interjection
C1Academic, Technical, Formal
Definition
Meaning
A word or phrase spoken suddenly to express a feeling such as surprise, pain, or joy.
1) In grammar, a lexical category or part of speech for such words. 2) An instance of interrupting a conversation with a sudden remark.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a grammatical term, it denotes a word class that is typically outside the syntax of a sentence and expresses a speaker's emotion, reaction, or hesitation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word as a grammatical term is identical. Minor differences exist in the specific inventory of interjections used in casual speech (e.g., UK 'bloody hell', US 'jeez').
Connotations
Neutral and technical.
Frequency
Equally frequent in academic linguistic contexts in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[to + verb] interjectioninterjection of [noun (emotion)]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “without so much as an interjection”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Used only in discussions about communication style, e.g., 'He listened to the proposal without a single interjection.'
Academic
Common in linguistics and grammar textbooks.
Everyday
Used when describing an interruption in speech.
Technical
The precise term for a part of speech in grammatical analysis.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- 'Wow!' is an interjection.
- 'Ouch!' she cried, using a common interjection for pain.
- The speaker was annoyed by the constant interjections from the audience.
- In grammatical analysis, the vocative case and interjections are often treated as peripheral elements.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of INTERJECTION as an INTERRUPTION with an INJECTION of emotion.
Conceptual Metaphor
LANGUAGE IS A FLOW (an interjection disrupts the flow)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'интеръекция' (injection). The correct equivalent is 'междометие'. The false friend 'интеръекция' refers to a medical injection.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'interjection' with 'injection'.
- Using 'interjection' to mean any interruption, not just a verbal one.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT typically a feature of an interjection?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in traditional grammar, interjection is one of the eight parts of speech.
Yes, phrases like 'oh my god', 'good grief', or 'by jove' are considered interjectional phrases.
They are often followed by an exclamation mark when expressing strong emotion, but a comma is used for milder interjections.
No, interjections typically have no grammatical connection to the rest of the sentence; they are independent.
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