How to Write Hyperbatons
Using hyperbaton is a lot like turning on a blender and throwing the sentence in. In order to use hyperbaton,
- Begin with a normal sentence.
- Thoughtfully rearrange the words in that sentence.
For example, begin with this normal sentence:
Normal Sentence:
We had a nice time at the lake watching the ducks play in the duck pond.
Sentence with Hyperbaton:
A nice time we had, the ducks playing, watching, the duck pond…
This jumbled new sentence is more poetic, interesting, and strange. It could become the first line of a poem or simply confuse those around you.
Here is a second example:
Normal Sentence:
He wears a green striped hat on his head, a blue tuxedo, and bright orange shoelaces on purple shoes! What an outfit!
Sentence with Hyperbaton:
An outfit, what an outfit! A green striped hat he wears on his head, a tuxedo blue, orange shoelaces bright, shoes of purple! An outfit! What an outfit he wears!
This sentence has become playful, funny, and nearly Dr. Seussian in its goofy poeticism.
When to Use Hyperbaton
Hyperbaton can be used in any situation when playful rearrangement of sentences is welcome. It can be used in everyday conversation and jokes as well as comedy performances, television shows, movies, and advertisements. Because hyperbaton is such a unique rearrangement of words which breaks grammatical rules and norms, it cannot be used in any form of serious or formal writing. It would be considered inappropriate, grammatically incorrect, and poorly written due to formal standards of writing.