Epizeuxis

In rhetoric, epizeuxis is the repetition of a word or phrase in immediate succession, typically within the same sentence, for vehemence or emphasis.[1] A closely related rhetorical device is diacope, which involves word repetition that is broken up by a single intervening word, or a small number of intervening words.[2]

For the genus of moth, see Epizeuxis (moth).

As a rhetorical device, epizeuxis is utilized to create an emotional appeal, thereby inspiring and motivating the audience. However, epizeuxis can also be used for comic effect.[3]

Examples
  • "Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."—Winston Churchill
  • "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time..."—Macbeth
  • "The horror, the horror"—Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
  • "Scotch, scotch, scotch, scotchy, scotchy scotch."—Ron Burgundy, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
  • "Well, Well, Well,..." — John Lennon, Well Well Well

See also

References
  1. Arthur Quinn, Figures of Speech, Gibbs M. Smith, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, 1982.
  2. "Epizeuxis". Literary Devices. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022.
  3. Gerard Hauser, Introduction to Rhetorical Theory, Waveland Press, Illinois, 2002.


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