niespójno

Niespójno is a term in Polish literary criticism that describes a deliberate fragmentation of coherence in a work’s narrative or discourse. It characterizes texts in which plots, voices, genres, and registers are assembled in ways that resist a single, linear reading, inviting multiple interpretations. The concept is frequently linked to postmodern and digital-age experimentation.

Etymology and usage: The noun derives from niespójny (incoherent) and the nominalizing suffix -no, used in linguistics and criticism to name states or qualities. In criticism, niespójno functions as a descriptive label rather than a formal theory, applied to writings that foreground instability and multiplicity over smooth unity.

History: The term appears in Polish criticism in the 2010s, particularly in discussions of innovative novels, short-form experiments, and multimedia or cross-media works. It gained traction as scholars sought a concise way to discuss deliberate destabilization of narrative and stylistic norms.

Characteristics: Niespójno encompasses non-linear chronology, shifting points of view, mixed genres, fragmented diegesis, metafiction, and cross-media references. Works described with this term encourage readers to negotiate gaps, contradictions, and ambiguous outcomes rather than rely on a single, stable interpretation.

Reception and scope: The concept is debated. Proponents see niespójno as a productive response to information-age complexity and intermediality, while critics worry that excessive fragmentation can obscure meaning. It is used as a heuristic in analysis rather than a prescriptive method, applicable to novels, short stories, and multimedia projects within contemporary Polish criticism.