S. Malmberg refers to J. Muschard's questions re 'alliteration' in
_Relevant translations_:
Is alliteration to be considered a
sub-category of _repetition_, which
triggers an _increase_ in contextual
effects such as 'leitmotif effect'
and thus is a matter of relevance, or
is it be considered as a hint that
the alliterating terms belong together
and represent an entity thus
_reducing_ processing efforts [...]?
and asks,
>Does anyone have any views on the matter?
Well, something of a defence of a 'no-theory' (of alliteration) may be read
from G. N. Leech (formerly of UCL, now Lancaster) in _Linguistic Guide to
English Poetry_:
"The question of _what_ and _how_ a sound
pattern _communicates_ is one of the
most mysterious aspects of literary
appreciation. [... L]et us accept that
[...] the 'music' of a phonological scheme
is its own justification. One does _not_
feel cheated because the alliterations
of 'measureless to man', 'sunless sea',
etc. do not seem to have any _external_
significance." (p. 95) (Emphasis mine).
Cheers,
JL
S. Malmberg writes:
>While reading J. Muschard's useful and enlightening
>_Relevant translations: history, presentation, criticism,
>application (Peter Lang European University Studies) I came
>across an interesting section on alliteration. She asks
>the following questions:
>Is alliteration to be considered a sub-category of
>_repetition_, which triggers an _increase_ in contextual
>effects such as 'leitmotif effect' and thus is a matter
>of relevance, or
>Is it be considered as a hint that the alliterating
>terms belong together and represent an entity thus
>_reducing_ processing efforts,
>Or is it simply a matter of stylistics which has
>to be regarded as communicative clue to be preserved
>by means of another stylistic feature?
>She regards it as a shortcoming that the 'notion of
>communicative clue has not
>yet been fully developed'.
>Does anyone have any views on the matter?
==
J L Speranza, Esq
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