Chapter 1:
In Chapter 1, Lanham goes over the different noun and verb styles of different texts showing the effects that they have in the sentence. He states that choosing noun and verb styles leads to a pattern creating a characteristic syntax.
Chapter 2:
(from class notes)
Parataxis: joining independent clauses
Hypotaxis: an independent clause and subordinate clause
Chapter 3:
I honestly do not understand the Periodic and running styles. Lanham provides examples but doesn't clearly state what either of the styles are meant to do. It makes me want to yell at him, "JUST TELL US ALREADY!"
But periodic style relates to hypotactic?
and the running style is paratactic? I still don't really know what this means...
Chapter 5:
voiced prose suggests a transcription of speech and has personality and style
unvoiced lacks this...
Okay. About periodic and running. The periodic style comes across as planned in advance. For instance:
ReplyDeleteEverything I thought, everything I said, everything I wrote and etched and signaled with flairs by the side of the road was in preparation for my suicide.
See? It's periodic: not just because it doesn't make sense till you get to the end - it FEELS PLANNED. Running is the opposite. It feels like you're making it up as you go along. It's good to create a sense that whatever you're writing about is happening NOW:
She danced to the middle of the floor. Then looked up at the mirror ball. It was spinning. The floor was spinning. She had had too much too drink. Oh, God, much too much. She felt the beef stoganoff rising in her stomach. She had to get out of here. But suddenly "Boogie Oogie Oogie" came on and the floor was full of people She couldn't escape.
Get it now?