Stylistics introduction, Definitions of Stylistics
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This document defines stylistics and discusses its branches. Stylistics is the analysis of linguistic variation in actual language use. It examines how the same content can be expressed differently and analyzes styles across texts. Stylistics considers the natural properties of language that ensure intended effects. The document also distinguishes between spoken and written language at the phonetic, lexical, and syntactic levels, and categorizes words as common, formal, technical, and slang.
Stylistics introduction, Definitions of Stylistics
- 1. Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo Language School Prof. Ángel Ortega IDI-234 Stylistics
- 3. What is stylistics? • Stylistics is a method of textual interpretation in which primacy of place is assigned to language. (Simpson 2004: 2.) • Stylistics, sometimes called linguo-stylistics, is a branch of general linguistics that deals with : a) the investigation of the inventory of special language media which by their ontological features secure the desirable effect of the utterance and b) Certain types of texts (discourse) which due to the choice and arrangement of language means are distinguished by the pragmatic aspect of the communication.
- 4. What is stylistics? • Stylistics must take into consideration the "output of the act of communication“, but stylistics must also investigate the ontological, i.e. natural, inherent, and functional peculiarities of the means of communication which may ensure the effect sought. • "A current definition of style and stylistics is that structures, sequences, and patterns which extend, or may extend, beyond the boundaries of individual sentences define style. and that the study of them is stylistics.“ (Archibald A. Hill)
- 5. What is stylistics? Stylistics is the description and analysis of the variability of linguistic forms in actual language use. The concepts of ‘style’ and ‘stylistic variation’ in language rest on the general assumption that within the language system, the same content can be encoded in more than one linguistic form. Operating at all linguistic levels (e.g. lexicology, syntax, text linguistics, and intonation), stylisticians analyze both the style of specific texts and stylistic variation across texts.
- 6. • "Style is a quality of language which communicates precisely emotions or thoughts, or a system of emotions or thoughts, peculiar to the author.“ (J. Middleton Murray) • "... a true idiosyncrasy of style is the result of an author's success in compelling language to conform to his mode of experience.“ (J. Middleton Murray) • "Style is a contextually restricted linguistic variation." (Enkvist). • "Style is a selection of non-distinctive features of language." (L. Bloomfield) • "Style is simply synonymous with form or expression and hence a superfluous term." (Benedetto Croce) • "Style is essentially a citational process, a body of formulae, a memory (almost in the cybernetic sense of the word),
- 7. Roman Jakobson´s functions of Language Roman Jakobson's ‘Poetic Function’ • Roman Jakobson proposes a model of language which comprises six key functions. 1. The conative (The aspect of mental processes or behavior directed toward action or change and including impulse, desire, volition, and striving) 2. Phatic (relating to speech used to share feelings or to establish a mood of sociability rather than to communicate information or ideas) 3. Referential (the content carrying component of a message) 4. Emotive (the expression of attitude through a message) 5. Metalingual. Language used to describe language. 6. Poetic (projects the principle of equivalence from the axis of selection into the axis of combination).
- 8. Varieties of Language • SPOKEN Contracted forms (Phonetic) • Colloquial Words (Lexical) • Intensifying words • Interjections • Vulgarisms • Fill-up or empty words (Syntactic) • Ellipsis • String or short sentences with no connectors or with and • Unfinished sentences • Statement word-order in questions • Repetitions of subject • Emotive syntactic structures • WRITTEN • Little or no use of contracted forms
- 9. Linguistic Branches/Fields Level of language • The sound of spoken language; the way words are pronounced. • The patterns of written language; the shape of language on the page. • The way words are constructed; words and their constituent structures. • The way words combine with other words to form phrases and sentences. • The words we use; the vocabulary of a language. • The meaning of words and sentences. • The way words and sentences are used in everyday situations; the meaning of language in context. Branch of language study • Phonology; Phonetics • Graphology • Morphology • Syntax; Grammar • Lexical Analysis; Lexicology • Semantics • Pragmatics; Discourse Analysis
- 10. Spoken vs. Written language: Phonetic Differences • SPOKEN • Contractions: ain’t ; can’t ; ‘sposed • WRITTEN • Little or no use of contracted forms
- 11. Spoken vs. Written language: Lexical Differences • SPOKEN • Colloquial Words : Kid, ma, buddy, chap, beaver, chick, fan, teen, get going, kick the bucket • Intensifying words : I’d sure like..;you should be darn proud of your son; get the hell out of here; tell that man there he’s not welcome around here • WRITTEN • Bookish-educated, Above-standard words: • Prosecutor (lawyer); accolyte (fan, admirer): neophite (rookie; new into an activity;) therefore (because of this; this is why)
- 12. Spoken vs. Written language: Lexical Differences • SPOKEN • Intensifying words : I’d sure like..;you should be darn proud of your son; get the hell out of here; tell that man there he’s not welcome around here ; Get the heck out my crib • Interjections: wow! May God grant you love and peace! Shut up! • Vulgarisims: god damn! Oh shit! fuck! • Fill-up or empty words : mmm..errrr, so..you know (whattamsaying) • WRITTEN • Bookish, educated, Above-standard words
- 13. SPOKEN vs. WRITTEN: Lexical differences Fill-up or empty words (examples) • She dressed up , put on fancy jewells, made her face up and all that • Well, so (tosay), (you) see, you know….(whattamsaiyn) • You understand, dig? Got it rigth, • Mumbling words and sounds like “errr”, “mmm”.
