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    Coco Pleonasm

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    Coco Pleonasm

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    Anup Sengupta
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    Literature

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    12 views4 pages

    Coco Pleonasm

    Uploaded by

    Anup Sengupta
    Literature

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    J), Set ard. at ot in Ses Koonin. Unser! Langue Schemes ‘Enotand and rnc 1201600 Terote Unie of Toren ese TO). 2 teson Untersltamguage Schemes. 4 SeeWatgangtayaersdacunton ot hiscoept “La Dace dang suri cheslanoy Bone Pique 196) 388 39, {aval wn deals wth Talimante and Cremontat magic the Dogmatic Gevalah whch “rons one Qual care andthe Leo! Gln hich dete wih the uf erm ae used n Dow arane, Phe Ata Goboian tenet (London tenet Benn Lite. 1972. p 21, Whe gematannd otra involve permetanons of lees and mumbre and are pat othe Liteal Gabatan tema part ot te Pratt pala 8 cst pony elas the pre Adams at pr ofthe rd and fourth 5 Satta heory of mrs wor wren 2 esponce jmp Me Locke wo found season be he undaan ot Knowle or San Martin ro shes nage nmr tesa omed bainah. 962) p13 Chara Ve Plc Paris ions Calman 1940. 202 10, scholastic phowphy te dactrn ofeauclaniom it was defined by tnelogina nach Sain Rtn reed We ans o il throughs peo cmmis heey ‘chal. Sena Pasig Pars Calms 147) pela atl tan Bo oft et cine oe apy hon | cha Le deta musguetPorLo Mau. 1080.9 8. ae. Moni cron sess de rg a ng! at elope ‘ekalen rom aprtine ste 15: noowtaon Universal Language Schemes. 9. 16, Chara Le Rocher de Sayphe or Loaistpimere Aladin, 1952), Pa Nova 1 acl lite notion o cic ate ar impened wih thes agate ote nivel ea He Ties the tok o nature deduce univers as. Noval Werke Band foster: Cor Hanser Verlg, 1978). p. 25; "Be at dem Stam cin vthelnates Zteenv Tet engeraben iste glher Dt The “Cocopleonasm” of Oliverio Girondo's Poetry S, Ofelia Garci ‘Tne international fame of Jorge Luis Borges has reduced the im- portance of other Argentinian writers wra have shaped the literature ‘oF that country in the 20th century. The poetry of Oliverio Girondo parallels that of Borges in time and space. Oliverio Girondo's wealth allorded him the huxry of living in Europe during the years of cubism, dadaism. futurism. ultaism. and surrealism. His circle of friends included stich well-known interna ional leaders of the avantgarde as Apollinaire. Jules Supervicl, Tristan Tzara. Marinett, and Ramon Gomee de Ia Serna, Although deeply shaped by the European avantgarde, itis signtcant that Girondo always wrote in his native language. unlike other Latin American poets with the same preoccupation for the nature of the poctic sign (Vicente Huidobro, Cesar Moro). His fluency in both English and French mezely provided him with the opportunity to tad those who so closely shaped bis interest in che maximum fore rounding’ of poetic speech: Apollinaire, Max Jacob. Paul Morand Leon Paull Fargue. Henri Michaux, Lewis Carroll, and James Joyee ‘Saul Yurkievich has named Girondo as one ofthe six founders of Spanish American contemporary poetry? Although the other ive—~César Velljo, Huidobro, Pablo Neruda, Octavio Paz, and Borkes have been internationally recognized. Girondo remains relatively lunknown even in his own country. With few exceptions, the critics have seen his literary world as chaotic, anarchic, fragitentary. andi Jogleal.’ Yet, f we focus on Girondo's appreciation ofthe signifier over the signified, we can integrate his mimetic chaos intoa united higher Significance. This manifestation of semiosis becomes apparent in the linguistic disorder of his last book. En (a masmedula (1954), How ver, it is already present in his first wo books of poetry. Veinte poemas para ser leidos en el tranvia (1922) and Catcomanias (1928). The semantic humor ofthese two texts distorts the mimetic reality ih order to produce the semiosis, Alhough critics have ident fied these texts as part ofthe "ultrasta” movement led by the Borges fof Fervor de Buenos Aires (1923) and Luna de enfrente (1925) Girondo's poetics of metaphysical humor separates him from the ab: tract and intuitive metaphors of what Borges has called "la equivo ‘acidn ultrasia.” Girondo, then. precedes Borges in bringing the ‘avantgarde spirit to Argentina in 1920. In addition, his effort (0 Supersede the limitations of conventional language—«he arbitrart ness of the sigh—introduces in Argentina the motivation ef the lin ‘use sign that isso characteristic of modern poetry ‘A comparison of lwo poems of the same matrix—Borges's Dakar” and Girondo’s "Fiesta en Dakar” —wil ehiesate the diller ences between the two founders of contemporsry Argentinian poetry * The lirst statement of Borges's poem—"Dakar esta" (Dakar 's located)—contrasts with the beginning of Cirondo’s—"La calle pasa” (The sireet advances), Borges's poetic universe presents an eternal Dakar that has passed through a metaphorical process to ac ‘auire absolute