scrambling (n.)

In some approaches to SYNTAX, an optional RULE proposed to handle the way CONSTITUENTS permute in free WORD-ORDER languages (e.g. Latin); for example, the STRING A+B+C+D could become A+C+B+D. The factors which influence scrambling (e.g. the elements which are affected, and the direction in which they move) may be STYLISTIC in character. A distinction is drawn between ‘short-distance scrambling’ (within a CLAUSE) and the less usual ‘long-distance scrambling’ (across a clause boundary).