Yuliia Lipach
Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University
Scientific Supervisor: Pradivlianna L.M.
SOUND SYMBOLISM IN THE LYRICS OF ROBERT FROST
Abstract
Understanding of sound symbolism in poetry is an essential part in grasping the meaning of a poem fully. This paper focuses on sound symbolism as a phenomenon firmly based on linguistic facts and discusses works of Robert Frost known for his proficiency in sound symbolism and skills in phonetic text organization.
Keywords: phonostylistics, sound symbolism, alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, meter, rhyme, repetition.
Sound symbolism remains an essential topic of investigation in theoretical and practical spheres of linguistics because the expressive power of a poetic language is an embodied power, manifesting itself to the outward or inward ear in sequences of syllables made up of vowel and consonant phonemes.
In phonostylistics «sound symbolism» is a phonetic phenomenon of a language subsystem which establishes a motivational connection between sounds and meanings of words. It is an evident association between sound consistencies and their meanings in speech. This motivational connection has a mental basis.
For example, in the research conducted in America in 1929 by the famous scientist E. Sepir the interviewed were given meaningless syllables such as mil and mal with arbitrarily ascribed meanings, for example «table». The interviewed had to decide what size these collocations could denote. It turned out that [i] is more often associated with small size, [a] – with the big size [3].
Different language sounds evoke certain associations in our heads and lead to understanding of the emotional tonality of a literary work.
For example: The girl runs her hands over soft silk. The idea of “soft” appeals to our tactile sense. The fresh and juicy lemon is sour. Phrase “juicy and sour lemon” has an effect on our gustatory sense. Similar phenomenon can be observed with the sound and meaning connection.
The sound symbolism in Frost`s poetry has been much discussed and an its understanding is indeed essential to the appreciation of his verse. Robert Frost always takes special care of the “design” of his poems. It means that his poems have specific pattern. Poet shows the readers how his poetry should be read by creating rhythmic and sound effects. Frost often applies assonance and alliteration.
The following passages suffice to make the point.
Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice.
From what I`ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
* – assonance
* – alliteration
Robert Frost uses assonance more frequently in each line of this poem. In this poem sound /aı/ is dominating. It is mostly repeated in the word «I». «It shows the way Frost tells about his experience of encounters with people who felt the effects of the war» [2]. Also the word «fire» contains sound /aı/ and is repeated several times. This word addresses desires or emotions of love.
An important sound symbolic role in certain Frost`s poems is reached by the use such phonic elements as /s/ and /z/. We see Frost playing with such an effect in his poem «The Onset».
Always the same, when on a fated night
At last the gathered snow lets down as white
As may be in dark woods, and with a song
It shall not make again all winter long
Of hissing on the yet uncovered ground.
The word «hissing» is sound-symbolic in shape and origin, calls up metaphorically the image of a menacing snake [2]. This image in turn suggests the force of the snowstorm as it threatens to make the speaker stumble.
Sibilants are widely used in another poem – «Desert Places» but without an allusion to a snake as in the previous verse.
Snow falling and night falling fast, oh, fast
In a field I looked into going past,
And the ground almost covered smooth in snow,
But a few weeds and stubble showing last.
Here sibilant consonants are pronounced a bit differently. They are associated more with whispering rather than with sizzling. «They thus create a kind of spell, like the soothing repetition of sh-h-h to a wakeful baby, promoting the absences of mind in speaker that makes him more akin to the hibernating animals of the woods than to other human travelers – until he recalls himself from that absence in the final stanza» [2].
To express the author`s intentions Frost refers to phonetic organization of a poetic text as well. Phonetic organization of poetry has a direct role in forming the main idea of poetry and its poetic plan. Rhythmic sound of his poems is actual and real. Poetry is arranged in sentences with dramatic contrasts of meaning and tone.
Frost loved the intonations of the spoken language and incorporated them again and again into memorable sentence sounds. The selective use of all these features mentioned above plays an essential role in giving his poetry its characteristic range of sounds. And they guide the readers toward an understanding of their meaning in the fullest sense – a meaning embodied in it, and partially signified by the audible shapes of words.
Robert Frost is a unique poet. He always adheres to not only rhyme but also the meter of the poem. Therefore it can be concluded that Frost is a poet who is very attentive to the beauty and melody of his poetry and creates poems with meaningful sound organization.
References:
- Asmara H.K. Phonological features in Robert Frost`s poems, 2018. 81 p.
- Barroff Sound Symbolism as Drama in the Poetry of Robert Frost, 1992. 14 p.
- Кабиш М.Ю. Звукопис в українській поезії першої половини ХХ століття: семантика, функції. Київ, 2015. 267с.