tmesis
Definition
- Noun (Linguistics):
- Tmesis is the separation of a compound word or phrase into two parts, with one or more words inserted between them, often for rhetorical or poetic effect.
Usage Examples
- (Here, "what" is inserted within a normally combined phrase.)
- (The word is split to add emphasis or emotion.)
Advanced Usage
- Tmesis in classical rhetoric: In ancient Greek and Latin, tmesis was a deliberate breaking of a compound word, such as separating "circumdare" (to surround) into "circum...dare" in Virgil's .
- Modern colloquial tmesis: In English, tmesis is often used for humorous or emphatic effect, especially with expletives: or
Variants and Related Words
- Infixation (n): the process of inserting an infix (a morpheme) into a word, closely related to tmesis.
- The word "abso-blooming-lutely" shows infixation through tmesis. (An infix is inserted to modify the word.)
Synonyms
- Separation: the act of dividing a word or phrase.
- Interpolation: the insertion of something between parts.
Related Idioms
- : While not tmesis, it is a similar grammatical separation in English, e.g., "to boldly go" (splitting "to go" with "boldly").
- : a poetic phrase for tmesis.