parataxis
|pa-ra-tax-is|
/ˌpærəˈtæksɪs/
placing side-by-side (without subordination)
Etymology
'parataxis' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the word 'παράταξις' (parátaxis), where 'para-' meant 'beside' and 'taxis' meant 'arrangement' or 'ordering'.
'parataxis' passed into Latin/Neo-Latin scholarly usage as 'parataxis' and was adopted into English technical and literary vocabulary (from Greek/Latin) in modern times to describe syntactic and rhetorical arrangement.
Initially it literally meant 'placing side by side' ('beside arrangement'); over time it came to denote the specific grammatical/rhetorical technique of placing clauses or phrases in sequence without subordination.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the placing of clauses, phrases, or words one after another without the use of coordinating or subordinating conjunctions (e.g., “I came, I saw, I conquered”).
The poet's use of parataxis—short, stacked sentences—gives the passage a rapid, breathless rhythm.
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Noun 2
in syntax and stylistics, a broader technique of arranging elements side by side without hierarchical (subordinate) relations, often to create immediacy or starkness.
In journalistic prose, parataxis can make statements sound more direct and urgent.
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Last updated: 2025/08/29 16:45