Foregrounding

Foregrounding

Have you heard of the term foregrounding? If not, don't worry! We will explore the meaning of foregrounding in English and take a look at some examples in literature. We will also consider foregrounding techniques; parallelism and deviation.

SamISI
Teacher: N.T.Narziyev

Foregrounding meaning

• Foregrounding is a literary device that emphasises ideas and symbols through the use of attention-seeking linguistic techniques which either repeat content or break established patterns. Foregrounding is commonly seen when linguistic features or parts of the text stand out. This happens when something in the text is placed in the foreground. Foregrounding is a synonym for centre, focal point, and focus.

The stylistic effects of foregrounding include:

• Grammatical level
• inversion
• Ellipsis
• Phonetic level
• alliteration
• Rhyme
• Semantic level
• Metaphor
• Irony

Foregrounding means making an image, symbol, or language a prominent or important feature. The device is used to estrange or defamiliarize the reader from the text and the content. Such disruptions in form and language help you experience fresh perspectives and responses to texts.

Foregrounding means making an image, symbol, or language a prominent or important feature. The device is used to estrange or defamiliarize the reader from the text and the content. Such disruptions in form and language help you experience fresh perspectives and responses to texts.

Foregrounding was initially formulated by Viktor Shkolvsky (1893-1984) and then developed by Jan Mukarovsky (1891-1975). The device was designed for a literary-aesthetic purpose, yet the concept of foregrounding has been prevalent for understanding perspectives in paintings as well. An example is Edvard Munch's The Scream (1893):

The figure in The Scream draws your attention to the centre of the painting because it is foregrounded by its facial expression. The strict linearity of the bridge contrasts with the curving shape of the foreground and the background. In art, the object / person / thing in the lower middle of the frame is used as a foregrounding device.