Syntax and literature are intertwined and cannot be separated. Syntax gives meaning to words in literature and affects it greatly. Understanding syntax helps writers convey different meanings and elicit certain responses. Proper syntax is necessary for literature to convey a deeper sense of meaning or state of mind. The author has leeway in developing sentences to create moods and convey thoughts. Syntax in literature begins with the typical construction of subject and verb, which must agree or be conjugated correctly. Translating literary works from one language to another requires choosing syntactic structures that accurately represent the precise meaning found in the original.
Syntax and literature are so important and dependent on each other that they cannot be separated. Syntax in literature gives the sum of words meaning in a way that simply listing the words would never do. Syntax affects literature in a big way, because without proper syntax literature simply wouldn’t exist, nor would many of the subtleties that academics and casual readers like to ponder. By looking at syntax in literature, writers can use it in numerous ways to convey different meanings and elicit certain responses.
To examine the role of syntax in the literature, it is first necessary to understand exactly what syntax is. Syntax is defined as the structure and placement of words for the purpose of creating sentences. Usually, the syntax is not concerned with the placement of punctuation, although punctuation can help the reader determine where in the sentence some emphasis is. Such grammatical marks can help convey an even deeper meaning than syntax alone.
Following the rules of language, syntax in literature helps to convey meaning. Wording can help the reader determine who is speaking and the general mood the author wishes to convey, in a logical way. Readers typically expect some flow of syntax. In some cases, as with EE Cummings, syntax provided a figurative canvas for poetic expression that intentionally broke the rules of the English language to create a unique look and feel. Poetry is an area where the syntax often differs from its usage in other written forms.
Without proper syntax, literature would simply be a list of words that conveyed no particular meaning. Some have likened literature without syntax to words in a dictionary. While all words mean something, they aren’t strung together in any way that conveys a deeper sense of meaning or state of mind.
In most literature, the syntax takes a standard form that most can recognize. Despite this standard form, the author still has a great deal of leeway in developing sentences to create moods and convey thoughts. The author can choose longer sentences or shorter sentences. He or she may use larger words that flow or shorter words that help break up the passage. The possibilities are virtually endless.
Syntax in literature, at least in most literary forms, begins with the typical construction of subject and verb. The subject and the verb must agree or be conjugated correctly. In English, this usually involves putting an “s” or “ed” at the end of the verb, or just leaving it alone. In other languages, verb forms can be much more complex and incorporate many different ending forms. These forms, in some languages, can be used to infer what the subject is, thus replacing the need to mention the subject in all cases; as a result, when literary works are translated from one language to another, one of the great challenges is choosing syntactic structures in the target language that accurately represent the precise meaning found in the original.
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