THE WAYS OF USING PUN AND ZEUGMA IN ENGLISH POETRY
Abstract
A zeugma is a figure of speech in which oane "governing" word or
phrase modifies two distinct parts of a sentence. Often, the governing word will mean
something different when applied to each part, as in the sentence, "He took his
coat and his vacation." The verb "to take" makes sense with and governs both "coat"
and "vacation," but is appropriate to each in a different way.Some additional key details
about zeugma:Zeugma is occasionally called syllepsis, but there's some debate over
whether these two terms really mean the same thing.Some zeugma play with a double
meaning of the governing word, while others hinge on grammar.Some people believe
that in order to be considered a proper zeugma, a sentence must have a comedic or
dramatic effect. However, it is generally agreed that no particular effect is required for
a given phrase to be considered zeugma.Zeugma PronunciationHere's how to
pronounce zeugma: zoog-muh Zeugma in Depth Zeugma can be complicated to
understand because it's a flexible term, and many sentence constructions
that seem quite different from one another can all qualify as zeugma. Understanding
how all the different types and examples of zeugma relate to one another makes it easier
to grasp the overall concept.