What is Elision?
Omitting sounds or syllables in a word.
Elision: The Magic of Missing Sounds
Elision is a magical tool that allows writers to create efficient and flowing prose by omitting sounds or syllables in a word. This can help improve the rhythm and meter of a piece, making it more pleasing to the ear. Elision is frequently used in poetry, song lyrics, and even colloquial speech.
For example, take the word 'gonna' which is a contraction of 'going to'. When we say 'gonna', we omit the 'i' and the 'o' sounds, resulting in a shorter and more fluent word. Another example is 'ne'er', which is a contracted form of 'never'.
Elision is not only limited to contractions, as writers may also omit specific sounds or syllables for stylistic purposes. For instance, words like 'government' can be pronounced without the 'n' in the middle ('goverment'). This technique can add a sense of informality or intimacy to the writing, making it more accessible and relatable to the reader.
The poem 'To His Coy Mistress' employs elision to create rhyming couplets that enhance the poem's meter and rhythm, adding to its lyrical quality and memorability.
Line 1: 'Had we but world enough, and time'
Line 4: 'My vegetable love should grow vaster than empires'
Shakespeare's Hamlet showcases elision in its famous soliloquy, where the prince speaks of his doubts and fears concerning life and death, and the afterlife.
Line 3: 'To be, or not to be, that is the question.'
Line 9: 'Thus conscience does make cowards of us all.'