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Does this literary device/technique have a name? (beehaw.org)

submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by EponymousBosh@beehaw.org to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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So John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats does this thing in some of his lyrics where he'll start a sentence out with a verb as though it's an imperative, but it's from a first-person POV. There's a lot of examples but the song "Counterfeit Florida Plates" is the one that comes to mind first, for me. Is there a technical term for what he's doing here?

EDIT: changed wording to be less ambiguous

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[–] neptune@dmv.social 24 points 10 months ago (2 children)

If I understand it correctly, it may be a garden path sentence. The usual construction of a garden path sentence is where a sentence, when read, the part of speech for a word is different than immediately considered.

The old man the boats.

Here it seems when considered a word at a time that the old man.... Oh wait "man" is not the subject of the sentence, "Old" is not an adjective.

[–] EponymousBosh@beehaw.org 6 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (3 children)

Not exactly, but I don't blame you for being confused. I didn't realize my own wording was ambiguous! "Counterfeit Florida Plates" is the name of the song where the type of lyrics I'm referring to are used. An example:

Steal some sunscreen/From the CVS/Use too much/And make a great big mess/Wait where shadows/Mask or hide my scent

Normally a sentence starting with a verb like that is an imperative or a command, with "you" being the understood subject. But here, the narrator is talking about himself in first person ("mask or hide my scent"). So I was wondering if that usage had a name.

[–] Nemo@midwest.social 12 points 10 months ago

He's dropping the I, eg.

I steal some sunscreen

I use too much

I wait

[–] dfyx@lemmy.helios42.de 4 points 10 months ago

As you’re specifically asking for a name: it’s a form of ellipsis, specifically one in which the sentences‘ subject is dropped.

[–] neptune@dmv.social 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Thanks for not blaming me.

According to Google, a garden path sentence is one that misleads or tricks. Part of speech doesn't seem to be a definitional feature. Unless someone comes up with a better answer, I think I might be right.

[–] MxRemy@lemmy.one 5 points 10 months ago

Huh, TIL... these are really cool!