Theocratic Aid To Kingdom Publishers

Lesson 39

EMPHATIC SENTENCES (Part 1)

A sentence may be grammatically correct in every detail, it may have all its modifiers in their rightful place, the words chosen may carry just the right shade of meaning to express the desired thought, but, with all this, the sentence might lack force and power. It might still be weak and unimpressive, unable to persuade and convince and drive home with irresistible power the vitals of the message to be heralded earth-wide. In short, such a sentence would lack emphasis. How may emphasis be gained?

There are many ways of constructing sentences to make them emphatic, but this one rule applies regardless of the method used: Avoid wordiness. It has been said that words are plentiful. That does not mean to squander them. As Jehovah God told Job, words without knowledge becloud a point. (Job 38:2) Excess wordage covers up and hides vital information. Strip off such excess baggage and the key thought will be revealed clear and strong. A speech or composition gains virility and strength by cutting out all words that do not add to the meaning. Words that contribute nothing but wordage are like barnacles on the sides of a ship: they slow the progress of exposition or argument. As wise King Solomon said, "Let thy words be few"; that is, as few as possible to express the thoughts one has for presentation. (Eccl. 5:2) This principle of word economy applies at all times, but there are different degrees to which it may be carried out. A conversational style naturally has more words than carefully planned sentences, and particularly those wherein pithiness or brevity is made the chief aim. One would not want to reduce wordage so drastically in all sentences, but where emphasis is the aim then this is one means of gaming it. Brief sentences have hard-hitting power. For emphasis' sake, make some sentences "men of few words".

Special emphasis and clearness of thought may be gained by skillful repetition of important words or phrases in a sentence, or by repetition of the same form of sentence. This is aptly illustrated in Revelation 22:17, where the word "come" is repeated three times; also in Matthew 5: 3-11, where the key word "blessed" is emphasized by its appearing as the first word of each sentence in nine consecutive verses.

In the belief that repetition of an important word may result in monotony (if the deliberately repeated word is a key one and merits the special attention thus focused on it, emphasis rather than monotony is the result), some substitute synonyms in its place. By this practice a word or sentence that should be outstanding becomes commonplace, and means no more to the listener than any other word or sentence in the composition. It sinks to the ordinary level of the rest of the material; it no longer stands in bold relief, commanding special notice. If Paul had thus weakened his words at 1 Corinthians 13:11, they might read: "When I was a child, I spake as an infant, I understood as a youngster, I thought as one not mature: but when I became a man, I put away simple things." The statement would be correct, but not particularly emphatic. Paul made it emphatic, saying: "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." Repetition of the principal word "child" is not monotonous, but proves very effective. For further illustrations, see Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; 2 Corinthians 11:26; and 1 Corinthians 9: 20-22.

Emphasis may be further attained by placing the most striking words at the beginning or the end of a sentence. These are the most prominent positions; hence words appearing at the beginning and the end are certain to be more firmly imbedded in the hearer's mind. This explains why periodic sentences are more emphatic and striking than loose sentences: the essential key-word of the sen-

tence is held till the very last, then with its occurrence full meaning is suddenly released for the entire sentence. Periodic sentences create suspense, and with the ending of suspense comes emphasis.

Emphasis may be struck on a word or phrase by taking it out of its natural setting or order in a sentence and putting it elsewhere; usually at the other prominent position, the beginning. This is known as transposition, or inversion. In English sentences the subject generally precedes the predicate, an adjective precedes the noun it modifies, while phrases and clauses are placed immediately after the word or words to which they relate. In these natural positions none of the words or phrases attract special attention. But transpose, change the setting of the words by moving them out of their natural position, and attention is instantly directed thereto.

In a previous paragraph Matthew 5:3-11 was referred to to show how the word "blessed" was emphasized by repetition; but it may now be noted that it is made doubly emphatic by adding to repetition the device of transposition. In its first occurrence, for instance, it would ordinarily come in the predicate: "The poor in spirit are blessed." But transposition makes it read, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." This literary maneuver is used throughout these verses, and emphasis is manifest. Jesus used transposition several times in this discourse. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Normally the sentence would read, "The gate is strait, and the way which leadeth unto life is narrow, and there be few that find it." Isn't that weak in comparison? Strait, narrow, and few are the important words, but their significance is lost in the natural order. Transposition practically throws them at the reader. (Matt. 7:14; see also verse 20) Examples of forcefulness gained by transposition of phrases and clauses may be found in Romans 10:10 and Proverbs 29:2, respectively.

In creating emphasis there are other structural devices that can be used to good effect. These will be offered in the succeeding lesson.