In rhetoric, epizeuxis, also known as palilogia, is the repetition of a word or phrase in immediate succession, typically within the same sentence, for vehemence or emphasis.[1][2] A closely related rhetorical device is diacope, which involves word repetition that is broken up by a single intervening word, or a small number of intervening words.[3]
As a rhetorical device, epizeuxis is utilized to create an emotional appeal, thereby inspiring and motivating the audience. However, epizeuxis can also be used for comic effect.[4]
Examples
- "Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."—Winston Churchill
- "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow/Creeps in this petty pace from day to day/To the last syllable of recorded time..."—William Shakespeare, Macbeth
- "O dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon"—John Milton, Samson Agonistes.
- "Work, work, work, is the main thing"—Abraham Lincoln
- "The horror, the horror"—Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
- "Scotch, scotch, scotch, scotchy, scotchy scotch."—Ron Burgundy, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
- "Well, Well, Well..." — John Lennon, Well Well Well
- "Our top priority was, is and always will be education, education, education"—Tony Blair[5]
See also
References
- ↑ Arthur Quinn, Figures of Speech, Gibbs M. Smith, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, 1982.
- ↑ Nordquist, Richard (26 August 2020). "Definition and Examples of Epizeuxis in Rhetoric". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ↑ "Epizeuxis". Literary Devices. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022.
- ↑ Gerard Hauser, Introduction to Rhetorical Theory, Waveland Press, Illinois, 2002.
- ↑ "Full text of Tony Blair's speech on education". www.theguardian.com. Guardian News & Media Limited. 23 May 2001. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
External links
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