ATLAS OF LANGUAGE

AT-HAR10-0004 · ATLAS 251

Ekphrasis

A vivid, often self-contained verbal representation of a person, place, object, or experience.

Explanation

A vivid, often self-contained verbal representation of a person, place, object, or experience. Makes perception visible as verbally guided reconstruction and shows how description simultaneously selects, orders, and interprets.

Example

Against the dark blue, a single golden line still holds the falling body within the image.

Counterexample

The picture is blue and shows a figure.

Distinction

Hypotyposis particularly vivifies a scene, event, or action; ekphrasis profiles an extended description whose classical scope is broader than the modern focus on artworks.

Effect on thought and perception

Makes perception visible as verbally guided reconstruction and shows how description simultaneously selects, orders, and interprets.

Resonance

An object or experience begins to resonate anew and differently in the medium of language.

Cite this entry

Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Ekphrasis“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-HAR10-0004. ATLAS 251, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-HAR10-0004

https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-HAR10-0004

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