How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Synesis

Techniques > Use of language > Figures of speech > Synesis

Method | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Synesis is the unification of words and ideas.

Example

We, the people.

The cogs are the clock.

Let's buy these.

Discussion

Synesis is the pulling together of things. It makes separate items into one item or at least joins them in some way so they are thought of together.

It is often used invisibly in normal speech, which makes it a simple yet powerful device in changing minds. If you say 'we' then you are connecting yourself with the other person, so your beliefs and actions must also be theirs.

Many words describing items which are actually assemblies of individual parts, such as 'government', 'car', a fact that may be indicated in words, making implicit synesis explicit.

Synesis can be used to deliberately bring things together that do not usually go together, for specific effect, such as 'A zoo of statues, cars and moving bars'.

Classification: Rearrangement