ABSTRACT
The syntax of thought is defined. The author argues that neurosis and unconscious neurotic thought are consequences of the massive repression that takes place at the end of the oedipal phase of development. He notes that the syntax of neurotic thought is that of the oedipal child. It is characterized by the ability to anticipate consequences, tied to the inability to distinguish fantasy from reality, belief in the omnipotence of thought, the conviction that the child is the author of all important events, and the expectation that others share his motivations and wishes. It is also marked by conscious access to aggressive and sexual desires. Clinical examples show how neurotic syntax appears in the adult patient.
