interpellate

English

Etymology

From Latin interpellō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌɪn.təɹ.ˈpɛl.eɪt/, /ɪn.ˈtɜɹ.pə.ˌleɪt/
• Homophone: interpolate (some pronunciations)

Verb

interpellate (third-person singular simple present interpellates, present participle interpellating, simple past and past participle interpellated)

1. (obsolete) To interrupt (someone) so as to inform or question (that person about something).
2. (philosophy) To address (a person) in a way that presupposes a particular identification of them; to give (a person) an identity (which may or may not be accurate).
   • 1996, “The Cambridge History of American Literature”, in Sacvan Bercovitch, editor, Poetry and criticism, 1940-1995, volume 8, page 408:

     […] a Master of Ceremonies' words "Ladies and gentlemen" […] interpellates those being addressed as an audience, and one that is differentiated by gender.

   • 2002, Marianne Jørgensen, Louise J. Phillips, Discourse Analysis As Theory and Method, page 41:

     […] the question may be whether the individual should let herself be interpellated as a feminist, a Christian or a worker. Perhaps all of these possibilities seem attractive, but they point in different directions […]

   • 2009, Samia Bazzi, Arab News and Conflict: A Multidisciplinary Discourse Study:

     […] whereas the Palestinian subjects are interpellated as: the martyr... a young Palestinian... a Palestinian teenager.

3. (transitive, chiefly politics) To question (someone) formally concerning official or governmental policy or business.
   • 1958 May 9, [Roseller Tarroza] Lim, “Manifestaciones del Sen. [Decoroso] Rosales”, in Republic of the Philippines Congressional Record (Senate of the Philippines), volume I, number 67, Manila, Philippines: Bureau of Printing, →OCLC, page 1343, column 1:

     After the gentleman and Senator [Mariano Jesús] Cuenco interpellated me, I knew already that my bill was hopeless. That is why I presented that bill on February 4th, but it slept the sleep of the just in the Committee on Education.

Derived terms

• interpellator
• interpellation

Translations

interrupt so as to inform or question

• French: interpeller (fr)
• Greek: επερωτώ (el) (eperotó) διακοπτω

address in a way that presupposes a particular identification

• German: interpellieren (de)
• Greek: επερωτώ (el) (eperotó)

question formally about government business

• French: interpeller (fr)
• German: interpellieren (de)
• Greek: επερωτώ (el) (eperotó)

See also

• interpolate
• interpel

Anagrams

• pantellerite

Italian

Etymology 1

Verb

interpellate

1. inflection of interpellare:
   1. second-person plural present indicative
   2. second-person plural imperative

Etymology 2

Participle

interpellate f pl

1. feminine plural of interpellato

Latin

Verb

interpellāte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of interpellō