Logic as a Cognitive System between Language and Literature
Dr Zeyn Al Abedin Faramarzi Palangar
Department of Literature
Faculty of Humanities
Gonbad Kavous University
Golestan
Iran
Ahmed Gholi
(Corresponding author)
English Department
Faculty of Humanities
Gonbad Kavous University
Golestan
Iran
Abstract
The current article endeavors to demonstrate that ‘logic’ plays a pivotal role in demarcating the
boundary between language and literature. Literature depends on an illogical manner of
language. Everyday language has its own logical structure. But in the realm of literature, one
can observe the illogical manner of language. As a result, everyday language transforms into
literature when it loses its logical features. In this regard, it necessitates a new theory to focus
on the logic both as a cognitive and determining system which works between contradictory
spheres: everyday language and literature. In this theory, logic can provide a cognitive system
which has the appropriate features for measuring linguistic and literary parameters. This system
in addition not only identifies the logical structures of language but also is able to reconstruct
literary sentences. Every interpretation of literary texts is in fact a kind of a logical-making
process. Any explanation of metaphors and similes renders literary texts logical and meaningful.
This new idea was mentioned by Sibawayh, a well-known Muslim grammarian and linguist in the
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eighth century; however, his idea has been ignored in linguistic studies. This paper introduces
logical system as an essential contribution and step in [studies in] linguistics and literature.
Keywords: Language, Logic, Literature, System, Structure.
1. Interlocution
1.1. Sibawayh’s View
This is highly important that Sibawayh (1990), a great grammarian, classified sentences into
different categories in his book Al kitab. According to him, some sentences are well-formed and
correct, some are impossible, some are well-formed yet incorrect, some sentences are correct but
obscene and some are impossible and purely false. To give an example of a well-formed and
correct sentence: I came yesterday or I will come tomorrow. For him, the impossible sentences
refer to those sentences in which the first part of the sentence contravenes the second part. To
give a clear cut example: I came you tomorrow or I will come to you yesterday. With regard to,
the well-formed sentence infused with untruth, the following sentence is a good example: I
carried the mountain or I drank the sea. This grammarian by the correct but obscene sentence
means that using words in wrong places in the sentence; to present an example: saw Zaid I (i.e. I
sow Zaid). Lastly, the following sentences can be the best example for an impossible and purely
false sentence: I will drink sea yesterday. The kernel of Sibawayh’s view is drawing attention to
the disparity and discord between form and content. By being well-form, he means a standard
sentence in terms form and content. The sentences which call as the well-formed yet incorrect,
he predominately means literary sentences. In fact Sibawayh seeks to illustrate the tension which
takes place between the literary sentences and the every language functioning on the basis of the
logical and meaningful concepts. Whereas the literary and imaginative sentences deviate from
the normal rules of the normal language. In fact, the aesthetical manipulation of language is
defamilaring the ordinary language. To put differently, this strange- making process will result in
the emergence of the literary texts which are more and more illogical.
Logical Approach toward Literary language
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The dawn of literature is tantamount to the birth of irrational language. To deal with language,
one can consider two approaches. The first one focuses on the aesthetical side of language and
disregards its semantic side, whereas the second one emphasizes the semantic quality of
language in literary discourse or on its communicative functions. Concerning analysis of literary
texts, interpretive parameters are utilized to expound those literary sentences which defy the
sense of rationality. The logic possesses its own tools to purge semantic irregularity and restore
order in sentences (Mohaghegg & Isotso 1993). Employing the logic for evaluating the meaning
of literary discourse foregrounds its unique significance. The beauty of literature rests on its
ambiguous language. The first step in grasping literary texts is interpreting them and this
interpretation involves the use of strategies which to make the ambiguous parts familiar and
sensible. To understand this estranged language, we first analyze it in our mind which functions
on logical basis. When encountered with abnormal sentences, our mind begins to interpret and
regulate the illogical manner of language, and this struggle assumes an aesthetical dimension.
The pleasures of literary texts depends on the struggle between reader’s perception and illogical
manner of language. When the literary texts in the light of logical framework, the sentences
undergoes manipulation in our minds since literary sentences, according to Sibawayh, therefore
they need to be arranged again. One way to make the sentences logical semantically is applying a
familiar process. It is clear that any distortion in a literary statement poses a problem in semantic
level not in structure level. The logic keeps our interpretation on literary statement safe and helps
us to reach to the deep-structure and real meaning of literary phrases. The employment of logic
for analyzing the literary statements does not mean that they do not have any not any value per se.
