Abstract language: What is it?
I mentioned abstraction in yesterday’s post, so let’s look at that idea in a bit more detail.
Abstract language is what we use when we talk about intangibles and ideas, things we can’t see, touch, taste, smell, or hear. Classic examples of abstractions include love and freedom. Superman’s motto of “Truth, justice, and the American Way” is another dandy example of abstract language.
On the other hand, concrete language is what we use to talk about those things that we can see, touch, taste, smell, and hear. Liverwurst, Gene Autry, and thistles are all concrete terms, as are verbs like swim, burp, and sauté.
We all need abstract language from time to time, but it causes problems when you rely on it too heavily. More on that in the next installment.
Roy Jacobsen
in Word Choice, Growing as a writer
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Reader Comments (3)
if i were to have a line in a poem:
"my clothes smell like insanity and cigarettes."
is that an abstraction?
ts,
Instanity is more abstract than cigarettes. But, depending on the poem, the pairing of the abstract instanity with the concrete cigarettes might be exactly the kind of effect you're after. We know what cigarettes smell like, but what is the lingering odor of insanity? That might rais some interesting questions and associations in the reader's mind.
In your example, the pairing of the abstract with the concrete has good potential.
I'm having a little trouble with Abstract Language.
The Short Story I'm doing is: Hills like White Elephants by Hemingway.
The short story I'm doing, one of the question asked is "What effect does Hemingway's abstract language have on your impression on the story? Does it intrigue you? Does it anger you? Does it frustrate you?"
I don't even know what in the story is abstract language. By the way this question asked, there must be a lot of abstract language.
You said its things that are intangibles and ideas, untouchable, and you can't smell nor hear. So I'm assuming the hills mentioned in the story that looked like White Elephants are part of the abstract language.
I don't think I understood the abstract sense of the story. I only understood the literal sense.
So perhaps can you explain this abstract language a little bit more?