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In other words, a positional parallelism in which sound is…

“In other words, a positional parallelism in which sound is foregrounded as an independent feature (Nathanson, WP, 140), comes to override an ideational parallelism at the exact moment the subjective proprietorship of a feeling, ostensibly secured by analogical equivalences between affect, money…” quote by Sianne Ngai
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““In other words, a positional parallelism in which sound is foregrounded as an independent feature (Nathanson, WP, 140), comes to override an ideational parallelism at the exact moment the subjective proprietorship of a feeling, ostensibly secured by analogical equivalences between affect, money, and language, is rendered questionable and unstable simply by the amplification of these equivalences.””

Sianne Ngai

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A shift in analysis makes sound dominate meaning, destabilizing the link between feeling, money, and language through amplified analogies.

In simple terms: Sound overtakes meaning, shaking the link between feeling, money, and..

Key Takeaway

Notice how emphasis on form can destabilize content.

Themes

literary criticism sound theory meaning form analogy

Mood

analytical critical

Type

theoretical academic

When to use this quote

  • academic analysis
  • creative writing workshops
  • media studies
  • critical essays

Key Concepts

semiotics phenomenology affect theory

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does foregrounding sound change our perception of text?
  • What other senses could destabilize meaning?
A Different Perspective

The argument assumes a linear hierarchy of meaning that may not hold across cultures.

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