Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-3, Issue-2, 2017
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in
Exploring Types of Linguistic
Deviations in the Poem Adonais
Sohaila Abbas
M.Phil Student (English Literature and Linguistics)
Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University Quetta, Pakistan.
Abstract: The present study makes an attempt to
explore the types of linguistics deviations and the
reasons for the usage of linguistic deviations by the
poet P. B. Shelley in his poem Adonais. Linguistic
deviations embody stylistic beauty to the writing. It
is also a distinct way of analyzing discourse. The
poem has been analyzed based on the theory of
linguistic deviations which has been proposed by
Leech in 1969. Literary works always contain
certain linguistic deviations. This research only
takes the poem Adonais. The linguistic deviation
theory revolves around eight types of deviations.
The study has found out that Adonais contains six
types of linguistic deviations out of the eight
proposed by Leech. The study concludes that there
are several reasons for using linguistic deviations.
Linguistic deviations are used for abrogating the
regular grammatical and syntactic rules, they are
used to enhance aesthetic sense and express
certain emotions. They are also used to create new
words. The study has been accessed through
textual analysis in a qualitative mode of inquiry.
Textual analysis has further been specified to
content analysis and the data is analyzed using
descriptive method. The theoretical framework that
supports the study is linguistic deviation theory of
Leech (1969). The study ends up discovering the
types of linguistic deviations and the reasons for
their use in the poem Adonais by P. B. Shelley.
Key words: Linguistic Deviation,
Discourse, Stylistics, Adonais
Leech,
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Introduction:
Discourse is a word that explores structures of
language beyond the sentence level. It exists in two
forms-written and spoken. Ochs & Shieffeline
(1983) declare that discourse is a sequence that
interacts between two or more speakers. Language
when used is regarded as discourse (Brown &
Yule, 1983). Carter (1993) defines discourse as a
term that is parallel to text. Generally speaking,
discourse is spoken or written stretch of language.
Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Crystal (2003) defines discourse as utterance set
that occurs in any speech event. Discourse is the
language usage either in written or spoken form for
the production of meaning. All the above
definitions collectively mean that language in use
is called discourse.
Cook (1989) states that the search which facilitates
discourse with coherence is called discourse
analysis. Discourse analysis studies the spoken or
written language in relation to its social and
psychological context. It constructs a bond
between language and the context in which
language is utilized. Every writer has his/her own
peculiar style of writing. Turner (1973) states that
style is the way in which a person expresses
himself by speaking or writing (i. e. style is ‘what
grammar leaves out’). Style refers to usage of
language in a manner that varies from person to
person. Style can be deemed as a distinctive use of
language which differs from one to another.
Stylistics is the study of style. Turner (1973)
deems stylistics as domain of linguistics that
emphasizes on the variations in language use. It
places its focus on the use of language in literature.
Stylistics is the study of style which is very
organized and systematic. The variations in
language use are the root cause of linguistics
deviations. Linguistics deviation is a creative
manner of using language in a way that is distinct
from everyday speech. Leech (1969) claims that
linguistic deviation paves the way for the creation
of interesting elements and surprise. Deviations
can
be
of
various
forms-phonological,
grammatical, lexical, semantic etc. any sort of
linguistic or social deviation from a set norm is
referred to as foregrounding. Foregrounding
resembles a situation in which a picture is viewed
against a background. Linguistic deviations have
been incorporated by many writers and poets in
their works in order to make their work more
inventive and creative in nature. The use of
linguistic deviations, in fact, makes the writing
style of each writer different from the other.
The present study transpires to explore the types of
linguistic deviations inculcated in the poem
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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-3, Issue-2, 2017
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in
Adonais written by P. B. Shelley in 1821. Adonais
is a poem that was written as an elegy to mourn the
death of John Keats, a friend of Shelley. Shelley
adopted “Adonais” the title of the poem from
“Adonis”, the Greek mythical character believed to
have conquered the heart of Aphrodite, the goddess
of love. Adonais is celebrated as the poem of
Shelley that is perfect in its form, use of
Spenserian stanza and imagery. The poem is
divided into fifty five Spenserian stanza. The
youthful death of Keats left many grieved and
mourning like Shelley. Shelley expresses his grief
and sorrow for Keats’ death in the composition of
his poem Adonais. This poem capture the rank of
being finest and most sublime among the English
elegies.
Shelley considered Keats’ death a lose that was
irreplaceable for nature and poetry. The current
study is supported by the theory of linguistic
deviations proposed by Leech in 1969 and follows
a qualitative mode of inquiry.

1.2. Research Objectives:
To explore the types of linguistic
deviations that have been used in the poem
Adonais by P. B. Shelley.

To discover the purpose of incorporating
linguistic deviations in the poem Adonais.
1.3. Research Questions:

What are the types of linguistic deviations
which have been used in the poem Adonais by P.
B. Shelley?

What is the purpose of incorporating
linguistic deviations in the poem Adonais?
1.4. Significance of the Research:
Adonais is the poem that constitutes a number of
different types of linguistic deviations. The
researcher tries to unearth what types of linguistic
deviations have been integrated into the poem by
using Leech’s theory of linguistic deviations
(1969), and why have they been incorporated. The
study is significant as it will give us a linguistic
analysis of the poem from stylistic point of view. It
also casts light on the writing style of P. B. Shelley
and the creative elements he has used in his poem.
1.5. Statement of the Problem:
It has been observed that the use of language varies
greatly from one person to another. The reason that
demarcates distinctions in writing style of different
authors or poets is the incorporation of linguistic
deviations in their writings. The current study
explores the types of linguistic deviations
embodied in the poem Adonais by P. B. Shelley.
Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
The study also informs the readers the reason why
linguistic deviations have been incorporated into
the poem Adonais. This is a linguistic analysis of
the poem Adonais.
1.6. Delimitations:
The current study is delimited to the exploration of
linguistic deviations in one of the poems Adonais
written by Shelley. The study is accessed by the
qualitative mode of inquiry which is further
specified to content analysis in textual analysis.
The study uses Leech’s theory of linguistic
deviation (1969) as its theoretical framework. Data
analysis has been executed by descriptive method
as the data has been described in words.
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Discourse and Discourse Analysis:
In linguistics, discourse refers to an in depth study
of sentence structure be it written or spoken.
Discourse is the meaningful use of language, it is
the use of language for communication in either
written or spoken form. Once discourse is analyzed
in relation to the context in which it is carried out
is called discourse analysis. It does not exclusively
concentrate on texts of different types, but also the
spoken language in conversations and talks. Carter
(1993) opines that discourse analysis is a novel
domain of linguistics that seeks to illustrate the
irregularities and irregularities in sentences which
cannot be comprehended at grammatical level. He
is of the view that discourse analysis concerns the
exploration of language beyond sentence
boundaries to form an understanding of
organizations of texts. Discourse analysis is an
investigation of language use in all possible forms
and functions. It not only probes the social
function of language, but also unveils how texts
have been constructed in appropriate form that is
the expression of both thought and experience
(Yule, 1996). Grenoble (2000) mentions that
discourse analysis demands a comprehensive
knowledge
of
understanding
language.
Comprehensive knowledge not only refers to
competency in speaking, but literary and social
traditions’ understanding. She furthermore states
that a thorough analysis of discourse requires
command on phonetics, syntax, pragmatics,
semantics, paralinguistic features and knowledge
of real world.
2.2. Introduction to Style and Stylistics:
Style generally refers to different types of activities
executed by human beings. It can be an individual
characteristic, a variant personality, a fashion mode
or living manner. Style refers to the way one
expresses himself through speaking or writing
(Turner, 1973). Wale in 1990 (as cited in
Missikova, 2003) states that style is a language
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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-3, Issue-2, 2017
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in
variation used for literary or non-literary purpose.
It is the sum total of those linguistic features which
prove to be the characteristics of authors. It also
refers to the selection of items, the way they are
distributed and arranged into patterns. Crystal
(2003, p. 440) defines style in broad as
‘situationally distinctive uses (varieties) of
language’. Whereas, in narrow sense, style is the
relation of formality among the people in
communication. The study of style is termed as
stylistics. Stylistics approach the study of style in a
scientific and systematic manner. Turner (1973)
states that like linguistics, stylistics also constitutes
phonological and lexical levels. Widdowson
(1979) claims that stylistics refers to the situation
when linguistic orientation becomes the basis of
literary discourse study. Crystal (2003) refers to
stylistics as a term that determines the link present
between the forms and their effect in a particular
variety of language.
2.3. Linguistic Deviations:
The term linguistic deviation is associated to
inventive and creative usage of language that
varies in norms from the everyday usage. Cook
(1989) refers to deviation as a term that lacks
conformity with the regular structure of discourse.
Crystal (2003) states that deviation occurs when a
sentence or any linguistic unit abrogates the rules
and appear to seem deformed phonologically,
grammatically
or
semantically.
Linguistic
deviation is the distortion of a normal
communication process that marks a space in
comprehending a text. This space can only be
covered if one comprehends the text beyond its
superficiality.
2.4. Foregrounding:
Stylistic uses a term ‘foregrounding’ to indicate the
violation from a linguistic or socially
acknowledged norm. It can be compared to a
situation when one looks at a picture against its
background. Linguistically, foregrounding points
to novel data that contradicts the items present in a
sentence. The sentence builds a background
against which novel data is to be comprehended.
Foregrounding is gained by parallelism other than
deviating from the norm. Foregrounding is deemed
as the prime element necessary for aesthetic
communication,
deep
interpretations
and
perpetually memorable.
2.5. Previous Studies:
Sadoon & Al- Aassam (n. d) attempted to study the
phonological deviations in the novel Hard Times
which is written by Charles Dickens in 1854. Their
study revealed that Dickens used phonological
deviations to exhibit the social class of characters.
Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
They came up with the reason that why
phonological deviations have been used and how
they reflect Dickens’ philosophy and style in
presenting class distinction in the novel. The result
also revealed that Dickens has inculcated two types
of phonological deviations to gain his aim of
portraying the social class of characters.
Khan & Jabeen (2015) attempted to make stylistic
analysis of the poem To Autumn which is written
by John Keats in. The study ended up finding
graphlogical, grammatical, syntactical and
phonological patterns along with tropes and
schemes. Another similar study is conducted by Al
Shawa (2015) who made stylistic analysis of the
poem To A Skylark which is written by P. B.
Shelley in 1820. Miyata (1981) conducted a
research on the types of linguistic deviations in the
novel Oliver Twist which is written by Charles
Dickens in 1839. This study successfully explored
the various types of linguistic deviations
ingeniously used by Charles Dickens in Oliver
Twist. Alazawi (2014) attempted a foregrounding
analysis of E. E. Cumming’s poem next to of
course god America I and revealed that Cumming
has used all types of foregrounding for elevation of
theme of his poem.
The poem Adonais has not been analyzed from the
perspective of linguistic deviations; hence, the
current study aims to target the types of linguistic
deviations that have been used by Shelley in his
poem Adonais.
METHODOLOGY
3.1. Methodology:
The current study attempts to uncover types of
linguistic deviations that have been used in the
poem Adonais by P. B. Shelley. The study is
backed by Leech’s theory of linguistic deviations
that was proposed in 1969. The study’s unit of
analysis is Adonais, the poem written by Shelley in
1821, and the study has been accessed through
qualitative method in general and textual analysis
in particular. Textual analysis has further been
specified to content analysis. The data in the paper
has been analyzed through descriptive method as
the data is explained in words.
3.2. Theoretical Framework:
Leech (1969) discussed various linguistic
deviations which distinguished the three central
levels of language: realization, form, and
semantics. Phonology and graphology aid in
Realization; grammar and lexicon are part of form;
whereas cognitive and denotative meaning refers to
semantics. Leech’s classification of language into
three levels is significant in solving myriad
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ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in
language problems. For example, words which
have same pronunciation but differ in their
meanings are called Homophones (e.g. water
(noun) and water (verb). Words which have similar
meaning but are different in forms are called
synonyms (e.g. cold, frigid, and chill). In this case,
dividing language in two parts-form and meaning
is not enough. Knowledge of a language demands
knowledge of its Form (Grammar and Lexicon),
Realization (Phonology and Graphology), and
Semantics (meaning).
There are various types of linguistic deviations
which give birth to foregrounding.
Lexical Deviation
Neologism is a fine example of lexical deviation.
Neologism refers to formation of a novel word
introduced in language, e.g. nonce-formation.
Nonce-formation is process for inventing new
words. Leech (1969) states that a word is a nonceformation if it is created for the nonce, i.e. for a
single occasion. Crystal (2003) explains a nonceformation to be a form of linguistic unit which is
accidentally or at times consciously created by a
speaker and is used on a single occasion.
There are many reasons for nonce-formation, e.g. a
particular word may not be remembered by
speaker, so an alternative form of the word is
coined. Words can also be coined on newspaper
headlines. Nonce-formations are used frequently in
a community and hence stop to be nonceformation, they turn to be neologisms. Functional
conversion is also actively taking part in lexical
deviations. It refers to the conversion of word from
one grammatical form to another. Short (1969)
states that this is a common literary language. Slip
of the tongue and error in speech is also a process
of lexical deviation where the speaker moves away
from the intentional words and create new words.
These tongue slips are regarded as malapropism. It
is the misuse of words that occurs when a speaker
utters "reprehend" for "apprehend", "derangement"
for "arrangement" and so on (Clark, 1977, p.
287).
Graphological Deviation
This deviation is comparatively small and
superficial portion of style. It concerns problems
like
spelling,
capitalization,
hyphenation,
italization and paragraphing. These problems are
determined by syntax and are noticed in
expressions when a graphological choice is made
by a writer that is to some extent marked or
unconventional, example can be intentional
misspelling (Leech and Short, 1981).
Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Graphological deviation is getting evolved since it
is seen in different ways that people use to express:
emphasis using, spacing and special symbols. At
times, capitalization of differing sizes is used for
the following purposes: emphasis, irony, satire,
and other literary purposes. Hyphen is used for two
types of word separation: a break at the end of a
line, and the parts of a compound word (greeneyed). It is also used to produce a contrast in
meaning which is delivered (Crystal, 2003). Dash
is used to exhibit a comment or after thought at the
end of a sentence, or simply an incomplete
utterance. Sometimes it is used to signal a missing
word or letter. Grammatical Deviation
Grammatical deviation refers to deviation in syntax
and morphology. English has large numbers of
rules for grammar which create more chances of
foregrounding by grammatical deviations (Short,
1969). One essential form of grammatical
deviation is the situation of ungrammatical like: "I
dose not like him" (Leech, 1969). It is important to
mention that grammatical deviation demonstrates
the social classes of the speakers. The presence of
variations in language between different social
classes can be illustrated by the following
sentences:
Uneducated Class
I aint done nothing.
anything.
I weren't me that done it.
Educated Class
I haven't done
I didn't do it.
(Trudgill, 2000, p. 65)
The most essential kind of grammatical deviation
is when a writer utilizes a double negation, a
double comparative and a double superlative.
Negation has been used many times in a single
sentence in Old and Middle English. As in these
examples: "I will never do nothing no more" and
"This was the most unkindest cut of all" (Brook,
1977, p. 146). Grammatical deviation is mostly the
result of false analogy. Analogy refers to a manner
of regularization which influences the exceptional
forms in the language grammar. The effect of the
regular rule of plural formation in the English can
be heard in the treatment of irregular forms in the
early utterances of children, e.g. mens, mans,
mouses. The children are producing these forms on
the analogy with the regular patterns, e.g. boy,
boys, cat, cats (Crystal, 2003, p. 23). Foreign
learners too make false analogy by applying
regular forms for irregular forms such as: goed,
seed, knowed, etc. Processes of analogical creation
are one of the main tendencies in the history of
languages, as when verbs which had an irregular
past tense form in Old English came to be
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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-3, Issue-2, 2017
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in
produced with regular “ed” ending, e.g. “help”
becomes “helped”, “play” becomes “played”.
Apocope: the omission of a final part, oft
The smallest part of syntax is word. Morphemes
combine to form words, for example, cupboard
consists of two morphemes (cup) and (board). The
two morphemes are capable of standing alone on
their own as words, and are regarded as free
morphemes. All morphemes are not free: for
example, the word (washer) has two morphemes
(wash) and (er). Here, (er) is a bound morpheme.
Word deviation occurs when an unusual ending is
attached to a word which normally is not added to
that. “Perhapless mystery of paradise”.
“By
comparing (perhapless) with normal paradigm, we
can see that Cummings is pointing to an apparently
contradictory of heaven, namely that it is a mystery
with no uncertainty” (Short, 1996, p. 51).
Semantic deviation deemed as ‘non-sense’ or
‘absurdity’, as we comprehend that sense is used
literal sense.
Semantic Deviation
Examples:
I am not yet born; O hear me. (Louis MacNeice’s
Prayer before Birth)
The child is father of the man. (Wordsworth’s My
Heart Leaps Up)
She was a phantom of delight (Shakespeare)
Beauty is truth, truth beauty (Keats)
Dialectal Deviation (Dialectism)
Phonological Deviation
Short (1969) emphasizes that the sound of a
language relates to speech and literature is mostly
in written form, that’s why there is small chance
of phonological deviation. Sound pattern turns to
be explicit when the literature is read aloud. To a
large extent, this implicit phonological patterning
is determined by the choice of words and structure
at the syntactic level, where it can be regarded as
an important ingredient of stylistic value (Leech
and Short, 1981). Phonological deviation is linked
to the social class. Individuals and social needs
determine phonetic behavior. Education is a need,
and a reason that shows conformity to a
serviceable norm which operates as a type of
standard in every speech community. Educated
English people display a large range of differences
in pronunciation and usage. It is governed partially
by a literary norm and partially by social norms
though the partly educated often quit good local
speech for something which is difficult to refer to
as a norm (Firth, 1972). Trudgill (2000)
emphasizes that grammatical deviation from
Standard English is dependent on phonetic and
phonological variations, although this is not
demonstrated on the printed page, meaning there
are social-class dialects as well as social accents.
Sometimes habits makes speakers move away from
the normal manner of sound or its
mispronunciation, e.g. “childish mispronunciation
which have never be corrected or they may arise
from physical defect” (Jones, 1918, p. 12).
Phonological deviation is of three types.
Aphesis: the omission of an initial part of a word
or phrase, ‘tis
Syncope: the omission of a middle part, Ne’er,
o’er, pow’r
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It is the process of borrowing social or regional
features of dialects.
Example:
heydeguyes (a type of dance) and rontes (young
bullocks) in Spenser’s The Shepheardes Calendar
Deviation of Register
The usage of a several registers in unsuitable field
is deviation in register. In poetry, register
borrowing is characterized by the further
incongruity of register mixing, or the use in the
same text of features characteristic of different
registers.
For example:
In Auden’s Letter to Lord Byron: And many a
bandit, not so gently born Kills vermin every
winter with the Quorn
Quorn (trademark a vegetable substance that can
be used in cooking instead of meat)
Deviation of Historical Period
The usage of linguistic units of dead languages
such as Latin, Greek and archaism is deviation of
historical period. The revival of past languages in
the present languages is called deviation of
historical period.
For example: In P.B. Shelley’s poem Adonais,
And keep thy heart light lest it make thee sink
(stanza no. xlvii)
DATA ANALYSIS
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Data analysis has been conducted through
descriptive method and the data has been divided
into different parts depending upon the types of
linguistic deviations that have been discovered in
the poem Adonais.
4.1. Lexical Deviation:
Lexical deviation often results in neologism or
non-formation i.e. words that are coined for use in
single situation only.
Following are the examples of lexical deviations in
the poem Adonais.
The passion-winged Ministers of thought (stanza
no.ix)
Another Splendour on his mouth alit (stanza no.
xii)
All baser things pant with life’s sacred thirst;
(stanza no.xix)
A pardlike Spirit beautiful and swift--Thine own well full, if thou returnest home,
(stanza no. li)
The poet has used these new words for producing
rhetorical effect. The new words produced are
often used by the producer himself in particular
situations. They are not usually used by others.
These new words produced for particular purpose
give some stylistic effect and largely enhance the
power of newness and expression of the language.
4. 2. Phonological Deviation:
Phonological deviation occurs when a poet omits
some parts of the words in order to build rhyming
sequence in his verses. Poetic license gives a poet
the authority to deviate from some followed
standards.
Examples of omissions in the poem Adonais are as
follows:
Aphesis: it refers to omission of the unstressed
initial part of the word.
’Mid listening Echoes, in her Paradise (stanza no.
ii)
She knew not ’twas her own; as with no stain
(stanza no. x)
’Tis we, who lost in stormy visions, keep (stanza
no. xxxix)
He lives, he wakes—’tis Death is dead, not he;
(stanza no. xli)
’Tis Adonais calls! Oh, hasten thither, (stanza no.
liii)
Syncope: it refers to the omission of middle part of
word.
Yet reigns o’er earth; the third among the sons of
light. (stanza no. iv)
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They ne’er will gather strength, or find a home
again. (stanza no. ix)
Palms of her tender feet where’er they fell: (stanza
no. xxiv)
To spill the venom when thy fangs o’erflow;
(stanza no. xxxvii)
And cold hops swarm like worms within our living
c’ay. (stanza no. xxxix)
Apocope: it refers to the omission
of final part of the word.
Torturing th’ unwilling dross that checks its flight
(stanza no. xliii)
Special pronunciation: it is a
deliberate deviation in pronunciation of word.
Break it not thou! Too surely shalt thou find
Thine own well full, if thou returnest home,
Of tears and gall. From the world’s bitter wind
(stanza no. li)
The reason the poets use phonological deviation is
to compose verses that produces rhyming effect.
Phonological deviations are conventional licenses
used for verse composition. They alter the
pronunciations of words to help the poet in
arranging the patterns of sounds in a better and
easier way. It also helps the poet to gain the
communicative effect which he intends to gain.
4.3. Grammatical Deviations:
Grammatical deviation is of two types-syntactic
and morphological. Syntactic deviations occur
when a writer deviates from the norms of syntax. It
is departures from normal rules of grammar. These
constitutes certain features such as insertion of
unusual clause. Sentence rules are disregarded by
the poets.
Morphological deviations involve addition of
affixes to words which they usually do not take, or
removal of their ‘usual’ affixes. It also refers to
break down of words into their morphemes, or
writing many words together so that they seem as
one long word.
Syntactic Deviations:
Following are examples of syntactic deviations in
the poem Adonais.
Not all to that bright station dared to climb;
And happier they their happiness who knew,
(stanza no. v)
Like a pale flower by some sad maiden cherished,
(stanza no. vi)
Awake him not! Surely he takes his fill (stanza no.
vii)
Since she can mimic not his lips, more dear (stanza
no. xv)
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Her kindling buds, as if she Autumn were, (stanza
no. xvi)
Ah, woe is me! Winter is come and gone, (stanza
no. xviii)
‘Leave me not wild and drear and comfortless,
(stanza no. xxv)
Thus ceased she: and the mountain shepherds
came, (stanza no. xxx)
Can touch him not and torture not again; (stanza
no. xl)
May be eclipsed, but are extinguished not; (stanza
no. xliv)
For such as he can lend,--thy borrow not (stanza
no. xlviii)
Break it not thou! Too surely shalt thou find
(stanza no. li)
No more let Life divide what Death can join
together. (stanza no. liii)
Morphological deviations:
Following are the examples of morphological
deviations used in the poem Adonais.
Since she can mimic not his lips, more dear
(stanza no. xv)
For whom should she have waked the sullen year?
(stanza no. xvi)
The airs and streams renew their joyous tone;
(stanza no. xviii)
A wound more fierce than his, with tears and
sighs.’ (stanza no. xxii)
And barbed tongues, and thoughts more sharp
than they, (stanza no. xxiv)
Invulnerable nothings,--We decay (stanza no.
xxxix)
4.4. Semantic Deviations:
Semantic deviations exhibit a transfer in the
meaning of words. It can be a phrase that contains
a word whose meaning flouts the anticipation that
is produced by the words which surround it.
Semantic deviation refers to ‘non-sense’ or
‘absurdity’, but the sense in which the word or
phrase has been used has a literal meaning that can
be inconsistent logically or paradoxical in nature.
Following are the examples of semantic deviations
which have been used in the poem Adonais.
With which, like flowers that mock the corse
beneath, (stanza no. ii)
Most musical of mourners, weep again! (stanza
no. iv)
Death feeds on his mute voice, and laughs at our
despair. (stanza no. iii)
Lost Angel of a ruined Paradise! (stanza no. x)
Ah, woe is me! Winter is come and gone, (stanza
no. xviii)
And barbed tongues, and thoughts more sharp
than they, (stanza no. xxiv)
Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
He lives, he wakes—’tis Death is dead, not he;
(stanza no. xli)
The soft sky smiles,--the low wind whispers near:
(stanza no. liii)
Poets use semantic deviations to evoke
psychological impressions. This kind of deviation
is mostly used to prompt the reader to seek the
underlying meanings of the words in order to
interpret the text.
4.5. Graphological Deviations:
Graphological deviations refer to the kind of print,
grammetrics, punctuation, indentation, etc.
Graphology is the process which encodes meaning
in visual symbols.
Examples of graphological deviations used in the
poem Adonais are as follows.
Capitalization:
When thy Son lay, pierced by the shaft which flies
(stanza no. ii)
Wake, melancholy Mother, wake and weep!
(stanza no. iii)
Into the gulf of death; but his clear Sprite (stanza
no. iv)
To that high Capital, where kingly Death (stanza
no. vii)
Invisible Corruption waits to trace (stanza no. viii)
Lost Echo sits amid the voiceless mountains,
(stanza no. xv)
Capitalization in writing intensifies the effect of
the words and feelings.
Dash:
I weep for Adonais---he is dead! (stanza no.1)
Lament anew, Urania!---He died, (stanza no. iii)
He will awake no more, oh, never more!--- (stanza
no. viii)
By sightless lightning?---the intense atom glows
(stanza no. xx)
Our Adonais has drunk poison---oh! (stanza no.
xxxvi)
Poets use dash as a substitute for some punctuation
marks which shows stronger effect or difference in
meaning. Dash at the end of a verse conveys that
the sentence has not ended.
Italization:
Invulnerable nothings,---We decay (stanza no.
xxxix)
He will awake no more, oh, never more! (stanza
no. xxi)
The poets italicize certain words to show emotion
that is strong. But, italization does not show as
strong expression of emotions as capitalization
does.
Punctuation:
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Vol-3, Issue-2, 2017
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in
I weep for Adonais---he is dead! (stanza no. i)
When Adonais dies? With veiled eyes, (stanza no.
ii)
Of lust and blood; he went, unterrified, (stanza no.
iv)
Had held in holy silence, cried: ‘Arise!’ (stanza no.
xxii)
They fawn on the proud feet that spurn them lying
low. (stanza no. xxviii)
Poets use certain punctuation marks to show that
an idea has ended, an idea continues or is
extended. Punctuation marks also exhibit emotions
of the poets.
4.6. Deviation of Historical Period:
It refers to the use of archaic words in the writings
which are no more used in a language.
Examples of deviations of historical period in the
poem Adonais are as follows.
And thou, sad Hour, selected from all years
(stanza no. i)
Thy fiery tears, and let thy loud heart keep (stanza
no. iii)
But droop there, whence they sprung; and mourn
their lot (stanza no. ix)
Not so the eagle, who like thee could scale (stanza
no. xvii)
Now thou art dead, as if it were a part (stanza no.
xxvi)
‘O gentle child, beautiful as thou wert, (stanza no.
xxvii)
Athwart what brow is that dark mantle thrown?
(stanza no. xxxv)
But be thyself, and know thyself to be! (stanza no.
xxxvii)
Which once he made more lovely: he doth bear
(stanza no. xliii)
The poets used archaic words in order to enhance
the aesthetic values and senses in the poems.
FINDING AND DISCUSSION
The current endeavor has attempted to explore the
types of linguistic deviations which have been
incorporated by the poet P.B. Shelley in the poem
Adonais. Linguistics deviations are structures
which deviate from the regular use of a language
on certain grounds. The study has been approached
by the theory that has been proposed by Leech in
1969. He has mentioned eight types of linguistic
deviations in his theory. The study has been
executed in a qualitative mode by the help of
textual analysis. Textual analysis has further been
specified to content analysis. The study concludes
that the poet has integrated six out of eight types of
linguistic deviations
which are: lexical,
phonological,
semantic,
historical
period,
grammatical and graphological. The study reveals
that the poets use these deviations for certain
Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
purposes which can be abrogating the regular
norms of grammar, enhancing the aesthetic sense
of the poems, showing certain emotions, creation
of new words, enhancing the rhyming schemes in
the poems and to make readers interpret certain
phrases, sentences beyond the surface meanings.
The study provides a detailed analysis of linguistic
deviations supported by examples that have been
extracted from the poem.
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