Enallage: Etymology, Literal and Conceptual Meanings
Enallage: Etymology and Term
Etymology and Term: The term “enallage” originates from the Greek word “enallagma,” which means “interchange” or “exchange.” In literature, enallage refers to a rhetorical device where grammatical elements such as tense, person, or number are intentionally altered, deviating from standard usage for stylistic or expressive purposes.
Academic Context: Enallage plays a significant role in rhetoric and poetry, adding nuance and creativity to language usage. It is a deliberate departure from grammatical norms, often employed to achieve specific stylistic effects. Through enallage, writers can convey shifts in perspective, emphasize certain ideas, or create a distinct tone within a text. This rhetorical device invites readers to engage with language in a dynamic way, prompting them to interpret the intentional grammatical deviations and uncover deeper layers of meaning.
Literal and Conceptual Meanings of Enallage
Literal Meaning:
- Grammatical Alteration: Enallage involves the intentional deviation from grammatical norms, resulting in the substitution or interchange of grammatical elements such as tense, person, or number.
- Syntax Variation: Enallage can manifest through changes in sentence structure or word order, contributing to a deliberate disruption in the syntactic flow.
- Grammatical Incongruence: This literal interpretation focuses on the observable alterations in grammar that enallage introduces, creating linguistic irregularities for expressive purposes.
Conceptual Meaning:
- Expressive Ambiguity: Enallage introduces ambiguity, challenging readers to decipher the intended meaning behind the grammatical variations. This ambiguity enhances the expressive and interpretive qualities of the text.
- Stylistic Emphasis: Conceptually, enallage serves as a stylistic tool, emphasizing certain ideas, emotions, or perspectives within a narrative or rhetorical context.
- Artistic Freedom: Enallage represents the writer’s artistic freedom to manipulate language, showcasing creativity and originality in expression.
In short, enallage encompasses both literal grammatical alterations and broader conceptual dimensions, making it a versatile and impactful rhetorical device in literary and rhetorical contexts.
Enallage: Definition as a Literary Device
Enallage is a literary device characterized by the intentional grammatical deviation from standard usage, involving the substitution or interchange of grammatical elements such as tense, person, or number. This stylistic choice is employed to create expressive ambiguity, emphasize specific ideas, and contribute to the overall artistic and rhetorical impact of the text. Enallage allows writers to wield linguistic variation for nuanced and heightened effects in literary composition.
Enallage: Types and Examples
| Type of Enallage | Definition | Example |
| Tense Enallage | Alters the grammatical tense for stylistic effect. | “She sings a song” instead of “She sang a song.” |
| Person Enallage | Changes the grammatical person in a sentence. | “We are pleased to inform you” instead of “I am pleased to inform you.” |
| Number Enallage | Involves a change in grammatical number (singular/plural). | “The team plays well” instead of “The team play well.” |
| Gender Enallages | Substitutes one gender for another in language. | “Every student must submit his assignment” instead of “Every student must submit their assignment.” |
| Case Enallages | Alters the grammatical case of a word. | “Between you and I” instead of “Between you and me.” |
| Adjective/Noun Enallages | Substitutes one adjective or noun for another. | “He was a man of great happy” instead of “He was a man of great happiness.” |
These examples illustrate how enallages involves intentional grammatical changes for expressive and stylistic purposes, creating variations that can impact the overall tone and meaning of the sentence or phrase.
Enallage: Examples in Everyday Life
- “We was just talking about you.”
- Type: Tense Enallages
- Explanation: The substitution of “was” for the correct “were” reflects a colloquial use of tense.
- “Me and her are going to the store.”
- Type: Person Enallages
- Explanation: The use of “me and her” instead of “she and I” demonstrates a deviation in grammatical person.
- “Them books on the shelf need organizing.”
- Type: Number Enallages
- Explanation: The use of “them” instead of “those” is an informal plural form in everyday speech.
- “He’s a friend of mines.”
- Type: Number Enallages
- Explanation: The use of “mines” instead of “mine” is a common colloquial expression.
- “Me and my brother, we tight.”
- Type: Person Enallages
- Explanation: The use of “me and my brother” instead of “my brother and I” involves a change in grammatical person.
- “Between you and I, it wasn’t a great experience.”
- Type: Case Enallages
- Explanation: The use of “Between you and I” instead of “Between you and me” demonstrates a case enallage.
- “She’s the most smartest person I know.”
- Type: Adjective Enallages
- Explanation: The use of “most smartest” instead of “smartest” involves a variation in adjective form.
- “They are a couple of good peoples.”
- Type: Number Enallages
- Explanation: The use of “peoples” instead of “people” reflects a colloquial plural form.
- “We seen the movie last night.”
- Type: Tense Enallages
- Explanation: The use of “seen” instead of “saw” involves a tense enallage.
- “I ain’t got no time for that.”
- Type: Double Negative Enallages
- Explanation: The use of “ain’t” and the double negative “ain’t got no” is a common informal expression in everyday conversation.
These examples demonstrate how enallage can be found in various forms in everyday speech, showcasing its presence in informal and colloquial language.
Enallage in Literature: Suggested Readings
- Barthes, Roland. Image, Music, Text. Hill and Wang, 1977.
- Brooks, Cleanth, and Robert Penn Warren. Understanding Poetry. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1960.
- Culler, Jonathan. Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, 1997.
- Genette, Gérard. Narrative Discourse: An Essay in Method. Cornell University Press, 1983.
- Lanham, Richard A. A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms. University of California Press, 1991.
- Lodge, David. The Art of Fiction. Vintage, 1993.
- Perrine, Laurence. Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1982.
- Roberts, Edgar V., and Henry E. Jacobs. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Prentice Hall, 2003.
- Shklovsky, Viktor. Theory of Prose. Dalkey Archive Press, 1991.
- Wimsatt, William K., and Monroe C. Beardsley. The Verbal Icon: Studies in the Meaning of Poetry. University Press of Kentucky, 1954.