Explanation
A deliberate breaking-off of speech before the utterance is completed. The interruption transfers completion to the listener and makes silence rhetorically active.
Example
The form becomes visible in context and can be followed as a movement of interpretation.
Counterexample
Aposiopesis is a marked break, not ordinary ellipsis.
Distinction
Aposiopesis is a marked break, not ordinary ellipsis.
Effect on thought and perception
The interruption transfers completion to the listener and makes silence rhetorically active.
Resonance
The interruption transfers completion to the listener and makes silence rhetorically active.
Cite this entry
Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Aposiopesis“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-RHE-0003. ATLAS 251, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-RHE-0003The address remains stable; editorial content may evolve. A verified modification date per entry is not yet available. Include your access date for precise references.