Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Anacoluthon |
AnacoluthonNoun1. An abrupt change within a sentence from one syntactic structure to another. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Etymology: Anacoluthon \An`a*co*lu"thon\, noun. [from Greek expression not following, wanting sequence; 'an priv. following.]. (references) |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
An anacoluthon is a rhetorical device that can be loosely defined as a change of syntax within a sentence. More specifically, anacoluthons (or "anacoluthia") are created when a sentence abruptly changes from one structure to another.
Anacoluthon is often used in stream of consciousness writing, such as that of James Joyce, because it is characteristic of informal human thought.
Examples
- Agreements entered into when one state of facts exists -- are they to be maintained regardless of changing conditions? (John George Diefenbaker)
- Had ye been there--for what could that have done? (John Milton in Lycidas)
Etymology
The word 'anacoluthon' comes from the Greek 'anakolouthon' which translates to "inconsistency in logic". This, in turn, is the result of the prefix an (not) combined with the root akolouthos (following).
See Also:
Anapodoton is a specific type of anacoluthon.Anacoluthon is sometimes (wrongly) confused with anacoloutha.
External Links
Silva Rhetoricae referenceSource: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Anacoluthon."
Synonym: AnacoluthonSynonym: anacoluthia (n). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Discontinuity | Noun: discontinuity; disjunction; anacoluthon; interruption, break, fracture, flaw, fault, crack, cut; gap; (interval); solution of continuity, caesura; broken thread; parenthesis, episode, rhapsody, patchwork; intermission; alternation; (periodicity); dropping fire. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
| Language | Translations for "anacoluthon"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Bulgarian | граматическа непоследователност, анаколут. (various references) | |
Italian | anacoluto. (various references) | |
Pig Latin | anacoluthonay.(various references) | |
Spanish | anacoluto. (various references) | |
Swedish | anakolut. (various references) | |
Turkish | anakolüt, cümledeki anlam uyuşmazlığı. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "anacoluthon": anacoluthons. (additional references) | |
| |
"Anacoluthon" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: anaclouthon, anacoluthan, anakoluthon. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| Words rhyming with "anacoluthon" (pronounced 'An`a*co*lu"thon'): Antichthon, Autochthon, Ornithon, Python. (additional references) |
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-a-c-h-l-n-n-o-o-t-u" | |
-3 letters: cantonal, oolachan. | |
-4 letters: anconal, cannula, canthal, coolant, noncola, octanol, unlatch. | |
-5 letters: actual, annual, atonal, cahoot, cannot, canola, canton, canula, catalo, chalot, chaunt, choana, coolth, lacuna, launch, lochan, nautch, nounal, nuchal, toucan, uncool. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-a-c-h-l-n-n-o-o-t-u" | |
+1 letter: anacoluthons. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
