Zeugma (language)
A zeugma ( Greek ζεῦγμα "yoke", literally "what is tied together", plural "zeugma") is a rhetorical figure as a form of brachylogy .
Zeugma in a sense
In one sense, the word figure consists in the fact that the verb common to the individual sentences is only used once in compound sentences . Examples are:
“Desire conquered shame, boldness conquered fear, madness conquered reason.
Vicit pudorem libido, timorem audacia, rationem amentia. "
"The lake cannot have mercy on the governor."
Zeugma is also understood to mean the figure that is traditionally called Syllepse . A traditional example of a syllepsis is:
"The Lord's eyes are on the righteous and his ears are on their cries."
Here the verb “see”, which, according to its actual meaning, only fits the first part of a sentence, also covers the omitted synonymous “hear”. However, other translations choose either a neutral verb (“remember on”, Luther (revised text 1984); “pay attention”, Zwingli ) or two (“see”, “hear”, standard translation ); in the original Hebrew text there is no verb at all.
Similar to Luke , Gospel 15:25: ἤκουσεν συμφωνίας καὶ χορῶν (he heard music and dance).
Zeugma in the other sense
In the modern sense, the term Zeugma often only refers to the syllepsis , whereby one understands by this an illogical, linguistic combination of two or more expressions by saving a logically necessary part of the sentence (see the example in the above part). This figure is often brought about by a polysemic verb , which is to be understood in different meanings at the same time as the various expressions.
It thus appears as an intended play on words, mostly in the form that two nouns are ironically or satirically connected by a verb that has a concrete meaning for one case and transferred meaning for the other.
Typical situations that allow the creation of a stuff template are:
- A verb can appear in several compound verbs or alone (“to welcome”, “to welcome”). A stuff of this kind is the sentence “My name is Heinz and you are warmly welcomed!” (In the sense of “My name is Heinz and I warmly welcome you!”)
- A verb can appear with different particles as in “He kicked in the door and came back” .
- A verb has different meanings on its own, despite the identical syntax, as in “He hit the window and the way home” .
The so-called Zeugma test is used to differentiate vagueness on the one hand and polysemy / homonymy on the other hand: the occurrence of a Zeugma effect when an apparently repetitive expression is omitted is characteristic of polysemy and homonymy.
Quotes
"My name is not only Heinz Erhardt, I also welcome you warmly."
"I froze to myself, because not only my mother but also the stove had gone out"
“… Someone has just given me a distillate of unspeakable age. How about you don't want to come up for a jump? I have paper cups and the afternoon is free.
That's some stuff, I noticed.
No, a bourbon, I think before the Alamo fell.
… Mi hanno appena regalato un distillato di inenarrabile vetustà. Perché non fa un salto su da me? Ho dei bicchieri di carta e il pomeriggio libero.
È uno zeugma, osservai.
No, un bourbon imbottigliato, credo, prima della caduta di Alamo. "
“The life of a family! - then said my uncle Toby, threw himself back in his armchair and raised his hands, his eyes and one leg to heaven.
The life of a family! - my uncle Toby would say, throwing himself back in his arm chair, and lifting up his hands, his eyes, and one leg. "
“I'm going out, Baptist! Above all from the fact that you watch out for my coins! "
Individual evidence
- ↑ Biblia: The Whole Holy Scripture: Deudsch (Luther 1545): Psalm XXXIIII ( Memento of the original from June 5, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Volker Harm: Introduction to Lexicology. WBG, Darmstadt 2015 (Introduction to German Studies), ISBN 978-3-534-26384-4 , p. 50
