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Apo koinou construction

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In linguistics, an apo koinou construction /æpəˈkɔɪnuː/ is a blend of two clauses through a lexical word which has two syntactical functions, one in each of the blended clauses. The clauses are connected asyndentically.

Usually the word common for both sentences is a predicative or an object in the first sentence and subject in the second one. As such constructions are not part of standard modern English, they serve a stylistic function of characterizing a character through his speech as uneducated.

The term 'apo koinou' is from two Greek words: the preposition apo ('from') and koinou, the genitive singular of the neuter - koinon - of the adjective koinos, koine, koinon (meaning 'common').

Examples

  • "There was no breeze came through the door". (E. Hemingway)
  • "There was a door led into the kitchen". (E. Hemingway)
  • "This is the sword killed him." (Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics)

References

  • N.N. Kislitsyna, T.V. Melnichenko "Text Interpretation"
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