Article published In: Scientific Study of Literature
Vol. 8:2 (2018) ► pp.293–312
Flat as a wall or flat as a butcher’s hand
The poetic simile and second-order semantic foregrounding
Published online: 12 June 2019
https://doi.org/10.1075/ssol.18010.tar
https://doi.org/10.1075/ssol.18010.tar
Abstract
Foregrounding theory deals with the relation between deviant textual device (e.g., alliteration) and the effect on
readers (e.g., high aesthetic evaluation). While previous research has tended to look at an array of devices together in longer
stretches of text, we focus on an isolated, semantic foregrounding device, the closed simile. We introduce a distinction between
the standard and non-standard simile, representing first- and second-order foregrounding, respectively, and test the idea that the
more deviant version would yield higher ratings in terms of the aesthetic, cognitive, and emotive dimensions of text appreciation.
Our first finding is that experts prefer the more foregrounded version whereas novices opt for the less foregrounded one. However,
our second finding is that, when the novices are prompted to interpret the similes prior to rating them, the non-standard version
yields higher ratings. We conclude by discussing some implications of the present research for foregrounding theory.
Article outline
- The simile as a foregrounding device
- Experiment 1: Novice ratings
- Participants
- Materials
- Procedure
- Results and discussion
- Experiment 2: Expert ratings
- Participants
- Materials and procedure
- Results and discussion
- Experiment 3: Novice ratings after interpretation task
- Participants
- Materials and procedure
- Results and discussion
- General discussion
- Acknowledgements
- Notes
References
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