Language Quote by Sianne Ngai
““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.””
About This Quote
Source Article: The Paradox of Sound in Literary Theory, Nathanson, WP, 140
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.
