The Lacuna as a Cultural Phenomenon: Analyzing Martin Camaj’s “Circles”

Abstract

The Lacuna theory is the most recognized theory in the field of ethno psycholinguistics at present. Lacunas are phenomena that show how languages and cultures differ in their cognitive structures. They are lexical entities that belong only to a certain culture and language and do not have equivalents in other cultures and languages. The Lacuna theory is used as a theoretical framework for the explanation of different linguistic-cultural issues arising during textual interpretation. The novel “Circles” is very rich in linguistic entities containing encoded cultural information which make this text e very hermetic one, especially for a reader belonging to a different cultural background. Through the application of the lacuna theory we will provide an alternative interpretation of this complex novel. The present article will also cover issues regarding the definition of culture and its relation with language as well as the importance of cultural background knowledge in textual interpretation.

DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n4p353