Rather the function of logic is to unearth the real hidden meaning lost among the metaphors and
metonymies and other literary tropes. Although the real goal of logic is to distinguish right from
wrong, it can be also applied as a medium to bring forth the underlined meanings of the text.
This in mind, here three initial lines from T.S Eliot‘s famous The waste Land will show the point,
April is the cruelest month,
Breeding lilacs out of the dead land,
Mixing memory and desire,
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The first line according to English grammar is well-formed, yet it is not correct semantically and
logically. Naturally to be cruel is human beings’ behavioral trait; however, in this line it is
contributed to April. At the first glance, the poem seems strange, yet there is a hidden meaning a
careful readers should discover it. For example the word ‘cruelest’ in the verse is contributed to
April. The poet imagined the April as a living creature. The month of April is likened to a human
that treats others brutally and without showing mercy. So this line in its deep semantic structure
can be divided into two main logical statements: April is likened to a human the man and April is
cruelest month of all. In the second part of poetry, April appears but in another form: ‘(April)
breeding lilacs out of the dead land’. This line can be dissected in this manner: in April it rains a
lot so lilacs can grow out of the dry land. April has assumed a metaphoric aspect. The subject in
this piece of poem is not real subject. April can not do any thing. April can not be cruel and it
can not breed lilacs out of the dead land, and this interpretation does not disturb logical analysis.
It is true that a salient feature of literature has always been that its material existence (Hall.2005).
But the logic as a cognitive system deals with predicative sentences which indicate truth and
false in the sentence. According to Arabic book of eloquence: Javaher Al Balagha, true
predicative sentences are the sentences which can be considered as a false or wrong in the same
time. This is also mentioned in great Arabic eloquent book Javaher Al Balagha, predicative
sentences are the ones whose content has really happened in the real world (Al-Hashemi.1996).
The true meaning of logic as a cognitive tool is the system that transfers disorganized literary
sentences into new and well-formed sentences based on semantic rules. Literary language
especially modern literature is a kind of unusual writing. Logical-making process changes the
unusual literary sentences into usual and understandable phrases. According to this principle, the
logic can justify unnatural manner of literary statements and deduct logical structure from
literary sentences. Therefore, the logic enables the reader to recognize a metaphorical position
and the real position. In other words, without the logical observations, the recognition of
metaphoric statements will be impossible.
As earlier mentioned, the purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that logic converts the literary
phrases into the typical and logical common language. This is done via going from the form of
the literary language to the form of common language by using semantic structure that is
commonly logical.
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It is only the content of literature which is interpreted in every reading. Interpretation of the text
according to the logical perspective is studying the lexicon and grammatical structure and
semantic forms resist on analyzing it in order to determine its meaning. It is expected that logic
could change the meaning of literature. The literary language is ambiguous, paradoxical and
ironical. Even though literary language is not referential language like logic and science, after all
literary language should be understandable and translatable for readers. The process of
understanding automatically relies on logical principles that are human beings’ innate faculty.
Logic as a cognitive and interpretive system reduces ambiguity of literature. Although literature
for creating aesthetical forms, inevitably avoids using direct clarification and clear structure, it is
the reader who interprets its metaphorical language to find its meaning. To put differently, logic
and its power is anti-ambiguous tool which reveals the hidden meanings of literary phrases.
Aesthetical conception varies from the logical analysis and anti-ambiguous process. Ambiguity,
playfulness, and deviation from logical expression in the art is considered as a basic principle.
(Movahhed, 1998). Unlike some literary movements that makes the everyday language
unfamiliar and difficult to understand, logical perception of reader interprets the unfamiliar
language and makes it familiar, clarified and simple.
One can declare that literary pleasure comes to existence when human mind faces the real
challenge between the strange language and well-organized and logical human mind because
human’s logical mind cannot accept the meaningless and unusual use of language and tries to run
away from mayhem by employing logical interpretations.
