interjektio

Interjektio, commonly translated as interjection, is a lexical category comprising words and short phrases that express a speaker’s emotions, reactions, or stance toward the surrounding discourse. Interjektio items are typically syntactically independent and do not form a grammatical part of a larger sentence; they often lack fixed inflection and do not participate in tense, number, or case agreement.

The primary function of interjektio is to convey affective or interpersonal nuances. They can signal surprise, pain, joy, uncertainty, greeting, attention-getting, or approval. In dialogue, interjektio often serves as a reaction cue or a discourse-management device, helping to structure turn-taking or signal alignment with the addressee. In written text, interjektio is usually marked by quotation, punctuation, or typographic emphasis (for example, exclamation marks) to reflect prosody or affect.

Character and usage characteristics vary by language. Interjektio items are generally invariable and may be onomatopoetic or conventionalized forms. They can be single words like ah, oh, wow, ouch, hey, alas, or longer expressions in some languages. Some interjektio are conventional greetings or attention-getters, while others function as responses to prior discourse.

In many languages, interjektio forms form a distinct class alongside other parts of speech, though classifications can differ: some languages treat certain interjektio as particles or as a subcategory of adverbs or pronouns. The study of interjektio emphasizes its role in signaling attitude, stance, and communicative intent rather than providing propositional content.