Rhythm In Speech Prose And Verse

Professor Harding assesses the rhythm in poetry and prose from a psychological standpoint.

In contrast to other works, the linguistic approach to rhythm presented in this book does not start from decontextualized structures but from performance data in a bottom-up fashion. Drawing on Halliday's distinction between wording, writing, and sounding, the proposed model takes account of several levels of abstraction. Important categories for data analysis are syllable rhythm and accent rhythm, which interact to establish prominence patterns (peaks and valleys) that can be observed in spontaneous and prepared speech, readings and recitals. Excluding subjective factors of analysis, the new model offers a tool to describe the rhythmic potential of prose and verse and to evaluate rhythmic performances of reading and reciting.

Originally published in 1930, this book was written primarily for the use of those approaching the subject of English prose rhythm for the first time. The text is divided into four main chapters on the following topics: 'Rhythm', 'Prose-Rhythm', 'Cadence' and 'Some Applications'. A bibliography and glossary are also included. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in English literature, linguistic rhythm and the history of education.

A straightforward and practical introduction to rhythm and meter in poetry in English.

This handbook reviews efforts to increase the use of empirical methods in studies of the aesthetic and social effects of literary reading. The reviewed research is expansive, including extension of familiar theoretical models to novel domains (e.g., educational settings); enlarging empirical efforts within under-represented research areas (e.g., child development); and broadening the range of applicable quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g., computational stylistics; phenomenological methods). Especially challenging is articulation of the subtle aesthetic and social effects of literary artefacts (e.g., poetry, film). Increasingly, the complexity of these effects is addressed in multi-variate studies, including confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. While each chapter touches upon the historical background of a specific research topic, two chapters address the area’s historical background and guiding philosophical assumptions. Taken together, the material in this volume provides a systematic introduction to the area for early career professionals, while challenging active researchers to develop theoretical frameworks and empirical procedures that match the complexity of their research objectives.