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Zeugma is a clause where a single verb or noun governs multiple parts. Syllepsis is a type of zeugma where a noun or verb takes on different meanings between sentences. Different types of zeugma include prozeugma, hypozeugma, mesozeugma, and diazeugma.
A zeugma is a type of clause in which a single verb or noun is used to govern multiple parts within it. One way this can be formed is when a verb is used with a number of nouns, even if the verb is only stated once. This can also be created using a single noun and multiple verbs that are used and governed by this noun. There is a particular type of zeugma called syllepsis which uses a single governmental noun or verb which adopts different meanings based on the other sentences.
The way a zeugma is formed is quite simple, in that a single part of a sentence is used repeatedly to govern other parts even though it is not actually repeated. A common way this is created is through a verb that is used once explicitly and then implicitly in other sentences. A prozeugma, for example, is a sentence in which the governing verb is affirmed at the beginning and implied repeatedly such as “He ate a hamburger, she a salad, the son a portion of fries and the family dog a big bone.” . ” In this example, the verb “eaten” is quoted only once, but in each subsequent sentence it is suggested and used through the omission of repetitive words.
Other types of zeugma include a hypozeugma, where the governing verb appears at the end of a clause. An example of this would be: “He with a smile, she with a laugh, the boy with a leap and the girl walked with a whistle on her lips”. Mesozeugma is a clause in which the governing verb appears in the middle of the sentence. This can be found in a sentence like: “He willingly, she slowly, they walked together, the son zigzagging and the daughter backwards”.
In contrast to these, there are also types of zeugma which are formed through the use of a governing noun, with verbs referring to it. This is referred to as a diazeugma and the noun can be located anywhere in the clause, although it is often found at the beginning for the sake of clarity. An example of this type of zeugma would be: “The man and the woman walked together, laughed merrily, danced and ran in the rain, then separated at midnight.” In this example, the noun phrase “the man and the woman” is the dominant noun referred to by each verb phrase that follows.
There is a specific form of zeugma called syllepsis which uses a governing noun or verb that takes on different meanings between two or more sentences. For example, syllexis can be formed into a statement such as “she has lost her keys, wallet and mind”. In this example, the governmental verb “lost” refers to the fact that the subject, “He”, has lost his keys and wallet, but for the last sentence the meaning changes to a colloquialism. Syllepsis is often used for ironic or comic effect as the change in meaning is often unexpected.
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