Language Reflection: Metatextual Analysis

J Psycholinguist Res. 2024 Mar 20;53(2):31. doi: 10.1007/s10936-024-10069-6.

Abstract

The article deals with language reflection, verbalization through metatexts, and interpretation. The expression of language reflection is defined in the works of writers and poets. The research is directed at investigating the text, realizing the process of interpreting the works of great poet A. Kunanbayev from the point of linguistic consciousness, and determining the results. The poet conveys information by utilizing various language tools and constructs that prompt self-questioning. The definitions of concepts, classifications, and characteristics related to language reflection are given. The authors aimed to identify language reflection in A. Kunanbayev's works, classify reflexives marking the language reflection of the author, modeling them using the G. Gibbs' model, and comparing them with the psycholinguistic survey materials within the framework of reflexive linguistics. The authors agree that there are two classifications of reflexives, such as metatextual commentary and metalanguage interpretation. As a result of the study, the poet's self-reflection consisted of 6 elements (Gibbs' cycle), through the lexico-semantic analysis of the reflexives the poet's language units were classified as metatextual commentary and the respondents' answers as metalanguage interpretation. The syntactic structures of the language reflexives were determined, and it was found that they are often in interrogative and negative forms. According to the purpose of the article, the reflexives in the poet's poem were identified and classified into four groups (Describing the poet or providing additional information; Working on yourself; Working with character; Positive assessment) by the semantic nature of the respondents' interpretation of the work as a result of the psycholinguistic experiment.

Keywords: Critical thinking; Language and thinking; Language consciousness; Mental activity; Metalanguage reflection.

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Language*
  • Linguistics
  • Psycholinguistics
  • Semantics*