Seguivates

Seguivates is a fictional term used in speculative narratology and worldbuilding to describe a narrative device that signals the forthcoming repetition or echo of events across scenes or chapters. The concept is presented as a way to discuss how stories create coherence through cyclical patterns, echoes, or mirrored structures rather than by a single linear progression.

Etymology and scope: The word seguivates is a coined combination intended to evoke “following” and “prophecy.” In the imagined usage, seguivates function as markers that guide readers toward recognizing future or recurring connections within a narrative, thereby shaping anticipation and memory. It is not an established term in formal linguistics or literary studies, but appears in discussions and glossaries within worldbuilding and speculative fiction contexts.

Characteristics: Seguivates may take multiple forms, including recurring motifs, repeated phrases, parallel scene construction, or deliberate echoes that link disparate parts of a story. They differ from simple foreshadowing by emphasizing pattern and recurrence rather than a singular hint, and from leitmotifs by their broader narrative scaffolding rather than a single character association.

Reception and critique: Because seguivates are a fictional construct, debates about their utility center on narrative clarity, pacing, and reader experience. Proponents argue that explicitly naming such devices helps analyze how authors shape long-range coherence, while critics caution against over-structuring a story or relying on pattern recognition at the expense of spontaneity.

See also: Foreshadowing, Leitmotif, Narrative coherence, Non-linear storytelling.