Catachresis is a language error where a word is used in the wrong context or its meaning is strained. It can be intentional or unintentional and is often used as a figure of speech, such as in mixed metaphors. Poststructuralist works embrace catachresis for its ambiguity and breaking down of traditional literary techniques. It can also create new words or references, such as “ain’t” and “tweet.”
In general terms, a catachresis is a language error. In most cases, it involves using a word in the wrong context or straining the meaning of the word from its norm. Mixed metaphors are an important example of catachresis. Individuals might engage in misapplication of a word unintentionally, or they might misuse the word on purpose to create stylistic or rhetorical effect. Using catchresis usually separates a word from its literal meaning, so it’s a figure of speech.
A catachresis could change the meaning of a word. When change results from the inadvertent substitution of the meaning of one word for the meaning of another word, malapropism has occurred. This usually happens when two words sound similar, such as using the word “electric” in a sentence rather than the word “election.” An intentional change could be used as a literary tool, a means of making a point, or as an expression of extreme emotion. If an individual refers to a creeping politician, for example, the term “creeping” is meant more as a comment on the politician’s reptilian personality than a literal reference to sliding on a surface.
One of the most prominent examples of catachresis is the mixed metaphor, and this figure of speech occurs when an individual tries to make an exaggerated and illogical comparison between two objects. In other words, two objects that have no obvious similarities are compared. Mixed metaphors are often used intentionally in works of literature as creative and unique ways of expressing particular ideas. In William Shakespeare’s famous play Hamlet, one of Hamlet’s most famous speeches includes a catachresis of this variety: “…take up arms against a sea of woes…”. For this comparison, the writer made a connection between two seemingly unrelated topics – war and the ocean.
Intentional catachresis is especially prominent in poststructuralist works. This literary philosophy thrives on ambiguity and the breaking down of traditional literary techniques, structures, and meanings. As such, poststructuralist authors have embraced the pun and confusion that is inherent in catachresis. Therefore, catachresis abounds in such works. Sounds might be seen rather than heard, darkness might be bright, or an individual might experience dull sharpness.
Sometimes, catachresis might create a word or reference that didn’t exist before, and in these cases, it fills a void of meaning. For example, some words are grammatically incorrect but are so pervasive in use that they become an unofficial part of a language. The English word “ain’t” is an example of this and is called solecism. Words may also arise to describe a previously unnamed action that has become commonplace in popular culture. In the computer world, for example, the word “tweet” has become known as a reference to messages created on the social network called Twitter.
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