Elegant variation

The change in expression is a rhetorical figure, which is to avoid monotony caused by repetition. The avoidance is effected for example by the use of synonyms, an abstraction or paraphrases ( periphrases ) instead of repetition. Broader preambles that include the change of expression, the terms variations and also Inkonzinnität.

In the following example, the term "moon " instead of a second mention is replaced by " earth satellite ":

" Even many years after the first landing of man on the moon the earth's satellite is still harbors some secrets. "

In scientific texts (even in an encyclopedia ) the change in expression is usually undesirable because it complicates the understanding. For descriptions and metaphors must be recognized as such, which definitely takes time and often requires contextual knowledge. At least reduces the change in the expression of the accuracy of a text, because real synonyms that perfectly match each other in style and level of importance, are very rare.

Even outside of scientific texts is the change in expression as a stylistic device controversial. Celebrities style watchers as Wolf Schneider and Ludwig Reiners reject it for two reasons:

The closest English term " Elegant variation" was Henry Watson Fowler (1858 - 1933) coined. The word "elegant" is pejorative, because Fowler held the avoidance of repetitions for exaggerated and harmful.