Introduction
And who says repetition is always bad? Repetition is a strong device of emphasis in pragmatics. Pragmatics is the branch of Linguistics that deals with language use in context. World-acclaimed public speakers, debaters, poets, writers, and other professionals of Language Arts have distinguished themselves with a remarkable application of repetition in their trade. Notable among these literary gurus is Martin Luther King Jr, whose world-class speech titled: “I have a Dream”, has been highly beautified by the tool of repetition. Let us consider the following illustrative sentences to maximize our understanding of this discourse:
Illustration
● EVIL is not as provocative as the defense of EVIL. [Emphasis is on EVIL].
● When the CRIMINALS dressed in religious gowns dared the Son of Gbewaa, he stripped the CRIMINALS naked and exposed the CRIMINALS to public ridicule. [Emphasis is on CRIMINALS].
● If you kill by the SWORD, you will die by the SWORD. [Emphasis is on SWORD].
It is instructive to state that the repeated word in each of the sentences above can be represented by a pronoun. Examples:
● EVIL is not as provocative as the defense of IT.
● When the CRIMINALS dressed in religious gowns dared the Son of Gbewaa, he stripped THEM naked and exposed THEM to public ridicule.
● If you kill by the SWORD, you will die by IT.
Let us consider examples from “I have a Dream”:
● “But ONE HUNDRED YEARS LATER, the Negro is still not free. ONE HUNDRED YEARS LATER, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and chains of discrimination. ONE HUNDRED YEARS LATER, the Negro still lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. ONE HUNDRED YEARS LATER, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land.” (Emphasis mine).
Another example from Abraham Lincoln:
● “Democracy is the government of the PEOPLE, by the PEOPLE, for the PEOPLE.” (Emphasis mine).
Conclusion
Dear reader, it is important to differentiate unnecessary repetition from stylistic repetition. Failure to consider these differences may lead to convoluted constructions and ridiculous verbiage. This way, sense may be mutilated, and line of reasoning uglified.
Dedication
This discourse is dedicated to Mr. M. D. Jalal of Jeddah in recognition of a special treat he extended to LITERARY DISCOURSE and other Ghanaian pilgrims in the Holy City of Mecca. May Allah bless him and his family. Ameen.
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