What is ‘deviation’ in language ?
Ans.: Deviation is an important device of foregrounding. Deviation is an unexpected irregularity in the poetic language, which is made by violation of the usual patterns in the sound and syntax of poetic language-including patterns in speech sounds, grammatical constructions, rhythm, rhyme and stanza form. This violation of the usual patterns estranges the poetic language.
- Let us take a few examples of deviation in respect of meter on the sound level:
Example No.-1
A nár/row cave/rn in/benéath/the cliff. Here the underlined third foot is a trochee, while the others are Iambic. This is the deviation because here there is a violation of the usual rules of meter.
Example No.-2
In this/the chil/dren plá’d/at keép/ing house. Here the underlined first foot is a pyrrhic, while the other feet are Iambic. This is the deviation, because here there is a violation of the usual rules of meter.