Tricolon

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A tricolon (pl. tricola) is a sentence with three clearly defined parts (cola) of equal length, usually independent clauses and of increasing power.

Veni, vidi, vici

— (Julius Caesar)

"I came; I saw; I conquered."

However, the English is not a true tricolon, for its verbs are not all the same length, as is the case in the Latin.

A tricolon that comprises parts that increase in word length is called a tricolon crescens, or an ascending tricolon, whereas a tricolon that comprises parts that decrease in word length is called a tricolon diminuens, or a descending tricolon.

Abraham Lincoln uses tricola in many of his speeches. His Gettysburg Address has the following phrase: "We cannot dedicate -- we cannot consecrate -- we cannot hallow..." Lincoln writes in his Second Inaugural Address, "with malice toward none, with charity toward all, with firmness in the right...", which becomes the most famous expression in the speech.

[edit] See also

[edit] Related terms

• Hendiatris
• Triad