By showing common hidden meanings of a literary text and emphasizing the patterns which
should be discovered through logical principles which are considered as humans’ inborn faculty,
it cannot be ignored the issue that reading is a process and the aim of reading is to contribute to
the readers own interior and exterior dialogues about the ideas (Jeffry. 2004).The object of this
paper has been supporting this basic rule: the creator of literary works, in fact use words to
convey meanings and concepts. It also claims s that a literary language is not meaningless and
absurd. Hence the logic can organize the meaning structure of the literature. Logical
understanding converts the literature makes it clear. A long time ago Muslim scholars of
eloquence indicated that that human beings have a logical perception by which they attempt to
interpret logically when it encounters a strange linguistic phenomenon logically.
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Methodology
This article hinges on the premises that any phrase and any sentence in language is meaningful
and logical. This fresh perception of language as a meaningful and logical structure bespeaks a
new process which combines the semantic domain with that of logic. In this process, the logic as
an interpretative system turns the literary sentences into the meaningful linguistic units.
Additionally, as an epistemological system, the logic serves as a yardstick and determine
whether the sentences are rational (true) or irrational (false). For example, a great Muslim
logician like Mulla Hadi Sabzevari (1999), points to the resemblance between logic and
grammar when he remarks that if the rules of logic are observed, subjective mistakes will be
prevented. Similar to the logic, grammatical rules will purify the sentences from egregious
mistakes.
A brief Example of Textual Analysis
In this section, some lines from Raine’s poem with be analyzed from the perspective of logic by
focusing on its semantically alienated aspect of poem,
There is a poem on the way
There is a poem all around me
The poem is in near future
The poem is in the upper air
Above the foggy atmosphere (as cited in Sara Thorne, 2006, p.323)
The poem talks about the message and wants to deliver its message to someone. At the first
glance, it seems that poetry is normal semantically. As mentioned before, Sibawayh called
literary sentences as well-organized yet incorrect. In fact, above lines are syntactically wellformed form but semantically is not correct.
Where is the problem? There is no logical relationship between ‘poem’ and ‘on the way’. The
word ‘poem’ in all patterns is used metaphorically. In logical framework, the verse can be
analyzed. The ‘poem’ can’t be on the way; the speaker (for example the poet) can walk and can
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be on way; the ‘poem’ is similar to the man or poet that can walk and can be on the way. The
word ‘poem’ in this poetry is employed metaphorically. The logical approach toward the poetry
aims at finding the real meaning of the ‘poem’. Here human traits are contributed to the poem
which is inanimate entity. The speaker in this poems tries to convey the message that poem is
part of humans’ life and it accompanies them any time and wherever the humans set their feet in
every places let it be air, ground, or mountains. Logic can analyze it in this way too: humans can
create in any places any time; it does not exhaust and one can compose poetry in many natural
settings; therefore, poetry is inseparable from them.
Conclusion
It is wise to mention that Muslim grammarians had a right image about the concept of language
in all levels in particular Sibawayh who divides language into distinct parts. According to
Sibawayh, the best structure in language is the one which is clear semantically and syntactically.
Mainly literary sentences are syntactically well-formed, yet they are wrong semantically. In
Islamic traditional studies this is the point that has been called lie. Meanwhile the literature as a
lie has a meaning. To change the lies into truth necessitates an approach to separate the truth
from falsity. This is possible through logic. Even though a logical interpretation of literary
sentences can not be always true, yet it can be used for explaining and clarifying unusual and
unfamiliar language. In logical approach, literary sentences need to be reconstructed not only to
be understood but also to solve its unusual dimension, which in return it will yield profound
pleasure for the meaning making mind.
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References:
Al-Hashemi, A. (1996). Javahe Albalagha., the center of publication of the office of Islamic
propagation.
Hall. G. (2005). Literature in Language Education. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Mohaghegh, M & Izotso. H. (1993). Logic and Literal Discussion. Tehran: Tehran University of
Tehran publisher.
Movahhed, Z (1998). Poetry and Cognition. Tehran: Morvarid Publication.
Sabzevari, M. (199). An Illustration on logical poems. Tehran. Nab Publication.
Sibawayh, (1990). Al Kitab (The Book). Beirut – Liban, Tehran: Al-Aalami Liberary
Publication.
Thorne, S (2006). Mastering Poetry. London: Palgrave Macmillan
Wainwright, J. (2004). The Basics Poetry. London. Routledge.
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