Holophrasis
Noun
- The expression of a whole phrase in a single word — for example “howdy” for “how do you do.”
- The learning of linguistic elements as whole chunks by very young children acquiring their first language — for example “it’s all gone” learned as “allgone.”
Example Sentences
“Preschool teachers have a lot of practice deciphering a holophrasis from kids learning how to speak.”
“The toddler indicated he didn’t want to share the toy by using the holophrasis ‘Mine!'”
“William tends to reply with a succinct holophrasis rather than a long explanation.”
Word Origin
Greek, late 19th century
Why this word?
This unique word is a combination of “holo-,” from the Greek “holos,” meaning “whole, entire, complete,” and the Latinized form of the Greek “phrazein,” meaning “to indicate, tell, express.” Toddlers commonly go through a stage where holophrases make up a majority of their vocabulary. Instead of asking, “Can you pick me up?” — the holophrasis “Up!” works quite well. Combined with tone of voice and body language, this simplified form of communication manages to effectively get messages across as language skills develop.
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