Prodelision is a form of
elision
In linguistics, an elision or deletion is the omission of one or more sounds (such as a vowel, a consonant, or a whole syllable) in a word or phrase. However, these terms are also used to refer more narrowly to cases where two words are run to ...
where, in a string of two words, the latter word loses its initial vowel(s).
Example:
"Namqu(e) etsi nullum memorabile nomen
femine(a) in poena (e)st, habet haec victoria laudem,
exstinxisse nefas." (Aeneid 2.583-585)
The "e" of "est" elides in the second line, rather than the "a" of "poena." This is very common in
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
with forms of the verb "esse." This type of elision is also common in
Hindustani.
In poetry, it can allow for the use of words in a metric form that would otherwise make their use impossible.
See also
*
Synalepha
A synalepha or synaloepha is the merging of two syllables into one, especially when it causes two words to be pronounced as one.
The original meaning in Ancient Greek is more general than modern usage and includes coalescence of vowels within a ...
References
Phonology
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