Style matters. Hyperbaton and genre in Augustine of Hippo

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This article examines how Augustine uses hyperbaton in different text genres. By looking not only at differences in frequency between the different text samples, but also at the specific features that appear in the instances, more precise claims can be advanced about hyperbaton as a linguistic and stylistic device at the turn of the fourth century. The analysis confirms the idea that Augustine knew how to adapt his language depending on his intended audience, and suggests that some types of hyperbaton were likely easier to understand, especially when repeatedly used in the same text or group of texts. Other types were probably less convenient in simpler text types, and could instead be used to express affinity to Classical (pagan) Latin texts. However, it also shows that it is important not to consider hyperbaton as a monolith, but to recognise the many parameters that are in interplay in Latin word order.