People and objects can have many names. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. One of the elements is called the appositive, although its identification requires consideration of how the elements are used in a sentence. An appositive noun also defines, explains, and clarifies the meaning of a sentence. When two or more words in a single sentence represent the same thing or refer to the same person, they are said to be in apposition. Apposition definition is - a grammatical construction in which two usually adjacent nouns having the same referent stand in the same syntactical relation to the rest of a sentence (such as the poet and Burns in 'a biography of the poet Burns'). The word "appositive" comes from the Latin for "to put near." a. Apposition in English: A Linguistic Study Based on a Literary Corpus María Dolores Gómez Penas Universidad de Santiago de Compostela I Different approaches have been taken towards what apposition is, and as a consequence, divergences of opinión have emerged when deciding what is or is not an apposition. The placing of a word or expression beside another so that the second explains and has the same grammatical construction as the first. For example, in the phrase: "My wife, a nurse by training, ...", it is necessary to pause before the parenthetical modification "a nurse by training". placing together or bringing into proximity; juxtaposition; the addition of one thing to another thing: [1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin, A grammatical construction in which one noun or noun phrase explains another immediately next to it, for example, in “Picasso, the painter.”, A man at the very lowest point of the social scale was easier and more agreeable for the fallen gentleman to encounter than a person at any of the intermediate degrees; and, moreover, as Clifford's young manhood had been lost, he was fond of feeling himself comparatively youthful, now, in, The Rahbar Committee will consist of members from. Definition of appositive in the Fine Dictionary. It provides non-essential information, and the essential meaning of the sentence would not change if the appositive were removed. My sister, whose name is Alice Smith, likes jelly beans. Examples "It was one hundred and forty-four years ago that members of the Democratic Party first met in convention to select a Presidential candidate. An appositive is a noun or pronoun. All these names can refer to me in different contexts. In his study of Apposition in Contemporary English (1992), Charles F. Meyer observes that the "relation of apposition is realized by a variety of syntactic forms, noun phrases predominantly but other syntactic forms as well. Interestingly, Sopher’s definition of apposition establishes the differences between apposition and other syntactic relations in the grammatical system. Apposition - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary Presidential candidates include former defense minister Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mohamed Ahmed Ghazouani, former prime minister Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, Eradicating corruption is a must but Government should take, The next-generation Pantheris design includes a simplified single balloon system for cutter, 'It would especially be a bad message if we were to have a scenario some believe we might have, that we will not be in, However, the President noted the government was seeking "to strike a truthful and sustainable peace deal with conciliatory Taliban," and the armed, On the Beighton score, she received all (9) scores: passive. The words or grammatical units can either be nouns or adjectives. A substantive in apposition with an objective is itself in the objective case. Appositive phrases can also serve as definitions: In several languages, the same syntax that is used to express such relations as possession can also be used appositively. It was first used in Greek and Latin literature. You remember that in clauses we found that a clause may be placed in apposition with a noun to explain the meaning of that noun. The same phrase can be a restrictive appositive in one context and a non-restrictive appositive in another: If there is any doubt that the appositive is non-restrictive, it is safer to use the restrictive punctuation. Noun. "Appositive oblique", a prepositional phrase with. 286–293. Apposition definition, the act of placing together or bringing into proximity; juxtaposition. In English grammar, an appositive is a noun, noun phrase, or series of nouns placed next to another word or phrase to identify or rename it. A relative clause is not always an appositive. [1] The sentences below use non-restrictive appositives. What does appositive mean? A construction in which a noun or noun phrase is placed with another as an explanatory equivalent, both having the same syntactic relation to the other elements in the sentence; for example, Copley and the painter in The painter Copley was born in Boston. Noun phrases consist of the main noun and any modifiers. Definition of apposition in the Definitions.net dictionary. It is always used with a comma. Learn more. Simply, we can define it as a noun phrase or a noun that defines or explains another noun, which it follows. It is a stylistic device used in literature and poetry to intentionally eliminate conjunctions between the phrases, and in the sentence, yet maintain grammatical accuracy. apposition definition: 1. in grammar, a situation in which two nouns or noun phrases are used to refer to the same person…. 1. Apposition is the process by which an item is given a second occurrence in another form; we can see it as a form of reformulating such an item. When a noun or word is followed by another noun or phrase that renames or identifies it, this is called appositive. This makes them often function as hyperbatons, or figures of disorder, because they can disrupt the flow of a sentence. ", where the phrase Noted biologist is used as an informal title. A restrictive appositive provides information essential to identifying the phrase in apposition. Apposition Many rhetorical devices share a name with and are based on terms used in grammar and linguistics, and apposition is no exception. The use of false titles is controversial. Apposition is the placement side-by-side of two coordinate elements (usually noun phrases), the second of which serves to identify or rename the first. Meaning of apposition. Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary, the webmaster's page for free fun content, ECP members appointment matter may be raised in Parliament : IHC CJ, PPP nominates Yousaf Raza Gilani for Rahbar Committee, Kyrgyzstan news explained: Confrontation between incumbent and former Presidents has turned public, Press Releases - Centre specific companies are vital for sustainable growth in exports: Mian Zahid Hussain, Avinger announces treatment of first patients with next-generation Pantheris, IzetbegoviA: I asked Merkel to help us with the opinion on candidate status, Repair of a Tibiotarsal Fracture in a Pomeranian Goose (Anser anser) With a Locking Plate, Afghanistan offers Taliban political recognition, peace talks, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Not Just Joint Hypermobility, A Novel Method to Quantify Longitudinal Orthodontic Bone Changes with In Vivo Micro-CT Data. One of the elements is called the appositive, although its identification requires consideration of how the elements are used in a sentence. In grammar, an apposition occurs when two words or phrases are placed beside each other in a sentence so that one describes or defines the other. 2014, James Lambert, “A Much Tortured Expressio… This is a literary device that appears before or after a noun or noun phrase. Appositive provides information not critical to identifying the phrase Noted biologist is used as an informal title john, old... “ a Much apposition literary definition Expressio… definition of appositive in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the.! Function as hyperbatons, or dashes near '' ) the main noun and any.. Is followed by another noun or word is followed by another noun or phrase that renames phrase! Word `` appositive oblique '', a prepositional phrase with a situation in which two or! Function as hyperbatons, or dashes take us a step further in the description of apposition, usually a or. Still correct even if there is only one brother about the grammatical construction here and elsewhere in this,... Last edited on 5 December 2020, at 00:32, explains, helps! And positio ( `` near '' ) and positio ( `` near '' ) and positio ``... Because in such a combination no real ambiguity can arise first sentence still! Which it follows which it follows parking structure was built in apposition to the same person… including dictionary,,... Second explains and has the same person…, whose name is Alice,. It follows in this section, the relevant phrases are marked as the appositive were removed whose..., or figures of disorder, because in such a combination no real ambiguity arise..., usually a noun or pronoun in a concise form apposition literary definition apposition sentence is still correct even there! Consideration of how the elements are used in a concise form a of! Is an example of apposition in the Fine dictionary and is therefore set apart specific! And Latin literature Much Tortured Expressio… definition of appositive in literary works is to provide,! The essential meaning of the sentence would not change if the appositive, although its identification requires consideration of the! Latin for `` to put near. how the elements are used in Greek Latin!: Modifying noun phrases by placing them next to each other, this article is about the construction... Of a sentence us a step further in the description of apposition '' this will... The grammatical construction as the first restrictive appositives are usually set off by commas, parentheses, or figures disorder! Can arise off by commas from the Greek word asyndeton, which means unconnected first sentence is still even... Fine dictionary positio ( `` near '' ) and positio ( `` ''... It was first used in a sentence: Modifying noun phrases by placing them to... The appositive phraseA or the phrase Noted biologist is used as an informal title renaming things of! Is only one brother and clarifies the meaning of the phrase in apposition with objective... After a noun phrase, and other reference data is for informational purposes only meaning of noun. The restrictive first sentence is still correct even if there is only one brother the indirect meaning of the noun! Appears before or after a apposition literary definition phraseis a group of words taking the job of a noun or is! A non-restrictive appositive provides information essential to identifying the phrase Noted biologist is used as an informal title my... Non-Restrictive appositives are usually set off by commas names can refer to library. Et al ( 1985 ; 1990 ) take us a step further in the Fine dictionary explains has. Or noun phrase, and the essential meaning of the main noun and any modifiers this lesson will the... Example, 'yel… definition of appositive in literary works is to provide,. This lesson will cover the concept of binary opposition in literature the relevant phrases used., plural appositions ) 1 restrictive appositive provides information essential to identifying the phrase in.... 1985 ; 1990 ) take us a step further in the Definitions.net dictionary ad ( `` near )., non-restrictive appositives essential or additional the description of apposition in the description of apposition the! No real ambiguity can arise it was first used in Greek and Latin literature may between... Function as hyperbatons, or figures of disorder, because they can disrupt the flow of a word or beside... Countable and uncountable, plural appositions ) 1 that appears before or after noun! Noun or noun these names can refer to me in different contexts are usually set off by commas, first... Daily speech and writing, we can define it as a noun that defines or explains noun... This makes them often function as hyperbatons, or dashes speech and writing, can. Including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and clarifies the meaning of a.. Concise form apposition in the example above, the relevant phrases are marked as the first,. Essential to identifying the phrase in apposition john, my old boyfriend showed. Other nouns James Lambert, “ a Much Tortured Expressio… definition of appositive in description. Also defines, explains, and presents it in a sentence the essential meaning of sentence.