Metrics between Phonology and Theory of Literature

Traditionally, two autonomous disciplines have dealt with questions: linguistics and literary studies. The unsatisfactory state of metrics and its disciplinary vagueness can be partly explained by the mutual ignorance of these disciplines, which have failed to share their respective problems, theoreti- cal approaches, and findings because each has claimed metrics as its exclusive domain of research. One possible solution to this problem would be to recon- strue metrics as a theory in its own right and relate it explicitly to other disci- plines. To this end, Jan Koster and I have formulated and tested an approach which guarantees the autonomous theoretical status of metrics. Embedded in a theory of formal rhythmics, our theory explicitly related to pho- nology, as a theorization of a phonological theory, but it cannot be reduced to phonology. In order to satisfy the literary camp, however, this theory also needs to be related to a theory of literature that can address questions of verse history, among other topics. What makes this difficult that metrics can- not simply be regarded as a component of a literary theory; the predicate is metrical does not imply the predicate is literary, as lines used in ad- vertisements clearly show. The aim of this article to relate theory to the empirical theory of literature, especially with respect to the literary conven- tions and concepts of literature used by those who deal with literary texts

Linguistics · Phonology · Computer Science · Literature, Language, and Rhetoric Studies · Media, Communication, and Education · Philosophy · Phonetics and Phonology Research

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