uninflected

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "uninflected" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in linguistic contexts to describe words that do not change form to indicate tense, case, mood, etc. Example: "In English, the word 'she' is inflected for gender, while 'it' is uninflected."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I was tempted to say that it turns him into a surprisingly neutral, uninflecting presence, but his direction is usually uninflected: he has always been a front-and-center filmmaker whose virtuosic control is exerted to filter out ambiguity and to nail specific emotional markers to the screen.

The New Yorker

Uninflected and without gendered nouns, English was uniquely placed to offer Shakespeare the linguistic pliancy and suppleness he needed to turn out the epidemic of metaphors and similes that so mark his work.

The Economist

Early in his career, Konitz played with an uninflected, vibratoless tone, in contrast to the dominant Charlie Parker alto saxophone style; in time his sound became more expressive without sacrificing its essential clarity.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A semantically significant distinction between inflected and uninflected predicate adjectives has emerged, while the difference between weak and strong adjectives, a characteristic of other Germanic languages, has effectively disappeared.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Either you make the book seamlessly bland and uninflected, or you achieve such a steady state of excellence in the writing that no one sentence stands proud of the next.

Independent

English is the only European language to employ uninflected adjectives; e.g., the tall man, the tall woman, compared to Spanish el hombre alto and la mujer alta.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Modern English is analytic (i.e., relatively uninflected), whereas Proto-Indo-European, the ancestral tongue of most of the modern European languages (e.g., German, French, Russian, Greek), was synthetic, or inflected.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The actors' uninflected, rapid-fire delivery also suggests, although it doesn't illuminate, the hysteria that is at the core of Williams's lament.

The New Yorker

Williams, who is fourteen years old, did a number reminiscent of the teen-aged Glover: unrelaxed, uninflected, and stupendous.

The New Yorker

He has a crown of thick hair and a sternly noble brow; he looks like an aging anchor, but he delivers his lines in such a low, hoarse, uninflected voice that he sounds as though he had croup.

The New Yorker

He read from a piece of paper, his knuckles resting lightly on the table, and speaking in uninflected tones, without any sense of gravity or reflectiveness.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing speech or writing, use "uninflected" to denote a lack of emotional tone or emphasis. For example, "The actor delivered his lines in an "uninflected" monotone."

Common error

Avoid using "uninflected" solely to describe simplicity. While something "uninflected" may be simple, the term primarily refers to a lack of variation or emotional coloring, not a general lack of complexity.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "uninflected" is as an adjective. It modifies nouns by describing their lack of inflection, variation, or emotional tone. Ludwig confirms that the term correctly describes something that does not change form to indicate tense, case, mood, etc.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "uninflected" is an adjective used to describe something lacking inflection, variation, or emotional coloring. As Ludwig AI confirms, this term is grammatically correct and frequently used across various contexts, ranging from news and media to encyclopedias. While it can imply simplicity, its primary function is to denote a lack of change or emotion. When writing, consider using alternatives like "invariable" or "flat" depending on the specific meaning you want to convey. Ensure you're not using it solely to describe simplicity, but rather to emphasize the absence of variation or emotion. The high frequency of "uninflected" in authoritative sources like The New Yorker and The New York Times underscores its validity and acceptance in formal and professional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Non-inflected

Simply replaces "un-" with "non-" as a negative prefix.

Without inflection

Rephrases the adjective as a prepositional phrase.

Invariable

Focuses on the unchanging nature of the word or expression.

Unchanging

Highlights the lack of alteration in form or tone.

Monotonous

Emphasizes the lack of variation in tone or delivery.

Flat

Describes a lack of emotional inflection or expression.

Deadpan

Refers to a deliberately expressionless or unemotional delivery.

Lacking modulation

Highlights the absence of changes in pitch, tone, or volume.

Neutral

Indicates a lack of strong emotional coloring or bias.

Even-toned

Focuses on the consistent and balanced nature of the expression.

FAQs

How can I use "uninflected" in a sentence?

"Uninflected" can describe language, tone, or style that lacks variation or emotional coloring. For example: "The robot's voice was completely "uninflected"", or "The report presented the data in an "uninflected" manner".

What does "uninflected" mean in the context of linguistics?

In linguistics, "uninflected" describes a word or language that does not change form to indicate grammatical function, such as tense, case, or number. An "invariable" word maintains the same form regardless of its role in the sentence.

What are some synonyms for "uninflected" when describing speech?

When describing speech, alternatives to "uninflected" include "monotonous", "flat", "deadpan", or "even-toned". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "not inflected" or "uninflected"?

Both "not inflected" and "uninflected" are grammatically correct and convey essentially the same meaning. "Uninflected" is generally more concise and common, but "not inflected" might be preferred in certain contexts for emphasis or clarity.