LESSON FOUR (4)

LESSON FOUR (4)

Background to Stylistics and Style

Scope of stylistics

Stylistics is the scientific study of style. It is scientific because it follows an objective

methodology, namely, retracing or recovering the process of text production (i.e. the intention
of the writer) starting from clues left in the text as product, which sets it apart from other less
scientific methods of text analysis (Short, 1996);

Stylistics draws on the models and terminology provided by whatever aspects of linguistics are
felt to be relevant (Wales, 1989: p. 438)

Stylistic analysis

Description: Stylistics is concerned with relating linguistic facts (linguistic description) to

meaning (interpretation) in as explicit a way as possible (Short, 1996: p. 5)

Interpretation: The goal of most stylistic studies is not simply to describe the FORMAL features
of texts for their own sake, but in order to show their FUNCTIONAL significance for the
interpretation of the text (Wales, 1989: pp. 437-38)

Aims of stylistics

Stylistic analysis is therefore presented as a necessary complement to what many stylisticians

regard as the impressionistic and implicit nature of much work within literary criticism (Semino
& Culpeper, 1995: p. 514);

The jobs of linguists, literary critics, and stylisticians are different: The linguist directs his
attention primarily to how a piece of literature exemplifies the language system. We will say
that he treats literature as text The literary critic searches for underlying significance, for the
essential artistic vision that the poem embodies and we will say that he treats literary works as
messages. Between these two is an approach to literature which attempts to show specifically
how elements of linguistic text combine to create messages, how, in other words, pieces of
literary writing function as a form of communication. Let us say that this approach treats
literature as discourse. It is this approach which is most centrally stylistic (Widdowson, 1975:
p. 6).

What is style?

Style is a way in which language is used: i.e. what linguistic choices are made by a particular
author, in a particular genre, or in a particular text);

Stylistic choice is limited to those aspects of linguistic choice which concern alternative ways of
rendering the same subject matter (Leech & Short, 1981: pp. 38-9).

Symbolic dimension of language

 Language is a symbolic system;

The words we say are conventional;

The meanings that words have for us and for the others are also conventional;

The symbolic dimension mediates between the words we say, their meanings in context, and
the effects that they have for us and for the others;

How does a word said to someone lead to their happiness, sadness, fear, offense, or anger?
PSYCHOLOGY

General toolkit

DETERMINE which stylistic feature, i.e. which grammatical category, is predominant, i.e.
statistically significant (description);

DECIDE which function the stylistic feature(s) play(s) in the overall meaning of the text
(interpretation);

Practice: E-type jaguar

It is a masterpiece of styling whose proportions are dramatic yet perfectly judged and well-
mannered; its crisp details are in complete harmony with the broader outlines of the gorgeous
general arrangement, and, symbolically, it evokes with exquisite eloquence all the ideas of
speed, glamour and romance associated with travel. You can just feel air and bodies rushing and
swooning all over that lascivious shape. Never, ever, has that creaking old trope about form and
function had a better character witness (The Independent, Weekend Review, 27-01-2001, p. 1).

Description: Adjectives

It is a masterpiece of styling whose proportions are DRAMATIC yet PERFECTLY JUDGED and
WELL-MANNERED; its CRISP details are in complete harmony with the broader outlines of the
GORGEOUS general arrangement, and, symbolically, it evokes with EXQUISITE eloquence all the
ideas of speed, glamour and romance associated with travel. You can just feel air and bodies
rushing and swooning all over that LASCIVIOUS shape. Never, ever, has that creaking old trope
about form and function had a better character witness (The Independent, Weekend Review, 27-
01-2001, p. 1).

Description: nouns

It is a MASTERPIECE of styling whose proportions are dramatic yet perfectly judged and well-
mannered; its crisp details are in complete HARMONY with the broader outlines of the gorgeous
general ARRANGEMENT, and, symbolically, it evokes with exquisite ELOQUENCE all the ideas of
SPEED, GLAMOUR and ROMANCE associated with travel. You can just feel air and bodies rushing
and swooning all over that lascivious shape. Never, ever, has that creaking old trope about form
and function had a better character witness (The Independent, Weekend Review, 27-01-2001, p.
1).

Interpretation: general
 The text belongs in promotional discourse, whose objective is to persuade audiences that the E-
type jaguar is the best car for them. The ads persuasive load is shared equally by adjectives and
nouns and, to a lesser degree, by verbs.

Interpretation: adjectives

The adjectives dramatic, well-mannered, crisp, gorgeous, exquisite, and lascivious

not only convey a positive point of view about the car, but also present it as an attractive
female, which targets male persuadees.

Interpretation: nouns

Nouns such as masterpiece, harmony, arrangement, eloquence, speed, glamour,

and romance, on the other hand, target persuadees through their positive nature and
suggestion of perfection. They seem to seduce especially through glamour and romance.
Thus, adjectives and nouns appear to conspire to change the buying habits of male persuadees.