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Sometimes, when writing direct speech or a dialogue, there is a scenario where someone will respond with a word or a few words, that do not constitute a full sentence (no subject and no finite verb).

For example:

Person 1: "You can't do that."

Person 2: "Damn!"

The response given by person 2 is not a sentience. And yet, in direct speech, that is sometimes necessary to preserve the flow of regular speech.

Does that sort of language usage have a name to describe it?

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This type of speech is called an 'interjection', not an 'ejaculation'. Here is a link that may help.

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  • I've always known an ejaculation to be a forcefully spoken word or phrase in direct speech. I put that in the question-title as a descripter.
    – KittenWithAWhip
    Commented Aug 2, 2017 at 8:57
  • @KittenWithAWhip You are right -- that is (or was) one of ejaculation's meanings (see first sense for both US/UK at dictionary.com. QI once spent several minutes establishing that Dr. Watson ejaculated twice as often as Sherlock Holmes. Interjection, though, is the word I'd use nowadays.
    – TripeHound
    Commented Aug 2, 2017 at 9:30
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    AHHH-kay. I picked up that usage of 'ejaculation' in Wuthering Heights. So the "Was" make sense.
    – KittenWithAWhip
    Commented Aug 2, 2017 at 10:54
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    @KittenWithAWhip Using 'ejaculation' nowadays, in this context, mostly just makes people giggle
    – Coty Johnathan Saxman
    Commented Aug 2, 2017 at 11:23
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    True. Actually, it sticks in my mind because the line in Wuthering Heights made me giggle. If I recall, it was 'Damn! He ejaculated' and I had a very innocent (and ignorant) English teacher.
    – KittenWithAWhip
    Commented Aug 5, 2017 at 6:52

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