apostrophize
/ə'pɔstrəfaiz/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb (transitive & intransitive):
- To address an absent or imaginary person, a thing, or a personified abstraction, especially in a speech or poem. This is a rhetorical device used for emotional or dramatic emphasis.
- To mark with an apostrophe punctuation mark ('). This is a less common, technical usage.
Examples of Usage
- Verb (Rhetorical address):
- Verb (Punctuation):
Advanced Usage
- As a rhetorical figure: Apostrophizing is a specific form of apostrophe (the rhetorical device, not the punctuation). It involves a sudden turn to address someone or something not literally present, breaking from the narrative flow to create a direct, emotional appeal.
Variants and Related Words
- Apostrophe (n): 1. The rhetorical device of breaking off discourse to address some absent person or thing. 2. The punctuation mark (') used to indicate omission or possession.
- Apostrophizer (n): One who apostrophizes.
Synonyms
- Address directly (for the rhetorical sense).
- Invoke (to call upon, especially in an appeal).
- Punctuate (for the marking sense, though this is more general).
Related Phrases/Idioms
- To break into apostrophe: This phrase describes the act of beginning to apostrophize within a speech or text.