hendiadys

[sanchopanza]

A figure of speech in which two words connected by a conjunction are used to express a single notion that would normally be expressed by an adjective and a substantive, such as grace and favor instead of gracious favor.


i was talking with someone about use of hendiadys in literature - on average there is a case of a hendiadys every 66 lines in hamlet - and anyway i got to thinking just how involved are lit writers in matters of language? it seems most people are only concerned with sex, with secondary concerns of plot, character and dialogue.

 

[Guest]

Jeezusfuck, now you ask!? Sorry, a few people will know why I exclaim. Back to you later perhaps.

A non-poetry Lit. person who knows hendiadys. Sheesh!

must sit down, Perdita

 

[MathGirl]

A figure of speech in which two words connected by a conjunction are used to express a single notion that would normally be expressed by an adjective and a substantive, such as grace and favor instead of gracious favor.

Dear Sanch,
Thank you for adding a new word to my vocabulary. I'd never heard of hendiadys. Sounds like something chickens might do.

Judging from the example you used, it sounds like hendiadys might be something the language could easily do without.
MG
Ps. You mentioned that you were talking to someone about hendiadys. Where would one find such a person?

 

[RenzaJones]

wouldn't a hendiady
be considered a specific application of anthimeria, the more general term indicating the substitution of one part of speech for another?

Just wondering.

edited to add that some people use hendiadys w/o realizing it
as in
He came despite the rain and weather.
instead of "He came despite the rainy weather"

 

[sanchopanza]

in my family. he was my brother actually - when we eat dinner and drink wine the conversation flows often to literature. you know when i went to gordon ramsay's restaurant in london in feburary (it was my 21st) half the time we were talking about shakespeare

 

[Guest]

in my family. he was my brother actually

Yeah, same with me and my bro. Unfortunately, talking about Shakespeare on the AH gets you nowhere.

cynically,

Dulcinea

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Sorry, once you get past palindrome you have lost me. Lack of understanding of esoteric words for even more esoteric ideas does not however mean I am an incompetant writer. I do care about characters, plot and more than just sex.

lit unenlightened apparently

-Colly

 

[RenzaJones]

Yeah, same with me and my bro. Unfortunately, talking about Shakespeare on the AH gets you nowhere.

cynically,

Dulcinea

Then I suspect the same is true of history

As far as the thread I think language is very important, it sets the tone and mood of any given story. Although I have to ask how do the readers feel about vocabulary? I suspect they don't want to have dictionary in hand to decipher a story. I wasn't aware that my vocabulary would be a problem but apparently words like hebetude and apocryphile have no place here.

Sad but true.

 

[sanchopanza]

i'm careful with my words - when i speak i'm very deliberate with the intonations i put into my voice and i've been commended on this but apparently i have a tendency to talk loudly - so when i talk nobody has a choice but to listen

 

[pop_54]

Hmmmmmm

Then I suspect the same is true of history

As far as the thread I think language is very important, it sets the tone and mood of any given story. Although I have to ask how do the readers feel about vocabulary? I suspect they don't want to have dictionary in hand to decipher a story. I wasn't aware that my vocabulary would be a problem but apparently words like hebetude and apocryphile have no place here.

Sad but true.

I'm sure words like those have a place here, as do all manner of exotic terms and phrases, here in the hangout that is. But put such words in anything but a dictionary for general readership and you'll get some damn funny feedback, especially from the average redneck who reads at Lit.

 

[sanchopanza]

hahahhahaha average redneck. i must have transcended when i started writing and stopped reading here.

anyway yes history is impossible to talk about - just try talking about the british empire! and with shakespeare in my porn i've quoted shakespeare but not said it was from say lear or titus andronicus - i'm leaving that for the reader

 

[MathGirl]

Sorry, once you get past palindrome you have lost me. Lack of understanding of esoteric words for even more esoteric ideas does not however mean I am an incompetant writer.