value, Girondo, on the other hand, presents linguistic carnival where humor has penetrated the sign in an elfort to “de: ‘automatize” it; that is, in an etlort to present it in a new perspective that will force the reader to emancioate it from its denotative fune Won.” “Dakar” will then experience its metathesis into the English vocable "dark." which is semanttaly reinforced through the blacks thal appear in the poem ("un friso de negros sentados sobre el cordon Ge la vereda,” "negros estilizados eon ademanes de sultan.” "negras vestidas de papagayo"). "Dakar" also points to the sordidness of an absurd world where there are “discursos en cuatro mil lenguas fescuras" (discourses in four thousand "dark" languages). The dual Sigh ascuras not only functions in its humorous mimetic relation to the blackness of is iterlocutors, but also acts as a synonym of ign: rance. Language has been disassociated trom myth and art through lis use by a sociey like those "Europeos que usan una escupidera en Ja cabeza [Europeans who use a spitioon on their heads} who appear ‘nGirondo’s poem, This last humorous image also conveys Girondo's contempt for this “logical” human race. ll this eamival ofblackness will be sliminated through the final exclamation of the poem “ ILUNINACIONYa cargo de las constelactones” (ILLUMINATIONY/n charge of the constellations). It almost seems as if Girondo antic paves Roland Barthes's idea ofthe plural text asa" galaxy of signifier nota structure of signifieds.” That is, the tue illumination as nfu> sion of intelectual light will accur when poetic discourse ceases tobe obscure and functions instead as a galactic circle of acoustical im- ‘ages. The task of the reader will not then be to recover the signified that is irrecoverable. but to interpret the signifier. Girondo thus ‘moves away from the “logocentrism” of Western culture that has placed the signified as the sole essence of the sign. ‘The exclamation "yPlantas eallictdas!” (Plants that exlirpate corns! that seems unmotivated a a mimetic level s related to the rst affirmation of the poem—"La calle pasa"—through the phonologies! alliance of the velar stop of “calle” anl “cabieldas” and the bilabial Stop of “plantas” and “pasa.” Thus “plantas” loses ils denovalive ‘meaning and functions as a synecdoche of plantas de los pies sole fof the feel) of those streets that repeatedly and habitually advance ‘rough the poem. “Callicidas” phonologically repeats the word ‘calle,"reinforeing ls component "-cida”” and ils Semantic connota ‘ion of to kill” The mimetic reality (a calle is abolishea eida) by the de-austomatization ofthe poetic sign. The poct thus conffones us with ‘a poetic universe that by Tunetioning as @ galaxy of signifiers will de. ‘troy (kil hat callousness, that hardness that has been produced by ‘the artificial Iriction of the signifier and the signified Ghrondo's effort to find a poetic sign free from all cultural re straints does not end here or in the metaironic eroticism ofthe prose poems of Espantapajaros (1992) He frst attempts to completely purify the signin the poems of Persuasign de fs dias (1942). But his desire of the “Puro No” (the pure nothingness) is answered in the ppampa he internalizes in the long poem Campo nuestro (1946). ILis precisely from the joyous position of having found a reply to his desire, notin an oriental asceticism bul in a "gaucho mystiism. that Gironda writes En la masmédula. The tile already reveals Girondo’s use of morphological humor in the ereation of neologisms by agglutination. Although he violates the lawsaf the semioticsystem of language, he does not separate himself from it ‘The scandal of the poetic sign of En la masmédula forces the reader to push the act of reading toward the higher level of signif cance that Is the proper domain of semiotics. Since the texts violate not only the syntagmatic unfolding, but also the morphological code. and mave toward the paradigmatic axis. only a hermeneutic reading (of En la masmédlta is possible, Akhough iis dificult to isolate one poem, a careful look a¢ Gtrondo's marvelous distortion of the 4 linguistic sign in his poem “Al gravitar rotando" _semiesis ofthe paradigmalie significance." will manifest the Enlased eneloes nas paiquis las exqusitseas respuestas en los gnlubamientos . ‘en lo erecto por Tos Bcesoslesos del erfroe xestera ‘en el bisefiovexhausin del “dame voma date hasta cl mismo estar deta tan xan en oda forma hundido polimellate adrroto a ras az subr ° ‘cocopleonasma exo ‘sm as can si ala sin camastr sin coca sin bistoran adosorbiengiutido pros engendros movlles del gravitar otando balo el pruritoastero Jit pls musastisngs chupaporos pulpoass y los no menoe Pliposbijos del fio Hatin Volunearios del miastir al desplegar a sangre sin intros enanos en el plcotto lato ‘on ta suelo nsorane ¥ todo espectra puesto seatferando Shen — “The tle “Al gravcar rotando” (While graleacinglerava ore nant rlingibroken} once more introduces the Girondin text 8 @ falaxy of sigofers rather than a strate of signified, The mea Ingful se of