Element of Eloquence: Synesis

Synesis is a figure of speech where a word takes the gender or number not of the word it should properly agree with, but of some other word implied in that word.

It's a type of grammatical inconsistency used for rhetorical effect.

Why a writer would use it

A writer would use synesis to emphasize a specific word or concept, even if it breaks strict grammatical agreement. It can add variety and an element of surprise to writing.

Use-case

If someone says "The team took their seats," team is singular, but the pronoun "their" is plural. Synesis is used here to emphasize the individual members of the team.

A couple more examples:

1. The couple quarreled all the way to their divorce.

"Couple" is singular but "their" is plural, emphasizing the two individuals.

2. The crew set aside their differences to complete the mission.

"Crew" is singular but "their" is plural, highlighting the individual crew members.

Effect on AI prompts

Using synesis in AI prompts could potentially confuse language models that are trained on strict grammatical rules.

However, if used sparingly and intentionally, it might add an element of creative flair or emphasis to the generated output. The AI may pick up on the rhetorical device and attempt to replicate it in relevant contexts.