Leroux se stelselmatige vernietiging van die mite, die kuns, die skrywer en wesentlik die kosmos deur sy oeuvre, word dan ook moontlik nie net vermag nie, maar aanvaarbaar gemaak, deur sy aanwending van die humoristiese skryfwyse wat relativerend werk ten opsigte van die inhoud van sy werk, maar ook ten opsigte van die leser se reaksie daarop. Sander die humor sou sy virtuele kosmiese ontploffings (oos die moderne sub-atomiese fisika) te verpletterend en psigies ontwrigtend wees vir die mees te mense. Deur "waarhede" met humor te klee, bied die skrywer 'n uitweg vir die leser: hy kan alles as 'n groot grap (weliswaar nie altyd in "goeie" smaak nie) klassifiseer en so sy angs by die oorweging van die moontlike implikasies onderdruk.

Voetskrif was written in 1975 while the poet Breyten Breytenbach was awaiting trial in Pretoria. The anthology itself was published in 1976 and reflects the poet's seclusion in space and time. As such, the theme of exile once again comes to the fore in the work of this Afrikaans poet. Estranged from all immediate contact with the outside world, the poet looks inwards. In order to fill the void, he relies on his memory to conceptualize a world in terms of a reality of words. The exploration of space-time is done through the medium of imagination. Dreams and memories must suffice to reach beyond the boundaries of imprisonment. The poet's imagination also enables him to "mark time". He needs to breathe in death's house - the prison - and this is done by manipulating the word. The absence of time in the prison is transformed into the timelessness of thought as the poet strives through one poem after the other, to adapt himself and alleviate his distress. Each poem can be seen as an interlude delaying the flow of time. The typography of the poems may suggest that the lyric moment abolishes time. However, Breytenbach's existence in time and space cannot be ignored and the "here and now" always refers to the prison-cell. The use of the Zen-Buddhistic concept of time and the "here and now" may convey a sense of apathy to the Western mind, yet the poet is clearly preoccupied with time and space.

Bibliography: pages 142-149. / Dit is lank reeds 'n aanvaarde feit dat poësie nie 'n spontane uiting van emosie deur middel van ritmiese taal is nie; die aard van poësie skakel juis spontane!teit uit. Die tradisionele definisie van poësie, naamlik die beskouing daarvan as nie-mimetiese genre teenoor prosa wat mimeties is, is onvoldoende. In stede hiervan kan poësie as genre beskou word in die konteks van die reoriëntasie wat plaasgevind het in literatuur- en taalstudie. Die moderne literere teorieë het as doel die omskrywing van literatuur as stelsel, en die konvensies onderliggend daaraan wat betekening moontlik maak. Ook in moderne literatuur word die klem geplaas op die taal- en literatuursisteem, en op die skeppende teenwoordigheid in die teks. Binne hierdie beskouing van literatuur verval die opposisie tussen poësie en prosa tot 'n groot mate. Modernistiese literatuur is 'n selfbewuste gebruik van taal, geskep deur 'n auteur wat kennis het van die onderliggende konvensies. Hierdie definisie van poësie word getoets aan die hand van kinderpoësie, aangesien die tradisionele beskouing van poësie 'n geskiktheid vir kinders impliseer. Die kind se ontwikkeling word kortliks bespreek en daar word aangedui dat die .kind se denkprosesse en belewing van die wereld poësie onbegrypbaar maak. Die kind se ontwikkeling word bespreek met verwysing na Jean Piaget se genetiese epistemologie en Heinz Remplein se samevattende beskouing. Die kind beskik nie oor die kennis in verband met die konvensionele aard van literatuur en taal wat benodig word om poësie te begryp nie; nog is kinders in staat om dit aan te leer. Die aard van die konvensies is abstrak, terwyl die kind konkreetheid vereis ten opsigte van die taalgebruik en die inhoud van literatuur. Ten slotte word verwys na volkspoësie, wat dikwels as primitief en ongevormd beskou word. Die "Klipwerk"-siklus van N P van Wyk Louw en Komas uit 'n Bamboesstok van D J Opperman word bespreek. Daar word aangetoon dat die vermoë om nostalgies te skryf oor die primitiewe 'n hoë mate van selfbewustheid en taalbewustheid vereis. Die auteur in hierdie verse is selfreflekterend en skep 'n werk wat die konvensies van literatuur uitwys, en terselfdertyd bevraagteken. Poësie is dus in wese 'n konvensionele gebruik van taal, waarvan die selfreflekterende aard spontane!teit en eenvoud ontken.

Bibliography: pages 235-244. / This study in literary semantics focuses primarily on aspects of the primordial. It proposes a functional description of the primordial, as well as a model to explain how language and linguistic processes are insufficient to bring about accurate communication in a social environment. Certain significant findings come to the fore in terms of the relationship between language, communication and the primordial reality. The study was begun with the basic premiss of a link between the specific symbols relating to mirrors and water, and the primordial dimension. The fact that there are general references to this concept over a fairly wide range of subjects and fields of study brought about the need to clarify somewhat the "grey area" that is called into question whenever such allusions are made. The reason for this confusion is that the idea of the primordial has been a very misunderstood concept. The term has in the past been used to a large extent as an academic buzzword, with users often not being aware of the full implications thereof. The little that is known about this subject often results in fairly serious misconceptions when the term is employed. The study attempts to describe and to define the concept of the primordial, with reference to two key aspects of this idea: the primordial dimension as a base for universal meaning and reference, and the primordial concept as the actual reference point for the related linguistic term. In this way it is shown that all referential and interpretative systems, such as language, are based loosely on the primordial.

Bibliography: pages 154-155. / In discussing the drowning figure in the work of DJ Opperman, it is assumed that the themes of decline and resurgence are central to the work of the author. With respect to these dual motifs the following became apparent: (a) that the decline inevitably leads to new life, and of necessity, must precede it. (b) This universal paradox of decline and resurgance is characterised by an endless repetition in time. (c) Man as an individual is inextricably caught between the dichotomous forces of birth and death. The individual is recognisable throughout Opperman's work. Through man's intimate connection with water as a medium of birth and death, the individual or "enkeling" is also seen as the drowned figure or "drenkelingfiguur". Reference to this drowned figure carries the joint connotations of drowning or submergence and decline. The condition of decline indicates the disappearance of the drowning figure below the water-line or surface. Such alienation can also be brought about by means of other elements which can become the metaphorical equivalent of water as the medium of submergence.