Tricolon: A Rhetorical Device

Tricolon: Etymology/Term, Literal and Conceptual Meanings

Etymology/Term:

The term “tricolon” is derived from the Greek word “trikolon,” where “tri” means three and “kōlon” refers to a unit or clause. In rhetoric, a tricolon is a figure of speech characterized by the repetition of three parallel elements or phrases in a series. It is a structurally balanced and rhythmically pleasing device often employed for emphasis, creating a memorable and impactful effect in written and spoken discourse.

Literal and Conceptual Meanings:

Literal Meaning	Conceptual Meaning
Three parallel elements or phrases	Emphasizes and reinforces ideas
Structurally balanced arrangement	Enhances rhythm and cadence in language
Repetition for rhetorical impact	Creates a sense of completeness and memorability
Found in various forms of communication	Adds a sense of symmetry and aesthetic appeal
Commonly used in speeches and writing	Amplifies the significance of the conveyed message

Tricolon, with its origins in ancient rhetoric, continues to be a powerful linguistic tool, utilized across different genres to underscore ideas, evoke emotion, and enhance the overall impact of communication.

Tricolon: Definition as a Rhetorical Device

A tricolon is a rhetorical device characterized by the repetition of three parallel grammatical structures, phrases, or clauses in a series. This deliberate and rhythmic arrangement creates a sense of balance and emphasis, making the expression more memorable and impactful. Widely used in speeches, writing, and oratory, tricolons contribute to effective persuasion and the enhancement of rhetorical appeal.

Tricolon: Types and Examples

Type of Tricolon	Example
Isocolon Tricolon	“Veni, vidi, vici.” (I came, I saw, I conquered.)
Gradatio Tricolon	“The difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer, but miracles may require a tad more time.”
Epistrophe Tricolon	“Government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
Anaphora Tricolon	“With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope; with this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood; with this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together.” – Martin Luther King Jr. in “I Have a Dream” speech

This table provides examples of different types of tricolons, illustrating the use of repetition in various forms for rhetorical effect.

Tricolon: Examples in Everyday Life

1. Speech Expressions:
   • “Ready, set, go!”
2. Restaurant Menus:
   • “Appetizers, main courses, desserts.”
3. Daily Routine:
   • “Wake up, get dressed, have breakfast.”
4. Shopping Lists:
   • “Milk, eggs, bread.”
5. Work Tasks:
   • “Plan, execute, evaluate.”
6. Communication:
   • “Listen, understand, respond.”
7. Fitness Routine:
   • “Warm-up, workout, cool down.”
8. Travel Plans:
   • “Pack, travel, explore.”
9. Study Habits:
   • “Read, take notes, review.”
10. Project Development:
    • “Research, design, implement.”

Tricolons are not limited to formal or literary contexts; they often appear in everyday language, providing a rhythmic and structured way of expressing ideas or actions. These examples showcase how tricolons naturally manifest in various aspects of daily life.

Tricolon in Literature: Examples

1. William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”:
   • “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”
2. Charles Dickens’s “A Tale of Two Cities”:
   • “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…”
3. Langston Hughes’s “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”:
   • “I’ve known rivers: I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins.”
4. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”:
   • “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
5. Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”:
   • “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
6. Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”:
   • “The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep.”
7. Homer’s “The Odyssey”:
   • “Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy.”
8. George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”:
   • “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
9. J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”:
   • “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”
10. Emily Dickinson’s Poetry:
    • “Hope is the thing with feathers, That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all.”

These examples showcase the use of tricolons in various literary works, enhancing rhythm, emphasis, and memorability in the language.

Tricolon in Literature: Relevance in Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relevance of Tricolon
Structuralism	Enhances the structural balance in narratives, providing a rhythmic and symmetrical pattern that contributes to the overall coherence of the text.
Rhetorical Analysis	Serves as a powerful rhetorical device, amplifying the persuasive impact of language through repetition, emphasizing key ideas or themes.
New Criticism/Formalism	Focused on the form and structure of literary works, tricolon aligns with the emphasis on the text itself, showcasing the deliberate usage of language for aesthetic and expressive purposes.
Reader-Response Theory	Invokes reader engagement by creating a memorable and rhythmic reading experience, influencing how readers interpret and respond to the text.

Tricolons play a significant role in different literary theories by contributing to the structural, rhetorical, and aesthetic elements of literary works, as well as influencing the reader’s experience and interpretation.

Tricolon in Literature: Relevant Terms

Term	Definition
Tricolon	Repetition of three parallel elements, phrases, or clauses for rhetorical or literary effect.
Rhetoric	The art of persuasive or expressive speaking or writing.
Parallelism	The use of similar grammatical structures for balance and rhythm.
Emphasis	The use of specific words, phrases, or structures to highlight and give importance to ideas.
Apostrophe	A direct address to an absent or imaginary person or thing.
Anaphora	Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.
Epistrophe	Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
Isocolon	Parallelism in sentence structure, where parts are of equal length and rhythm.
Antithesis	Contrasting ideas within parallel structures for emphasis.
Metaphor	A figure of speech where a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

Tricolon in Literature: Suggested Readings

1. Johnson, Robert. A Logic Book: Fundamentals of Reasoning. Wadsworth Publishing, 2017.
2. Baronett, Stan. Logic. Oxford University Press, 2018.
3. Hurley, Patrick J. A Concise Introduction to Logic. Cengage Learning, 2016.
4. Copi, Irving M. and Carl Cohen. Introduction to Logic. Pearson, 2017.
5. Bergmann, Merrie, James Moor, and Jack Nelson. The Logic Book. McGraw-Hill Education, 2019.
6. Sainsbury, R. M. Logical Forms: An Introduction to Philosophical Logic. Wiley-Blackwell, 2019.
7. Copi, Irving M., Carl Cohen, and Kenneth McMahon. Introduction to Logic. Pearson, 2017.
8. Epstein, Richard L. Critical Thinking. Cengage Learning, 2016.
9. Paul, Richard, and Linda Elder. Critical Thinking: The Nature of Critical and Creative Thought. Rowman & Littlefield, 2013.
10. Resnik, Michael D. Choices: An Introduction to Decision Theory. University of Minnesota Press, 1987.