Definition:
Verbal bit or fragment used as an autonomous unit without transitional devices to preceding or subsequent units, thereby creating an effect of abruptness and rapid transition. See Using Sentence Fragments Effectively.
Etymology:
In An Alternate Style: Options in Composition (Hayden, 1980), Winston Weathers described "crot" as an "archaic word for bit or fragment" but did not identify the word's origin. The crot, he said, offers "rapid transitions from one point of view to another" and generates no clear sense of chronology.Examples:
- "Heads, heads, take care of your heads . . . Five children--mother--tall lady, eating sandwiches--forgot the arch--crash--knock--children look round--mother's head off--sandwich in her hand--no mouth to put it in--head of a family off--shocking, shocking!"
(Alfred Jingle in Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers) - "Four senators get drunk and try to neck a lady politician built like an overloaded tramp steamer. The Presidential automobile runs over a dog. It rains."
(H.L. Mencken, "Imperial Purple") - "Footprints around a KEEP OFF sign.
Two pigeons feeding each other.
Two showgirls, whose faces had not yet thawed the frost of their makeup, treading indignantly through the slush.
A plump old man saying 'Chick, chick' and feeding peanuts to squirrels.
Many solitary men throwing snowballs at tree trunks.
Many birds calling to each other about how little the Ramble has changed.
One red mitten lying lost under a poplar tree.
An airplane, very bright and distant, slowly moving through the branches of a sycamore."
(John Updike, "Central Park") - "Bangs manes bouffants beehives Beatle caps butter faces brush-on lashes decal eyes puffy sweaters French thrust bras flailing leather blue jeans stretch pants stretch jeans honeydew bottoms eclair shanks elf boots ballerina Knight slippers."
(Tom Wolfe, "The Girl of the Year")
Pronunciation: krot
