anacoluthon

(an′ə kə lo̵̅o̅t̸hän′)

noun pl. anacolutha or anacoluthons

  1. a change from one grammatical construction to another within the same sentence, sometimes as a rhetorical device
  2. a sentence in which this occurs (Ex.: “A man, young lady! lady, such a man as all the world— why, he's a man of wax!”)

Origin: LGr anakolouthon < Gr, neut. of anakolouthos, inconsequent < an-, not + akolouthos, following: see acolyte

Related Forms:

See anacoluthon in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. an·a·co·lu·thons or an·a·co·lu·tha (-thə)
An abrupt change within a sentence to a second construction inconsistent with the first, sometimes used for rhetorical effect; for example, I warned him that if he continues to drink, what will become of him?

Origin:

Origin: Late Latin

Origin: , from Late Greek anakolouthon, inconsistency in logic

Origin: , from Greek

Origin: , neuter of anakolouthos, inconsistent

Origin: : an-, not; see a-1

Origin: + akolouthos, following (a-, together; see sem-1 in Indo-European roots + keleuthos, path)

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Related Forms:

  • anˌa·co·luˈthic adjective
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