Dear CT,
I certainly wish I could say the same for myself.
MG

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Dear CT,
I certainly wish I could say the same for myself.
MG

MG,

I didn't say I wasn't incompetant, I only said lack of knowing my hendaidys from my anthimerea dosen't make me so

-Colly

 

[RenzaJones]

hahahhahaha average redneck. i must have transcended when i started writing and stopped reading here.

anyway yes history is impossible to talk about - just try talking about the british empire! and with shakespeare in my porn i've quoted shakespeare but not said it was from say lear or titus andronicus - i'm leaving that for the reader

LOL
I know thee well; a serviceable villain,

 

[MathGirl]

MG, I didn't say I wasn't incompetant, I only said lack of knowing my hendaidys from my anthimerea dosen't make me so

Dear CT,
Oh, I know what you were saying, and I agree. I was merely stating that I AM an incompetent writer. I make up for lack of skill with sheer volume of stuff. At least I did when I was writing.
MG

 

[pop_54]

Hmmmmmm

Dear CT,
Oh, I know what you were saying, and I agree. I was merely stating that I AM an incompetent writer. I make up for lack of skill with sheer volume of stuff. At least I did when I was writing.
MG

Not done any stuff lately then love? Me neither too as well also and all, see I can can go on a lot with language as well.

 

[Uncle Meat]

i was talking with someone about use of hendiadys in literature - on average there is a case of a hendiadys every 66 lines in hamlet - and anyway i got to thinking just how involved are lit writers in matters of language? it seems most people are only concerned with sex, with secondary concerns of plot, character and dialogue.

I'm not educated in linguistics well enough to discuss hendiadys, that's fer daggone sure. But I do take note of a writer's style, and I can appreciate a well-turned phrase as much as the next guy. I appreciate good dialog, too. People often comment on Elmore Leonard's dialog, and yes, he's a master. Very good ear, good flow. But in general, I'm just happy if someone can write dialog that doesn't sound unnatural.

What interests me most is the mechanics involved in getting characters from point A to point B. If the guy just says, "I've had the hots for you for a long time," and the gal says, "Okay, let's do it," that's not interesting to me, no matter how hot the sex scene might be, and not even if it's written well enough to sound authentic.

 

[sanchopanza]

I go, Andronicus: and for thy hand
Look by and by to have thy sons with thee.

Aside

Their heads, I mean. O, how this villany
Doth fat me with the very thoughts of it!
Let fools do good, and fair men call for grace.
Aaron will have his soul black -- like his face.

 

[destinie21]

Then I suspect the same is true of history

As far as the thread I think language is very important, it sets the tone and mood of any given story. Although I have to ask how do the readers feel about vocabulary? I suspect they don't want to have dictionary in hand to decipher a story. I wasn't aware that my vocabulary would be a problem but apparently words like hebetude and apocryphile have no place here.

Sad but true.

Oh Renza are you playing the role of the philologaster again? You know that's my gig Seriously girl at least try to keep your language within the bounds of the regular dictionary. The unabridged version is ever so tedious.

ps: This is why I won't play scrabble with you.

 

[MathGirl]

This is why I won't play scrabble with you.

Ewwwwww, Scrabble. I live for the day when I can make "cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene."
MG

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I don;t think you're going to find any close textual analysis of "Mom's Anal Birthday Surprise" on this site, if that's what you're looking for. I remember once knowing the difference between synecdoche and menotony and stuff like that, but I forgot it all right after the final exam.

But there are a lot of people here who love language and words and we're usually playing with words and ideas in some thread. At the moment, MathGirl is reading us excerpts from the Pornosaurus, and we're always on the lookout for a good synonym for nipple and a non-offensive word for the vagina.

---dr.M.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Then I suspect the same is true of history



Sad but true.

History I can do. In fact I try to write a historic themed story at least now and again. 4 years in college should be put to some use sometime in my life

-Colly

 

[destinie21]

Ewwwwww, Scrabble. I live for the day when I can make "cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene."
MG

There was a big scrabble debacle back a while back. There was striking similarities between said debacle and the previous pictionary uprising. We're both way to competitive to be on opposiing sides of a board game. Now if we're on the same team...

 

[RenzaJones]

History I can do. In fact I try to write a historic themed story at least now and again. 4 years in college should be put to some use sometime in my life

-Colly

Really? I was toying with the idea of doing a story (not necessairly erotic) based on th life of Catherine de Medici. I find her interesting but the again I think on a very basic level I dislike her immensly. Still you never know


ps: We're always on the same team D

 

[A7inchPhildo]

Ewwwwww, Scrabble. I live for the day when I can make "cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene."
MG

Math I do not want to correct you but if I recall you do not get that many letters in scrabble, nor that many spaces across the board. Better stick with "Steroids" could be worth more if placed properly.