word
Literary
parataxis
par-uh-TAK-sis
ˌpærəˈtæksɪsListen
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Syllable breakdown
parataxis
Sounds like
Say 'par-uh-TAK-sis'.
Dictionary meaning
The placing of clauses or phrases side by side without connectives (e.g. 'I came, I saw, I conquered').
History and origin
Greek — 'para' (beside) + 'taxis' (arrangement).
Examples
- Hemingway's parataxis — short, direct sentences, side by side — creates a stark, unsentimental prose style.
Common mispronunciations
PAIR-uh-tak-sispar-uh-TACK-sis
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