Forms: α. 6–8 solœcisme, 7–9 solœcism (7 solocism); 6–7 solæcism(e, 8 solaecism. β. 6–7 solecisme, 6– solecism (7 soll-). [ad. L. solœcismus, ad. Gr. σολοικισμός, f. σόλοικος speaking incorrectly, stated by ancient writers to refer to ‘the corruption of the Attic dialect among the Athenian colonists at Σόλοι in Cilicia.’ So F. solécisme, Sp. and It. solecismo. The transferred uses of the word also occur in Gr. and L.]
1. An impropriety or irregularity in speech or diction; a violation of the rules of grammar or syntax; properly, a faulty concord.
α. 1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1585), 138. They seeme farre from offending, in any barbarous terme, solœcisme, or ignorant error at all.
1593. Nashe, Foure Lett. Conf., 70. Sucke out one solœcisme or mishapen English word if thou canst.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., c j b. A very Solœceisme and incongruitie of Syntaxis.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 320. All these are gross Solœcisms, the last part of the Sentence not agreeing nor answering to the first; which is the proper definition of a Solœcism.
1702. Burlesque L’Estrange’s Vis. Quevedo, 242. State Aphorismes Cramn’d full with factious Solœcismes.
1839. Brougham, Statesmen Geo. III., Ser. I. (ed. 2), 72. He certainly spared no pains to eradicate his northern accent, beside being exceedingly careful to avoid provincial solœcisms.
β. 1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Pref., b ij b. They easily take offense of the simple speaches or solecismes.
1588. Marprel. Epist. (Arb.), 4. If he did, then he ouersaw many a foule solecisme, many a senceles period.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Ductor, II. iii. rule 14. § 34. Solecisms, impure words, and … rude expressions.
1672. Dryden, Defence Epil., Ess. (ed. Ker), I. 165. Let any man … read diligently the works of Shakespeare and Fletcher, and I dare undertake, that he will find in every page either some solecism of speech, or some notorious flaw in sense.
1717. Wodrow, Corr. (1843), II. 294. I question much if any of my friends are more sensible of the Scotticisms, yea, solecisms, in my style than I am.
1769. Junius Lett., xxvii. (1788), 146. There is something in it, which cannot be … expressed without a solecism in language.
1837. Hallam, Hist. Lit., I. i. I. 20. We find even early proofs that solecisms of grammar, as well as barbarous phrases…, were very common in Rome itself.
1882. Farrar, Early Chr., II. 156. But the Greek of the Apocalypse is so ungrammatical and so full of solecisms as to be the worst in the entire Greek Testament.
b. Without article: Violation of the rules of concord in grammar or syntax; incorrect or ungrammatical speech or diction, or the use of this.
1583. Fulke, Def. Tr. Script., i. 47. If the relatiue must alwaies be referred to the antecedent of the same case, to agree with it in case,… there is no Greeke auctor whose workes are extant, but he hath committed Solœcisme.
1603. Holland, Plutarch, Explan. Words, Solæcisme, Incongruity of speech, or defect in the purity thereof.
1677. Dryden, Apol. Heroic Poet., Ess. (ed. Ker), I. 180. A wary man he is in grammar, very nice as to solecism or barbarism.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 310. Attic, the beloved Dialect of the Sophists,… in which they affected to excell each other, even to Pedantry and Solœcism.
1872. A. Bain, Higher Eng. Gram., 195. The words employed may be English, but they may be combined in a way that is not English. This is Solecism.
fig. 1637. Massinger, Guardian, I. i. Think upon ’t, a close friend Or private Mistress, is Court-rhetorick; A Wife, meer rustick Solecism.
2. A breach or violation of good manners or etiquette; a blunder or impropriety in manners, etc.
(a) 1599. Broughton’s Lett., vi. 19. [It] is surely a solæcisme in manners, and argueth great want of discretion.
a. 1641. Finett, For. Ambass. (1656), 27. My Lord Walden leaving him at the Court gate and remaining that night (not perhaps without a Solecisme in ceremonie) at Theobalds.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., I. xii. 38. As if she be guilty of casuall incivilities, or solœcismes in manners occasioned by invincible ignorance.
1738. Gentl. Mag., VIII. 521/2. I observ’d Prior … whisper somewhat in his Ear, which I suppose was to desire him to rectify that Solecism in Dress.
