ATLAS OF LANGUAGE

AT-HAR7-0010 · ATLAS 260

Anthimeria

Using a word as a different part of speech.

Part of the subject path Rhetoric and Style

Why is this entry in the Atlas?

F · Figure / procedure R1 · Distinct contribution to understanding

Anthimeria isolates a conspicuous change of word-class use in an utterance and examines the expressive contribution of that recategorisation. Conversion can be conventional word formation whose use need not be rhetorically conspicuous.

Colours and admission grounds

The rectangular label identifies the entry function: F – linguistic figure or procedure; A – analytical concept; G – foundational concept; E – selected concrete case. The rounded badge indicates the admission ground: R1 – distinctive contribution; R2 – necessary foundation; R3 – justified illustrative case. This editorial rationale explains the current selection rather than claiming an undocumented original selection history.

Explanation

Anthimeria uses a word as a part of speech different from its customary one, such as a noun as a verb or an adjective as a noun. The shift transfers not only meaning but grammatical possibilities: things become actions, qualities become persons, or names become verbs. Some formations remain singular surprises, while others enter ordinary usage. Analysis establishes the conventional category, examines the new syntactic position, and reconstructs the semantic gain. It also tests whether a genuine category shift occurs or whether the form is already lexicalised, elliptical, or an ordinary conversion.

Movement of thought

1. The customary word class and the syntactic function required in context are determined separately. 2. Morphological marking and sentence environment distinguish actual conversion from ellipsis. 3. The semantic contribution of the new class is reconstructed as action, quality, bearer, or process. 4. Corpus and dictionary evidence test whether usage is novel, group-specific, or already lexicalised. 5. A conventional paraphrase exposes the concision, perspective, or disturbance created by the shift.

Scientific use case

Morphology, syntax, lexicography, neologism research, literary studies, and advertising analysis examine anthimeria through conversion, productivity, and processing. Diachronic corpora show when striking repurposing becomes established usage.

Example

In a workshop, the chair says, “We need to de-bureaucratise the draft and community it more strongly.” The second verb presents collective coordination as an active practice.

Counterexample

A homonymous form or lexical item regularly used in several classes is not automatically anthimeria. The text must perform a perceptible categorical repurposing.

Distinction

Distinguish anthimeria from conversion as a general formation process, metaphor, ellipsis, and neologism. Anthimeria is rhetorically salient category shift in use; conversion may be fully conventionalised.

Effect on thought and perception

Anthimeria compresses, surprises, and makes new actions or identities linguistically conceivable. It can be creative and memorable, but may also impair comprehension or reduce people through categorical labelling.

Resonance

A word leaves its familiar grammatical path and responds to new sentence relations. Its known meaning continues to sound while a new possibility of action emerges.

Cite this entry

Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Anthimeria“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-HAR7-0010. ATLAS 260, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-HAR7-0010

https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-HAR7-0010

The address remains stable; editorial content may evolve. Editorial reading state: 2026-10-15. Include your access date for precise references.

Historical background

Anthimeria is the rhetorical use of a word as a different part of speech from the expected one. Silva Rhetoricae derives the name from Greek anti, instead of, and mereia, part, and points to Peacham's 1577 treatment; that original passage was not independently collated here. The figure foregrounds category shift as a stylistic operation, as when a noun is used spontaneously as a verb. Grammatical conversion also covers permanently established part-of-speech shifts without a marked rhetorical effect. Whether an instance is creative anthimeria or already lexicalised ordinary use depends on evidence from its period and speech community.

How conceptual history changes the analysis

Analysis should establish source category, target syntactic function, contextual novelty and degree of conventionalisation. The historical conversion of a word does not make every present use a rhetorical figure.