesitate to consult our section of literary concepts, where you will find all the information you need to write some texts from 10.