Subjective transformation in poeticized language and the formation of poeticness

Abstract

Abstract As one locus of extraordinary collocations, poeticized language features expressions that depart from the physical reality, involving the subjective transformation of objects in the mental space. Increasing subjectivity renders extraordinary collocations resistant to rational readings, resulting in two types of constructions: “innovative” collocations and “self-created” collocations. The meaning construction in the former is easier to achieve than in the latter; the former entails the “rational evaluation” and the latter the “speculative evaluation” processes in metalanguage. With its rule-breaking defiance caused by meaning obscurity compensated for by rich implied meaning and positive aesthetic feedback, the “self-created” collocations are regarded as poetic and re-accepted by the system. Therefore, the so-termed “poeticness” is derived from the positive feedback during the speculative evaluation process and constitutes the main substance of aesthetic interpretation.