The Effects Of Word Substitution In Slips Of The Tongue, Finnegans Wake And The Third Policeman

MacMahon, Barbara

English Studies 2001 82 (3)231-246
(ReLIS:jul:juljig:y:2001:v:82:i:3:p:231-246)

Abstract:

There is a claim in areas of psychoanalytic literary theory that linguistic manipulation in certain literary texts resembles the Freudian parapraxis in disrupting unity of meaning and so unsettling the subject position of the reader. This argument is developed in relation to Joyce’s writing by theorists such as Kristeva (1974, 1980 and 1984), MacCabe (1979) and Attridge (1988), who all suggest that Finnegans Wake, with its density of linguistic innovation is ‘revolutionary’ in defying final and coherent interpretation. As a linguist and prag-maticist interested in literature I see this argument as one that can be examined and refined with careful attention to the large body of existing linguistic and pragmatic research. While part of the post-structuralist project is to question the validity of scientific models and empirical research, the work of the theorists mentioned here does in fact contain recourse to empirical observations (e.g. Attridge 1988: 201-204), appeals to theoretical linguistics (e.g. Kristeva 1974: 221-222) and statements which, in my view, can be fruitfully investigated using approaches, models and methodologies from linguistics.

Keywords: Literatura ; Pedagogía
Pages: 231-246
Volume: 82
Year: 2001
Issue: 3

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