The Language Poets Use

by Winifred Nowottny

Mrs Nowottny's chief aim in this 'valuable book which could serve as a useful introduction to practical criticism' is to inquire what it is that makes the language of poetry poetic. The book grows out of the leading trends today in ideas about language an

Genres: Poetry

225 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1962

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am conflicted about how to rate this book. On the one hand it is an important milestone in metaphorical research, while on the other, it is written in an awkward manner, with 200 word long sentences and an author who spends a lot of time trying to define her approach terms, and often less time demonstrating their application. Whilst it does include some interesting quotes from contemporary language/literature writers to supplement her arguments, there are not as many as you would anticipate in an academic work.

The greatest benefit I took from reading (4 of the 8 chapters of) this book, can be summarised in several key terms which I intend to borrow. These include the replacement of ‘dead’ (or Nemerov’s ‘sleeping,’ or Derrida’s ‘effaced’) metaphor with her phrase ‘fading’ or ‘faded.’ I prefer this term as it is less absolute and implies a cyclical nature to language which seems more pertinent, because, as she demonstrates, a poet (joker, child or translator) can quickly bring ‘dead’ metaphor back to life with inventive construction or construal. The second phrase she coins is ‘extraloquial’ which implies (and permits) additional meaning (intended or otherwise) and is particularly useful in the assessment of ambiguity and metaphors. Other phrases with potential are ‘double-cueing-in,’ ‘pseudo-parallelism,’ ‘feeling-tone’ and the ‘prismatic splay’ generated by language and its unpredictable/personal generation of meaning.

The main takeaway I gained is the notion that FACT + SIGNIFICANCE = MEANING, and my favourite quote is: “To be inexplicably haunted by or suddenly confronted with or obscurely convinced of meaningfulness, where no apparatus for its communication is visible, is an experience both remarkable and important…”

[Laura Walin · Rating 3 out of 5]

My exam was postponed from September to January, so it took me quite a while to finish this one. A relatively difficult read on how different elements of peotry are intervowen to produce unique meaning, something that is not usually grasped by language. Not sure I understood every argument but with plenty of examples here and there I think I got a glimpse into what poetry can deliver and how it does it.

[Rashad Raoufi]

its a very dense and difficult read,not lesisurely at all but very intelleuctally stimulating,its very thought provoking and i might have to read it a few times to fully understand some of the stuff it talks about. will enhance understanding of poetry to anyone with an interest in reading or writing poetry.