Abstract

Mihhail Lotman. Metrical montage: On the theory of polymetrical compositions. The theory of polymetrical compositions was founded as late as in the 1970s by Pyotr Rudnev, a scholar of the University of Tartu. While Rudnev approached the problem from the paradigmatic aspect, in the present paper the priority of syntagmatics over paradigmatics is emphasized: the effect of polymetricity is based on the contrast of segments, which is, in its own way, a montage with means of verse technique. Just like in the case of video montage, here as well we can distinguish between straight cut anddissolve . The given types of montage use different semiotic mechanisms and have different semantic effects. The theoretical standpoints are illustrated with examples from Alexander Pushkin’s poetry