| anacoluthon | |
 |
| an-a-co-lu'-thon | Gk. "lacking sequence" |
A grammatical interruption or lack of implied sequence
within a sentence.
That is, beginning a sentence in a way that implies a certain logical resolution, but concluding it differently than the grammar leads one to expect. Anacoluthon can be either a grammatical fault or a stylistic virtue, depending on its use. In either case, it is an interruption or a verbal lack of symmetry. Anacolouthon is characteristic of spoken language or interior thought, and thus suggests those domains when it occurs in writing. (Not to be confused with anacoloutha)
Example
Athletes convicted of drug-related crimes —are they to be forgiven with just a slap on the wrist?
Related Figures
