Using a Linguistics Perspective to Analyze Poetry: The Effect of Rhyme and Language on the Interpretation of Negative Emotion in Poetry

This study examines the influence of rhyme and language on the interpretation of negative emotions in poetry from a linguistic perspective. Using an experimental approach, the researchers selected four Chinese and four English poems, each expressing sadness and featuring a "distant + regular" rhyme pattern. Each poem was adapted into four versions ("distant + irregular," "adjacent + regular," and "adjacent + irregular") and presented to 32 Chinese university students who were native Mandarin speakers with advanced English proficiency. The poems were read aloud by AI, and participants rated the emotional tone after listening. Data analysis revealed that language (L1/L2) had a more significant impact on listeners' emotional responses. Specifically, English poems received higher ratings for negative emotional intensity compared to Chinese poems, while the opposite was true for positive emotions. This suggests that language plays a more influential role than rhyme in shaping emotional interpretations during poetry appreciation. The findings may offer insights for exploring foreign language aesthetic appreciation and cross-cultural literary reception.