Figura etymologica

The etymological figure (Latin figura etymology ) is a figure of speech in which a verb and a noun with the same stem (eg, fighting and combat) are connected: a battle to fight.

This stylistic device can be used for emphasis or reinforcement of word meaning. It is a special case of Polyptotons.

Grammar

The noun is in the accusative ( here called accusative of content ) and serves as an object (also called cognate object ).

In this construction can also be a verb and lead a direct object. Example: To sleep there is usually no direct object (* he sleeps him or * he sleeps it is ungrammatical ), but you can sleep a peaceful sleep.

Another example of the accusative of the content is a heroic death to die. However, it is not here is an etymological figure, because the words dying and death are etymologically unrelated.

In terms of etymology is what the etymological character, strictly speaking, not the root word, but to the common root word.

Examples

• " An uphill battle to fight "
• " Do a good deed "
• " A beautiful life to live"
• " Even a game I will play there with thee " (Goethe, Erlkönig )