Breaking the rules: An analysis of grammatical deviations in Bob Dylan’s lyrics
Breaking the rules: An analysis of grammatical deviations in Bob Dylan’s lyrics
Author(s): Tsvetalina AnevaSubject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Applied Linguistics, Descriptive linguistics
Published by: Шуменски университет »Епископ Константин Преславски«
Keywords: language in music; grammatical deviations; error analysis; Bob Dylan’s lyrics; qualitative and quantitative analysis
Summary/Abstract: The present research examines the deviations from standard grammar that appear throughout Bob Dylan’s lyrics. The study applies qualitative and quantitative analysis to analyse eleven types of errors, such as subject-verb agreement, double negation, noun followed by a personal pronoun, omission, using an adjectival form instead of adverbial form, etc., that appear in his lyrics and to determine their possible purpose and impact. The analysis reveals that being one of the most influential and innovative songwriters in history, Dylan has frequently challenged traditional language structures, often bending grammatical rules to enhance the artistic impact of his music.
Journal: Studies in Linguistics, Culture, and FLT
- Issue Year: 13/2025
- Issue No: 2
- Page Range: 58-76
- Page Count: 19
- Language: English