- 14. SPOKEN vs. WRITTEN: Syntactic Differences • SPOKEN • Ellipsis: you…here!! (you stay/sit/stand here); who you with? (who are you with?); wanna seeit now? (do you want to see it now?) • String of short sentences with no connectors or with and: he came. He looked around. Didn´t notice anything strange. He stepped forward. He took his right hand into his pants pocket. He felt something..etc • Unfinished sentences: pick it up right goddamn now or…. • Statement word order in questions: you saw him do it?; you are the manager? • Repetition of subject: johnny, he did it. • Emotive syntactic structures: there you have it! • WRITTEN • Complicated sentence units with many connectors: • Peter is a famous baseball player who lives in a beautiful house in Miami. Therefore, he often flies around the United States to play away games. Both fans and coaches love his excellent pitching abilities. Every week he plays home games in Glover Stadium which is usually sold out. Glover Stadium is an old stadium without enough seats for all the fans. Fans wait in line to buy the tickets which often cost more than $60.
- 15. Ellipsis (examples) • (i’ll) Tell you what… • Who you with? • Care to hear about my ideas? • Wanna see it now or rather later? • Just doing a short stop to kill time.
- 17. Stylistic Classification of English Colloquial • kid • daddy • chap • get out • go on • teenager • flapper • go ahead; get going; make a move Neutral • child • father
- 18. Classification of English words Compare: – Feeling fatigued, Tom retired early. (literary) – Tom felt so dog-tired he hit the sack early. (colloquial) – John was dismissed for petty thieving. (common) – John was fired for petty thieving. (colloquial) – Penalties for overdue books will be strictly enforced (literary) – You have got to pay fines for overdue books.(colloquial) – They approved of the plan. (literary) – They agreed to the plan.(common)
- 19. Common words • Common words: they are used by common people on every day situation, and appear in all kinds of writing • Common words are good for all kinds of writing
- 20. Colloquial words • Colloquial words are mainly used in informal or familiar conversation. • 1) they are usually short words of one or two syllables and most of them are of Saxon origin • 2) seldom used in formal writing, unless for some special purpose or effect
- 21. Slang • often used by uneducated speakers, with dialectal words • highly informal, vivid and interesting
- 22. Slang ● Slang is defined as language, words or phrases of a colorful, facetious (playfully jocular; humorous), or taboo nature, invented for specific occasions, or uses, or derived from the unconventional use of the standard vocabulary. The chief reason for the formation and use of slang expressions is to secure freshness and novelty. A slang usage is not generally used in formal conversation unless the speakers are on intimate terms; slang embraces those daring and new expressions that have not been accepted by the majority of people as Standard English.
- 23. Slang (examples) – Beaver (girl) – Smoky, bear (police) – Nut, dome, upper, bean, block (head) – Elevated, merry, jolly, comfortable, boiled, tight, blue-eyed, stiff (drunk)
- 24. Technical words (terms and neologisms) ● Most of these technical terms are Latin or Greek in origin. In fact, they are part of literary words. ● Most of the technical words remain essentially foreign to outsiders, even to educated native speakers. However, under the influence of radio, television, newspaper and the Internet, we are witnessing a remarkable breaking down of the barrier between technical and common words. ● Many technical neologisms created yesterday by specialists are today heard in ordinary conversation, e.g. moonwalk, space shutter, gene, transgenic, clone, etc.
- 25. Types of words • Content words 1) mainly used for its lexical content 2) has separate entry in the mental lexicon e.g. charming, fish, fly
- 26. Types of words • Function words • mainly used for its grammatical function • has separate entry in the mental lexicon • e.g. and, then, under
- 27. Types of words • Word form • shape of word • Doesn't have separate entry, but is included in entry information • e.g. fly, flying, flies, flew
- 28. Types of words word, e.g. break word form (inflection) break breaks breaking broke function word content word and, then, there car, happy, steal
- 29. Types of words • Common words • only a few thousand words • the core of the English vocabulary • ordinary people for ordinary purposes • learn and remember • Formal and technical words • useful & formal words • by people of special professions or fields • political, legal, scientific, technical, business and literary
- 30. Common words • Same, speech, learned, destroy ，stiff, try, piece, and so on. • used in everyday conversation & in informal writing
- 31. Formal words • identical，oration，erudite， annihilate，rigid，endeavor， fragment • used only in formal writing like articles, documents, research papers, manuals and in public speaking
- 32. Technical words Technical or special words refer to those words used in various special fields. Every branch of science, every profession or trade, every art and every sort of sports has its own technical terms. Most of the technical terms are Latin or Greek in origin. In fact, they are part of literary words. Since language is constantly changing, the Classification of words by level of usage is not absolute.