Cover not available
Part of
Dimensions of Iconicity
Edited by Angelika Zirker, Matthias Bauer, Olga Fischer and Christina Ljungberg
[Iconicity in Language and Literature 15] 2017
► pp. 331–344

The iconicity of literary analysis

The case of Logical Form

| Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen

In this paper, we propose that the iconicity of Logical Form can help us evaluate the adequateness of an interpretation. We consider the relationship between iconicity, literary texts, formal semantic analysis and interpretation. With the help of an example taken from the poem “This was a Poet –” (Fr446, J448) by Emily Dickinson, we explain in which way a formal semantic analysis is iconic of the meaning of a text. We then compare this iconic analysis to other interpretative utterances about literary texts, in particular to statements that can be considered allegories of the text meaning. With this comparison we come to the conclusion that a formal semantic analysis does not restrict interpretation, but serves as guidance towards finding out about all relevant and complex structures that should also be followed in an interpretation. A linguistic analysis is thus to be seen as a measure to test the adequacy of interpretations.

Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.What is iconic about a semantic representation of the sentence meaning?
  • 3.Alternative (allegorical) interpretations
  • 4.Semantic representation as a touchstone of any other “deep” analysis
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 8 September 2017
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ill.15.19bau
References
Atkin, A
2013 Peirce's theory of signs. In The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, E. N. Zalta (ed.). 〈[URL]〉Google Scholar
Bauer, M. & Beck, S
2014 On the meaning of fictional texts. In Approaches to Meaning: Composition, Values, and Interpretation, D. Gutzmann, J. Köpping & C. Meier (eds), 250–275. Leiden: Brill. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Beck, S
2005 There and back again: A semantic analysis. Journal of Semantics 22: 3–51. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Beck, S. & Gergel, R
2014 Contrasting English and German Grammar. An Introduction to Syntax and Semantics. Berlin: De Gruyter.Google Scholar
Dickinson, E
1961 The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, T. H. Johnson (ed.). New York NY: Little, Brown and Company. (J).Google Scholar
1999 The Poems of Emily Dickinson: Reading Edition, R. W. Franklin (ed.). Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press. (Fr)Google Scholar
2013 [c.1862] This was a poet. MS Houghton Library (183a). The Emily Dickinson Archive. Retrieved Dec. 15, 2016 from 〈[URL]〉Google Scholar
Elleström, L
2015 Visual, auditory, and cognitive iconicity in written literature: The example of Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death.” In Iconicity: East Meets West [Iconicity in Language and Literature 14], M. K. Hiraga, W. J. Herlofsky, K. Shinohara & K. Akita (eds.), 207–218. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Fishelov, D
2012 The economy of literary interpretation. Connotations 22(1): 32–56. 〈[URL]〉Google Scholar
Frye, N
1957 The Anatomy of Criticism. Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Gamut, L. T. F
1991 Language, Logic and Meaning, Part I: Introduction to Logic. Chicago IL: Chicago University Press.Google Scholar
Heim, I. & Kratzer, A
1998 Semantics in Generative Grammar. Malden MA: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Heim, I
2001 Degree operators and scope. In Audiatur Vox Sapientiae. A Festschrift for Arnim von Stechow, C. Féry & W. Sternefeld (eds), 214–239. Berlin: Akademie Verlag.Google Scholar
Kher, I
1974 Landscape of Absence: Emily Dickinson’s Poetry. New Haven CT: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Leiter, S
2007 Critical Companion to Emily Dickinson: A Literary Reference to Her Life and Work. New York NY: Facts on File.Google Scholar
Munat, J
2005 Iconic functions of phraseological units and metaphor. In Outside-in Inside-out, [Iconicity in Language and Literature 5], C. Maeder, O. Fischer & W. J. Herlofsky (eds), 389–410. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Nänny, M
1999 Alphabetic letters as icons in literary texts. In Form Miming Meaning [Iconicity in Language and Literature 1], M. Nänny & O. Fischer (eds), 173–198. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Quintilian, M. F
1966 The Institutio Oratoria of Quintilian, Vol. 2, trans. by H. E. Butler (ed.). Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
von Stechow, A
1995 Lexical decomposition in syntax. In The Lexicon in the Organization of Language [Current Issues in Linguistic Theory 114], U. Egli, P. E. Pause, C. Schwarze, A. von Stechow & G. Wienhold (eds), 81–118. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cited by

Cited by 1 other publications

Tabakowska, Elżbieta
2017. Iconicity, ambiguity, interpretability. In Dimensions of Iconicity [Iconicity in Language and Literature, 15], DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 6 may 2023. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.