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Tempokai

Tempokai

The Overworked One
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The Pragmatics of Fanfiction: A Wittgensteinian Approach to the Fanfiction Maxim​

"Fanfiction exists to scratch an itch; if it fails to do so, it fails to matter."

Thus is stated the Fanfiction Maxim, a proposition deceptively simple yet philosophically rich, one that calls for linguistic scrutiny beyond the obvious interpretative lens of literary theory. For if we are to take Ludwig Wittgenstein’s later philosophy seriously—that the meaning of a word is found in its use—then we must extend this pragmatic inquiry to the very concept of fanfiction itself.

What does it mean for fanfiction to "matter"? In what language-game does it exist, and how is its function determined? If a work of fanfiction does not fulfill the needs of those who engage with it, can it even be said to exist in any meaningful way? Such questions are not merely aesthetic, but ontological in nature, demanding an analysis not of narrative structure alone, but of linguistic function and readerly engagement.

1. The Language-Game of Fanfiction: Meaning Through Use​

Wittgenstein posits that words derive meaning from their function in specific "language-games," rejecting the idea that meaning is intrinsic or independent of human activity. Applying this to fanfiction, we must ask: in what language-game does fanfiction operate?

Fanfiction is not a genre in the traditional sense but a speech-act, a response to an existing discourse, an act of linguistic engagement with a prior text. It does not merely borrow elements from a canonical work but participates in an ongoing dialogue where meaning is contingent upon its interaction with both source material and audience expectation. In this way, fanfiction's existence is defined by its pragmatic function—it must "scratch an itch" for the reader.

Thus, we are not discussing fanfiction as a static textual object but as a communicative act within a pre-established set of rules. If it fails to engage within this discourse—if it does not "scratch the itch"—then it becomes a non-functional utterance, a sequence of words that exists in isolation, failing to play the game for which it was intended.

2. A Private Language? The Ontological Crisis of Unread Fanfiction​

In Philosophical Investigations, Wittgenstein dismantles the notion of a truly private language—language, by its very nature, is social. Meaning is constructed through shared usage, not personal introspection. Applying this to fanfiction, we encounter a provocative paradox:

  • A work of fanfiction that satisfies no reader, not even its author, is ontologically void.
  • If a fanfiction exists only in an unread digital archive, is it meaningfully different from an unwritten one?
A fanfiction that does not resonate with an audience fails in its linguistic function, much like a word with no shared definition. It may technically exist in the same way that an invented, unspoken word exists—but it is semantically inert. A fanfic that does not engage in the fanfiction language-game has, in effect, no meaning.

This is not a purely theoretical matter. Consider the sheer volume of unread and unremembered works buried in digital archives, existing in a state of linguistic limbo. They "exist" in the most mechanical sense, but their lack of reader engagement means they fail to participate in the communicative function that gives fanfiction its identity. Thus, by the Wittgensteinian standard, they do not "exist" in any meaningful way—they are mere sequences of words without use.

3. Fanfiction as a Form of Life: The Communal Imperative​

Wittgenstein reminds us that language is inseparable from the "form of life" in which it operates. Fanfiction is not merely a collection of derivative texts; it is an inherently social phenomenon, emerging from shared cultural practices. The reader-writer relationship is not incidental but fundamental—fanfiction is a genre of engagement, response, and satisfaction.

This is why the Fanfiction Maxim holds true: its function is to engage, and if it fails in this task, it becomes linguistically and ontologically void. A fanfiction that does not fulfill an emotional or intellectual gap ceases to function as fanfiction—it is, at best, an inert text, at worst, an unuttered sentence, a ghost of a communicative act that never truly occurred.

Thus, we return to the pragmatic core of the maxim:

  • If a fanfiction scratches an itch, it fulfills its language-game and justifies its existence.
  • If it does not, it is akin to a word without definition, a text without discourse, a private language of one—an impossibility, per Wittgenstein.

Conclusion: The Pragmatic Function of Fanfiction​

Wittgenstein’s approach to meaning through use offers a powerful framework for understanding why only engaging fanfiction truly exists. The Fanfiction Maxim is not just an aesthetic guideline—it is a linguistic necessity. Fanfiction is a speech-act within a communal practice; its function is to engage, to respond, to fulfill a narrative need. If it does not do so, it is not merely unsuccessful—it is a contradiction, a linguistic artifact that, in failing to be used, ceases to exist in any meaningful way.

Thus, we may conclude: fanfiction that does not matter, does not exist—not because it lacks textual form, but because it lacks linguistic function. In Wittgensteinian terms, it is a word that no one speaks, a sentence that no one understands—a game where no one plays.
 
Tempokai

Tempokai

The Overworked One
Joined
Nov 16, 2021
Messages
1,396
Points
153
I'm winning by wondering is the losing braincells for the last roast was worth it
 
Shiriru_B

Shiriru_B

Book binge in progress.
Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Messages
356
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133
AmbreaTaddy said:
it's in 3 and a half hour

I'm preparing while shedding tears of 'Can't believe I'll go outside, life is unfair'

blep
Click to expand...
You'll be fine, here I'll even cheer for you gooo~ o(=_=o)...Ambrea!ヾ(•ω•`)o...Gooo~o(=_=o)......ヾ(•ω•`)o Ambrea!....Gooooo~.o(=_=o).....ヾ(•ω•`)o Ambreaaaaaaa!!!!......*★,°*:.☆(￣▽￣)/$:*.°★* "*WAAAAAA* AND THE CROWD GOOOOES WILD" , now get some exp points out there, then level up your stats to get more POWWWWWER!


edit: blep
 
Last edited:
AmbreaTaddy

AmbreaTaddy

Your Local Strange French Woman
Joined
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299
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Shiriru_B said:
You'll be fine, here I'll even cheer for you gooo~ o(=_=o)...Ambrea!ヾ(•ω•`)o...Gooo~o(=_=o)......ヾ(•ω•`)o Ambrea!....Gooooo~.o(=_=o).....ヾ(•ω•`)o Ambreaaaaaaa!!!!......*★,°*:.☆(￣▽￣)/$:*.°★* "*WAAAAAA* AND THE CROWD GOOOOES WILD" , now get some exp points out there, then level up your stats to get more POWWWWWER!


edit: blep
Click to expand...
I don't know what that was, but thanks

blep
 
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