strange interlude: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowLiterary/Academic
Quick answer
What does “strange interlude” mean?
The title of a 1928 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Eugene O'Neill, characterized by its experimental form.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The title of a 1928 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Eugene O'Neill, characterized by its experimental form.
An unusual, unexpected, or disruptive break in continuity, pattern, or sequence. Often used metaphorically to describe an odd or jarring pause or episode within a larger narrative.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In both regions, the primary reference is to O'Neill's play. Metaphorical use is slightly more likely in American English due to the play's prominence in the American theatrical canon.
Connotations
Evokes Modernist literature, psychological depth, experimental narrative techniques (e.g., characters speaking their inner thoughts as asides).
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday conversation. Almost exclusively used in literary criticism, theatre studies, or as a deliberate, educated metaphor.
Grammar
How to Use “strange interlude” in a Sentence
[Subject/Event] was a strange interlude in [Larger Context]Life/the war/the meeting contained a strange interlude where...Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. 'The company's foray into themed restaurants was a strange interlude in its otherwise steady history of software development.'
Academic
Literary analysis: 'The soliloquies in Hamlet function as a strange interlude, revealing the prince's fractured psyche.'
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be used self-consciously: 'That summer we spent on the commune was a strange interlude in my life.'
Technical
Theatre/Performance Studies: 'O'Neill's use of the aside in Strange Interlude broke the fourth wall to expose subconscious desire.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “strange interlude”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “strange interlude”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “strange interlude”
- Using it to mean any short break. It must carry a connotation of oddness or disruption. Confusing it with 'intermission'. Capitalizing it when used metaphorically (only capitalize when referring directly to the play's title).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when referring specifically to Eugene O'Neill's play. When using it as a common metaphorical phrase, it is often written in lowercase: 'a strange interlude'.
It would be unnatural and overly literary. The term implies a more significant, often psychological or narrative, disruption, not a routine pause.
No. It is a low-frequency, literary term. Most native speakers would recognize it as a play title, but its metaphorical use is niche.
It is an episode that feels tonally, thematically, or psychologically distinct and somewhat jarring within the larger flow of events, often prompting reflection or signifying a turning point.
The title of a 1928 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Eugene O'Neill, characterized by its experimental form.
Strange interlude is usually literary/academic in register.
Strange interlude: in British English it is pronounced /streɪndʒ ˈɪn.tə.luːd/, and in American English it is pronounced /streɪndʒ ˈɪn.t̬ɚ.luːd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A Strange Interlude moment (a sudden, introspective pause in an otherwise social situation)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
STRANGE INTERLUDE = STRANGE (weird) + INTER (between) + LUDE (to play). Think: 'A weird piece of drama played out in the middle of something else.'
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A NARRATIVE / A STRANGE INTERLUDE IS AN ANOMALOUS CHAPTER.
Practice
Quiz
The phrase 'strange interlude' originates from: