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Chapter 11. Echoic irony in Philip Larkin’s poetry and its preservation in Polish translations

  • Agnieszka Walczak
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Relevance Theory, Figuration, and Continuity in Pragmatics
This chapter is in the book Relevance Theory, Figuration, and Continuity in Pragmatics

Abstract

This chapter deals with the implications that the relevance-theoretic account of irony might have for the interpretation of Philip Larkin’s poetry, acknowledged to be ironic by many literary critics. This is exemplified by poems Church Going and Water. In reference to the latter, the chapter also considers the impact of adopting this model on assessing translations. To illustrate this point, two Polish translations of this poem are discussed. It is argued that incorporating an analysis of echoic irony into the critique of the translations can shed light on the issue of their faithfulness to the original.

Abstract

This chapter deals with the implications that the relevance-theoretic account of irony might have for the interpretation of Philip Larkin’s poetry, acknowledged to be ironic by many literary critics. This is exemplified by poems Church Going and Water. In reference to the latter, the chapter also considers the impact of adopting this model on assessing translations. To illustrate this point, two Polish translations of this poem are discussed. It is argued that incorporating an analysis of echoic irony into the critique of the translations can shed light on the issue of their faithfulness to the original.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part 1. Continua in non-literalness
  6. Chapter 1. Category extension as a variety of loose use 25
  7. Chapter 2. Metonymic relations – from determinacy to indeterminacy 45
  8. Part 2. Concepts, procedures and discourse effects
  9. Chapter 3. Evidential participles and epistemic vigilance 69
  10. Chapter 4. The Greek connective gar 95
  11. Chapter 5. Metarepresentation markers in Indus Kohistani 121
  12. Part 3. Multimodality and style
  13. Chapter 6. When EVERYTHING STANDS OUT, Nothing Does 167
  14. Chapter 7. Relevance, style and multimodality 193
  15. Part 4. Pragmatic effects and emotions
  16. Chapter 8. Towards a relevance-theoretic account of hate speech 229
  17. Chapter 9. Tropes of ill repute 259
  18. Part 5. Stylistic effects in literary works
  19. Chapter 10. Another look at “Cat in the rain” 291
  20. Chapter 11. Echoic irony in Philip Larkin’s poetry and its preservation in Polish translations 309
  21. Chapter 12. Humour and irony in George Mikes’ How to be a Brit 327
  22. Name index 351
  23. Subject index 355
https://doi.org/10.1075/ftl.8.11wal

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part 1. Continua in non-literalness
  6. Chapter 1. Category extension as a variety of loose use 25
  7. Chapter 2. Metonymic relations – from determinacy to indeterminacy 45
  8. Part 2. Concepts, procedures and discourse effects
  9. Chapter 3. Evidential participles and epistemic vigilance 69
  10. Chapter 4. The Greek connective gar 95
  11. Chapter 5. Metarepresentation markers in Indus Kohistani 121
  12. Part 3. Multimodality and style
  13. Chapter 6. When EVERYTHING STANDS OUT, Nothing Does 167
  14. Chapter 7. Relevance, style and multimodality 193
  15. Part 4. Pragmatic effects and emotions
  16. Chapter 8. Towards a relevance-theoretic account of hate speech 229
  17. Chapter 9. Tropes of ill repute 259
  18. Part 5. Stylistic effects in literary works
  19. Chapter 10. Another look at “Cat in the rain” 291
  20. Chapter 11. Echoic irony in Philip Larkin’s poetry and its preservation in Polish translations 309
  21. Chapter 12. Humour and irony in George Mikes’ How to be a Brit 327
  22. Name index 351
  23. Subject index 355
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