Literary notes about Periodic (AI summary)
The term "periodic" appears in literature with a wide range of meanings that evoke repetition, regularity, and rhythmic cycles. In certain texts, it describes inherent natural or human rhythms—whether referring to the pulsations of life itself ([1]) or ceremonial events that both kindle and feed ancient ritualistic practices ([2], [3], [4]). It also designates structured literary techniques, as seen in discussions of periodic sentences that deliberately build suspense by deferring the main clause ([5], [6]), while in other contexts it marks routine or cyclical administrative processes like tax filings or digests ([7], [8]). Moreover, its usage can extend to historical narratives that highlight recurring social and political events ([9], [10]), demonstrating the term’s versatility and symbolic richness in literary expression.
- So breath and nutrition, feeling and thought, come in pulsations; they have only a periodic and rhythmic sort of actuality.
— from The Life of Reason: The Phases of Human Progress by George Santayana - The general conclusion is, that at those periodic or occasional ceremonies the ancient Aryans both kindled and fed the fire with the sacred oak-wood.
— from The Golden Bough: A Study of Magic and Religion by James George Frazer - The Periodic Expulsion of Evils THE EXPULSION of evils, from being occasional, tends to become periodic.
— from The Golden Bough: A Study of Magic and Religion by James George Frazer - The speed or slowness of his recognition of such periodic or cyclic changes in nature will depend largely on the length of the particular cycle.
— from The Golden Bough: A Study of Magic and Religion by James George Frazer - Nor does it hold in periodic sentences in which the interruption is a deliberately used means of creating suspense (see examples under Rule 18 ).
— from The Elements of Style by William Strunk - The effectiveness of the periodic sentence arises from the prominence which it gives to the main statement.
— from The Elements of Style by William Strunk - your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return.
— from Relativity : the Special and General Theory by Albert Einstein - Others will send a periodic digest (weekly, monthly, etc.).
— from The Online World by Odd De Presno - —The growth of periodic literature accelerated this liberalizing movement.
— from A History of the Philippines by David P. Barrows - I might be in the midst of a band of such desperadoes as only half a century of periodic revolution can produce.
— from Dracula's Guest by Bram Stoker
