por The hyperbaton is a figure of speech used to alter the natural or usual order of words in a sentence. The word hyperbaton comes from the Latin hyperbaton, in turn derived from the Greek ὑπερβατόν (hyperbainein), which means “to go above order”. The Latin word for this figure is Transpositio.
The hyperbaton is used above all in literary texts (almost always in poetry) to emphasize certain elements of the sentence and to give the text stylistic beauty or greater expressiveness and intensity.
An example of hyperbaton could be: «The docile body of the pale girl rests there» (the natural order would be: «The docile body of the pale girl rests there»).
The natural order of a sentence is subject + predicate. When the syntactic order of the elements of a sentence is altered, what is sought is to emphasize a particular element (in the case «Here you sit», for example, the place «here» is emphasized, and the natural order would be » you sit here»).
Functions of the hyperbaton
The hyperbaton has literary and everyday uses. It began to be used in the Spanish Baroque during the 17th century, and the very nature of this literary movement allowed for the indiscriminate and excessive use of adjectives, ellipsis, metaphor, periphrasis and hyperbaton, all of them rhetorical figures.
In Spain, the Baroque coincides with the so-called «Golden Age» (covering more than a century), with authors such as Miguel de Cervantes (author of Don Quijote of La Mancha), Garcilaso de la Vega, Luis de Góngora, Lope de Vega, Francisco de Quevedo or Pedro Calderón de La Barca, among many others.
However, it continued to be used until well into the 19th century by poets such as Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Rubén Darío, Amado Nervo, among many others, and by poets of the 20th century.
literary uses
When used in poetic language, the intention can go towards the emphasis of an image or metaphor or also to adapt a verse to a certain rhyme.
In the Baroque, the imitation of the syntactic structure of Latin was styled to ennoble or embellish an everyday expression, and thus distinguish it from popular use or speech. In this same sense, it was used to endow an expression with more elegance or stylistic beauty.
everyday uses
In everyday language, hyperbaton is often used to emphasize an idea or word within the sentence. In the example «When I tell you it is, and not before», the emphasis is placed on the adverb Whenthat is, in the temporal element of the sentence, and that is why the order changes: «It is when I tell you and not before.»
Hyperbaton is also widely used in oral language: «the cake we ate was made by my mom and it’s delicious» (we ate the cake my mom made and it’s delicious).
There are also some very common expressions in the Spanish language, such as “A Dios gracias” (thank God), “si mal no recuerdo” (if I remember correctly), “hacer se puede” (it can be done), “thank you a thousand” (thank you so much), “I see it badly” (I see it badly), “I think so/I don’t think so either” (I also/I don’t think so either).
Examples of hyperbaton
Restless, the dog ran from one side of the yard to the other (The restless dog ran from one side of the yard to the other).
In the square, the girls happily play in the morning (The girls play happily in the square in the morning).
What you have told about that man seems to be a lie (What you have told about that man seems to be a lie).
For me to go to the Moon it will take not one life but three, at least, and money in such an amount that I can pay for a ticket (For me to go to the Moon it will take at least three lives, and not one, and such an amount of money that can pay for a ticket).
I also think the same (I also think the same).
When the student wants to take the exam, we will be there (When the student wants to take the exam, we will be there).
Thank God for allowing me to see what my eyes are seeing (Thank God for allowing me to see what my eyes are seeing).
If I remember correctly, that unfortunate event filled my people with bitterness (If I remember correctly, that unfortunate event filled my people with bitterness).
All day we play, and tired we go to bed at night (We play all day and we go to bed tired at night).
In the cradle of hunger / my child was. / With onion blood / he breastfed himself (My child was in the cradle of hunger, he breastfed himself with onion blood), Miguel Hernández.
I had your kisses and your tears in my mouth (I had your kisses and your tears in my mouth), Rubén Darío.
The poet put in his verses / all the pearls of the sea (The poet put all the pearls of the sea in his verses), Rubén Darío.
While the heart and the head / battling continue; / while there is hope and memories, / there will be poetry! (While the heart and the head continue battling; while there is hope and memories, there will be poetry!), Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer.
The dark swallows will return / to hang their nests on your balcony (The dark swallows will once again hang their nests on your balcony), Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer.
Whoever changes only their place, and not their life and customs, never improves their state (Whoever changes only their place, and not their life and customs, never improves their state), Francisco de Quevedo.
He asked the niece for the keys to the apartment (He asked the niece for the keys to the apartment), Miguel de Cervantes.
Be brief in your reasoning, that none is tasty if it is long (Be brief in your reasoning, that if it is long, none is tasty), Miguel de Cervantes.
The roses rose early to bloom, / and to grow old they flourished; / They found a cradle and tomb in a button (The roses rose early to bloom, and blossomed to age; they found a cradle and tomb in a button), Pedro Calderón de La Barca.
And so, full of modesty, / you will see the oldest / trying to be the best / and appearing the least (And so you will see the oldest, full of modesty, trying to be the best and appear the least), Calderon of La Barca.
The king dreams that he is king, and lives / with this deception commanding, / disposing and governing (The king dreams that he is king and lives commanding, disposing and governing with this deception), Pedro Calderón de La Barca.
References
Mathieu, E. (2004). Hyperbaton and Haplology. Taken from books.google.com.
Fernandez, VH (2007). Practical dictionary of rhetorical figures and related terms: tropes, figures of thought, language, construction, diction, and other curiosities. Taken from cervantesvirtual.com.
Mugica de Fignoni, N. (2011). The hyperbaton, a point of relationship between grammar and rhetoric. Taken from dialnet.unirioja.es.
Examples of hyperbaton (2021). Taken from rhetorics.com.