In writing some prose recently I was trying to find an adjective to
describe those reusable, renewable linguistic elements of a text --
sensible to the (re)writer as raw material -- those manifold elements of a
text which make it 'scriptible' (writerly) in Barthes' terms, although I am
more interested in reusing, reconfiguring new text, than in extending
criticism.
Anyway, I settled, provisionally, on 'manipulable' as in: The manipulable
elements of the text (letters, typically, for me). But I was/am very
dissatisfied with this. Then I was surprised not to be able to come up with
many potential synonyms, and even more surprised by the degree to which the
possible synonyms -- malleable, plastic, ductile, etc. -- seem to be
derogatory of the material they qualify (as well as mostly being from a
sculptural, mould-making, men-of-clay metaphoric complex). Such material is
characterized as willing to suffer abuse. Even 'use' itself seems often to
imply abuse. ('I'm just using you.')
So the question is: do you have any suggetions?
(Actually, I have my own solution, but I'd rather not prejudice any
potential responses. Thanks in anticipation.)
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