Philosophy Of Nonsense: The Intuitions Of Victorian Nonsense Literature

PHILOSOPHY OF NONSENSE Why are we, and, in particular, why are philosophers and linguists so fascinated by nonsense? Why do Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear appear in so many otherwise dull and dry academic books? In this amusing, yet rigorous new book, Jean-Jacques Lecercle shows how the genre of nonsense was constructed and why it has proved so enduring and enlightening for linguistics and philosophy. Lecercle claims that nonsense makes sense, philosophically speaking. Nonsense texts reverse the usual positioning of text to theory by reading their theory in advance: they are the reflexive, active interface between literature, linguistics and philosophy of language. Nonsense texts, like all texts, must be read in the light of philosophical and linguistic concepts, but they turn the theory back upon itself to open up new ways of thinking and theorising about language. Philosophy of Nonsense examines the philosophical pillars which structure the nonsense text, but also explores the innovative philosophy which nonsense gives rise to. Lecercle asserts that this new philosophy is no less than a confrontational reappraisal of the analytic and continental traditions of the philosophy of language. Jean-Jacques Lecercle is Professor of English at the University of Paris. He is the author of Philosophy Through the Looking Glass, Frankenstein: Mythe et Philosophie and The Violence of Language. PHILOSOPHY OF NONSENSE The intuitions of Victorian nonsense literature Jean-Jacques Lecercle London and New York First published 1994 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE This edition published in the Taylor & Fancis e-Library, 2002. Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 © 1994 Jean-Jacques Lecercle All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Lecercle, Jean-Jacques. Philosophy of nonsense: the intuitions of Victorian nonsense literature/Jean-Jacques Lecercle. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Nonsense literature. English—History and criticism—Theory, etc. 2. English literature—19th century—History and criticism— Theory, etc. I. Title. PR468.N6L43 827.009–dc20 93–5384 ISBN 0-415-07652-8 (hbk) 0-415-07653-6 (pbk) ISBN 0-203-02572-5 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-20906-0 (Glassbook Format) For Edward CONTENTS Acknowledgements ix INTRODUCTION: READING NONSENSE READING Reading nonsense Nonsense reading: Lewis Carroll and the Talmud Rereading nonsense: ‘Jabberwocky’ Conclusion 1 5 20 26 1 THE LINGUISTICS OF NONSENSE Introduction Phonetics Morphology Syntax Semantics Conclusion 27 31 38 51 59 68 2