anacoluthon: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2/RareFormal, Technical (linguistics, rhetoric, literary analysis)
Quick answer
What does “anacoluthon” mean?
A grammatical inconsistency or shift in construction within a sentence.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A grammatical inconsistency or shift in construction within a sentence.
A rhetorical device where a sentence changes structure mid-way, creating a broken or unexpected effect for emphasis, emotion, or stylistic purpose.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or application. The term is equally esoteric in both varieties.
Connotations
Highly technical, scholarly. Used almost exclusively in academic or literary critique.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general use, but slightly more likely in British university essays on classical rhetoric.
Grammar
How to Use “anacoluthon” in a Sentence
The text contains an [anacoluthon].The author employs anacoluthon to convey confusion.It's an anacoluthon, where the syntax breaks.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anacoluthon” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No standard verb form exists.]
American English
- [No standard verb form exists.]
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverb form exists.]
American English
- [No standard adverb form exists.]
adjective
British English
- The passage's anacoluthic structure mirrors the speaker's mental state.
American English
- His anacoluthic writing style was analysed in the dissertation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in linguistics, rhetoric, classical studies, and literary analysis to describe stylistic or grammatical features.
Everyday
Never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
The primary domain of use. Precise term for a specific rhetorical/stylistic phenomenon.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “anacoluthon”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “anacoluthon”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anacoluthon”
- Misspelling: 'anacolutha' (plural is 'anacolutha' or 'anacoluthons').
- Pronouncing the 'th' as in 'thin' (it's /θ/ as in 'thin').
- Confusing it with 'anachronism'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While it can be an unintentional error in formal writing, it is often a deliberate stylistic or rhetorical device in speech and literature to convey emotion, spontaneity, or disordered thought.
Anacoluthon involves a shift or change in grammatical construction. Aposiopesis is a specific type of break where the speaker trails off or leaves a sentence unfinished, often for dramatic effect.
Yes. From Shakespeare's 'King Lear': "I will have such revenges on you both, / That all the world shall—I will do such things..." The sentence shifts abruptly from declaring what the world shall see to a fragmented vow.
Almost never. It is a highly specialised term known primarily to students and scholars of language, rhetoric, or literature. It is not part of general vocabulary.
A grammatical inconsistency or shift in construction within a sentence.
Anacoluthon is usually formal, technical (linguistics, rhetoric, literary analysis) in register.
Anacoluthon: in British English it is pronounced /ˌænəkəˈluːθɒn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌænəkəˈluθɑːn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms. The word itself is technical.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: "ANother ACcidental LOgical paTH that's ONly half-finished" -> AN-AC-O-LUTH-ON. Imagine starting a sentence one way and suddenly switching tracks.
Conceptual Metaphor
A TRAIN SWITCHING TRACKS MID-JOURNEY; A BROKEN THREAD.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'anacoluthon' MOST likely to be used?