1778. Miss Burney, Evelina, lxviii. You have committed an outrageous solecism in good manners.
1814. Scott, Wav., iv. The idea of having committed the slightest solecism in politeness … was agony to him.
a. 1864. Hawthorne, Dr. Grimshawe, xvi. (1891), 208. The cold, unbelieving eye of the Englishman, expectant of solecisms in manners.
(b) 1639. Massinger, Unnatural Combat, III. i. He ne’er observed you … take A say of venison or stale fowl by your nose, Which is a solecism at another’s table.
a. 1645. Howell, Fam. Lett., I. I. xl. I should commit a great Solecism, if … I should leave you unsaluted.
1685. in Verney Mem. (1904), II. 416. I looke upon it as an ill Omen, that you should commit such a grosse solecisme at yr first Entrance into the University against yr Loving father.
1842. Lever, J. Hinton, v. 33. Who, in the slightest solecism of London manners, could find matter for sarcasm and raillery.
1884. E. Yates, Recoll. & Exper., I. 151. In those days smoking in the street was an unpardonable solecism.
b. Without article. rare.
1640. Fuller, Abel Rediv., Colet (1867), I. 116. Solecism he accounted the worst point of slovenry; affecting neatness in his household stuff and clothes.
1642. Naunton’s Fragm. Reg., 36. For his inside, it may be said, and without solœcisme [1641 offence], that he was his Fathers own sonne.
3. An error, incongruity, inconsistency, or impropriety of any kind.
α. 1599. B. Jonson, Cynthia’s Rev., V. ii. [iv.] Forgive it now. It was the solæcisme of my starres.
1612. Bacon, Ess., Empire (Arb.), 300. It is the Solœcisme of power, to thinke to command the ende, and yet not to endure the meane.
1662. Bp. E. Hopkins, Serm. Funerals Hon. A. Grevil (1663), 18. ’Tis as great a solœcisme to think of their graves, as of going to bed at noon day.
β. 1603. Bodley, in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), 44. A match … between our Prince and the King of Spain’s two years’ daughter … is a motion so full of solecisms, as [etc.].
1753. De Foe’s Tour Gt. Brit. (ed. 5), I. 266. But tho’ exceeding beautiful, yet, I think, to join Roman with Gothic Architecture, is a Solecism.
1792. A. Young, Trav. France, 483. Of all solecisms, none ever equalled Paris demanding that the transport of corn from province to province should be prohibited.
1838. Prescott, Ferd. & Is. (1846), I. vii. 302. The idea of compelling belief in particular doctrines is a solecism.
1850. Mrs. Jameson, Leg. Monast. Ord. (1863), 233. Where a fat jovial Franciscan would be a solecism.
1857. Gladstone, Glean., VI. xviii. 117. What age or country can match the practical solecisms exhibited in the following facts and others like them?
b. Const. in something.
α. 1616. B. Jonson, Epigr., cxvi. A desperate solœcisme in truth and wit.
1659. C. Simpson, Division-Violist, I. 11. As for Thirds and Sixts,… two, three or more of them, rising or falling together, is no Solæcisme in Musick.
β. 1639. Fuller, Holy War, I. xvi. 23. The Emperours unfurnished their frontiers of garrisons, and laid them open to invasions; a notorious solecisme in policie.
1682. Sir T. Browne, Chr. Mor., I. § 24 (1716), 25. To beat down our Foes, and fall down to our Concupiscences; are Solecisms in Moral Schools.
1719. Swift, To Young Clergyman, Wks. 1755, II. II. 11. Stammering, which I take to be one of the worst solecisms in rhetorick.
1741. C. Middleton, Cicero, II. VIII. 241. Cæsar … committed a dangerous solecism in politics.
1807. European Mag., LII. 382/1. To an English dairymaid, the preparation of milk by men would seem a solecism in housewifery.
1824. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. I. (1866), 68. A terrible solecism in political economy.
c. Without article. rare.
1649. Lovelace, Poems, 78. Tis his first Play, twere Solecisme ’t should goe.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. II. vi. Their conviction that Louis is a Prisoner of War; and cannot be put to death without injustice, solecism, peril.
Hence Solecismical a. rare–0.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Solceismical, pertaining to a Solescism, incongruous.
