digression
Sign in to saveDigression ( [parékbasis] in Greek; , or in Latin) is a section of a composition or speech that marks a temporary shift of subject; the digression ends when the writer or speaker returns to the main topic. Digressions can be used intentionally as a stylistic or rhetorical device.
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Article
9 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Literary use
- 800–500 BCE
- 18th and 19th centuries
- 20th century
- Real-life examples
- See also
- References
- External links
Digression ( [parékbasis] in Greek; , or in Latin) is a section of a composition or speech that marks a temporary shift of subject; the digression ends when the writer or speaker returns to the main topic. Digressions can be used intentionally as a stylistic or rhetorical device.
In classical rhetoric since Corax of Syracuse, especially in Institutio Oratoria of Quintilian, digression was a regular part of any oration or composition. After setting out the topic of a work and establishing the need for attention to be given, the speaker or author would digress to a seemingly disconnected subject before returning to a development of the composition's theme, a proof of its validity, and a conclusion. A schizothemia (from Ancient Greek , ) is a digression by means of a long reminiscence.