rotando” instead ofthe mote common "rodando™ en forces ts phonological component rota” (broken). which 1 et phasieed by the neolngism adeta” that appears [nthe poem Ciavitar”accenlates semantically te ea thatthe bigs wa al “pon each other he aggtinaive technique) but also phonological ieonnotesgrivido t indicate thatthe poet will now fer the "purono" of iscarlerstage inorder to produce the orginal ingsiatic slon. Thus. the ute tsconnected tothe fst verse ofthe poem. "en lo fo nolo mato This tr "sgh- womb’ will result fom the extension * Sings Gian» pty ples the gi over the sted. adiret aston soul hinder ine reer semiotic rece Taus have decided to quote te text Spanish ndgive se Enis equtvlental Giondo’s"aeaulomatied sn he of the absolute 2ero in Persuasidn de los dias to the absolute fullness ofthe pregnant womb in the (exis En fa masmédula, The semantic eduction of the sign in the previous stage had freed it Itom its i legitimate status ("note"), “Nato.” with its phonological and seman- Lc elation 10 the past participle “nacido.” stresses its phonological component “ato” (lo Ue), This siga-womb will Geand combine words ‘wa superior bond, ‘The texts of En ta masméaula.are built on the maxsmum excess fr redundancy of the signs that Barthes has called "eaeography."™ Bul Girondo's neologism seems to be more exact—"‘cocopleonasm.” ‘This portmanteau: word isan exaraple ofthe value of Girondo's poetic ‘signs. Not only can they be considered nonsense words lke those of Lewis Carroll but since as agents of semiosis they are intratextually determined, they are examples of what Rilfaterre has (ermed ‘serambling."" "Pleonasmo" {(o use more words than those that are necessary) Is repeated by the word “coco,” which through its phonological duplication of the "0" reproduces its signified of a bacterium of spherical or round form. The empty circle Wil become gravid, “Pleonasmo” also liberates the true “"soustexte™™ of the oem: the “pleno onanismo” (full masturbation) and the “pleno borgasmo” (fall orgasm) of the signs. The “pleno onanisma” is repeated by the neologism “erolrote” (erotic rubbing) that is characteristic of Girondo 8 writing. "Pleno orgasmo” is reinforced by the phrase "plecoito lato” (ull dilfused coitus), “Lato” liberates sts tomponent “ato” (lo tie) in tis “erolfote” of signs, We can relate Gironde's poetics to Francis Pong’ assertion: less necessary toconcelve of writing nol asa transcription according ioacon ventional codeolsome exterior a lormer idea, but truly as 89 orgasm. he forgosm af being orofa structure which must. n order toaccamplish sel, five eel up With joy as Kael in one Word. sige sell This “pleno orgasmojonanismo” of the signs Is repeated Xnroughout te poem. The nig are "engendios movil” ttovable tmbryos) The poet finds hme" pallnellada” wih Hts semantic. indelermination of "polimeriaar” (tone ito olters of more ‘eight. "dla" (polypusivith tentacles), pola moths that con sme. “mellar” (fo notch, all semantically related to "AL gravtar fotano™ ntl finally discovering the “ella [the Ue signswomb). ‘The poet les near the" plipashijos de hip lati" (polypaehirenof| muddy" desir). The neologism "Tutio” arises because of its ‘phonologieal relation tote." which Is reflected the next verse of fhe poem ia the sign “miasma.” But the "of "hljos” and "hipo st destroys the semantic reaity of “ideo.” The palltion that f phone logically associaied with "hipa kati” is abolished through the ex treme desire that causes the OrABR, the emission of semen that's semantically contained in the iberated sign "polucion.*"Hipo hati is also reiated phonologieatly to Hippolyiss object of extreme desire {ohis stepmother. The sis must be passionately atracted toward each other ‘The vertical accumulation of the preposition “en” intherfirstlines of the poem is followed by a horizontal projection ofthe preposition sit,” which Is resolved not “en ef sin,” in the nothingness of the previous stage, but in the innermost "masmédula." The poe. along ‘with his discourse, will now be “endosorblenglutido,"a portmantea ‘word that again points to Girondo'sagglutinative technique. There willbe signs within others "endo", swalowedby others(sorbien ==> sorberblen) and ted to others (giutida” > gluten}. This amalgamation occurs not only in syntagmatic and paradigmatt relations. but also in phonological ones. For example, {he neologism “exqusitisicas” occurs through the iaterpenetration of fhe two previous signs—"psiqais” and “equls:" The change of the superlative suf “isimas” to “sieas” occurs precisely because of the insertion of the velar stop of "eu and "psiquls, The neologism that follows "enlunamientes,” suggests the three semaniicrealies that provoke the other signe Of the poem hana tenoon),“amante” lover "demente” without a mind). This last semantic reality is related to the neologtsm "amente” inthe Nexto last line of the poom. “Amente™ goes beyond is signilied la'mente without a mind) and functions as an “acronyaP of “amante demente" (crazy lover

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