anacoluthon

American  

[an-uh-kuh-loo-thon] / ˌæn ə kəˈlu θɒn /

noun

Rhetoric.

anacolutha plural

1. a construction involving a break in grammatical sequence, as

   It makes me so—I just get angry.

2. an instance of anacoluthia.

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anacoluthon British  

/ ˌænəkəˈluːθɒn /

noun

1. rhetoric a construction that involves the change from one grammatical sequence to another within a single sentence; an example of anacoluthia

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• anacolutha
  plural

Etymology

Origin of anacoluthon

1700–10; < Greek anakólouthon, neuter of anakólouthos not following, equivalent to an- an- ¹ + akólouthos marching together ( a- together + kolouth-, gradational variant of keleuth- road, march + -os adj. suffix

Example Sentences

In speaking, he is prone to anacoluthon – sentences whose grammar collapses – and reflexive repetition.

From The Guardian • Jan. 13, 2017

Borisimus has an instinctive grasp of rhetorical devices, such as digressio and anacoluthon, that lesser mortals such as myself have spent a lifetime learning.

From The Guardian • Jun. 2, 2013

“Leo Steinberg told me anacoluthon referred to me,” said Ms. Schnabel, while guests streamed into the Hole Gallery on the Bowery, the host of her show.

From New York Times • Dec. 19, 2011

It has also been suggested that the anacoluthon is meant to represent Kent's sleepiness, which prevents him from finishing the sentence, and induces him to dismiss his thoughts and yield to his drowsiness.

From Shakespearean Tragedy Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth by Bradley, A. C. (Andrew Cecil)

C. L. N. A. I. J. The anacoluthon in line 3, and the missing rhyme before the burden, in line 4, are characteristic of Khayyam.

From The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam by Khayyam, Omar