An Introduction to Stylistics: its nature, goals, and types.pptx

it is about the foundation of Stylistics

1. An Introduction to Stylistics its Nature, types, and Goals Subject Lecturer: Alaa Nawzad Awla M.A in Cognitive Linguistics

2. Objectives At the end of this powerpoint slide, you should be able to: • Define the concept of text, context, discourse, style and stylistics • Discuss the concept of style in stylistics, recognize and distinguish types of Stylisyics • Explain the goals of stylistics

3. What is Stylistics?? Let’s brainstorm the concept!

4. Text: is the actual written or spoken words themselves. It is the raw content what is said, written, or created without considering anything else around it. Features of a text are words, sentences, phrases (verbal text) . It c ould also include non-verbal text (images, gestures, symbols if we expand the idea) . It Has a surface meaning that can be read or heard directly . Example 1 : Text: “I’m fine ” Just looking at the words, the message seems positive and simple — the speaker is okay. Example 2: Text in literature: Shakespeare writes “All the world’s a stage.” The words themselves are the text .

5. Context: is the surrounding situation and settings that gives meaning to the text. It includes the circumstances, background, culture, tone, relationships, and even non-verbal cues. Types of Context: 1. Linguistic context : Words or sentences that come before/after the text, which affect its meaning . Ex: “he is running late.” If the previous sentence was “The bus leaves at 7:00,” then we understand “He” refers to the person who must catch the bus. The meaning of “He” and “running late” depends on the words around it. 2. Situational context (the physical/real world setting): Where (location), when (time), and why the words are spoken and shape the meaning of the words. Ex: if someone says “It is cold in here,” while sitting in a room with the window open in winter, the situational context suggests that they probably want the window closed, not just making an observation. .

6. 3. Cultural, historical or literary context : Shared beliefs, mentalities, norms, values, traditions that shape interpretation . Ex (1): In Japan, Bowing is a greeting and a sign of respect. If someone says “He bowed to me,” in a Japanese cultural context it means respect, but in another nation’s culture it might be seen as strange or even humorous. Thus cultural background of the words decides how an action or word is interpreted and understood. Ex (2): in a literary Text : “All the world is a stage .” Here Shakespeare is not talking about literal theater, but metaphorically about life as a performance where people play roles. The cultural and literary context gives the line its depth. 4. Personal/emotional context : Relationship between speaker and listener, emotions, and history . Ex: if a friend says “I am fine,” with a trembling voice and tears in their eyes, the emotional context tells us they are not fine at all. Thus, tone, body language, and emotions give the words their true meaning. .

7. . Key Differences Text = what is said. Context = the frame that explains why it was said and what it really means with bringing in factors to support the intended meaning.   Without context, text can be misunderstood and is in isolation where you don’t have any evidence to select a meaning behind the words. With context, text gains depth and clarity. Context and text are two essential elements in understanding and interpreting information. Both context and text work together to provide a comprehensive understanding of the information being presented. The same text can have different meanings depending on the context in which it is used. Conversely, the text itself can also provide context for understanding. The words chosen, the tone of voice, and the medium of communication all contribute to the context of a message.

8. Consider the following examples to illustrate the relationship between context and text. In a formal business email, the context of professionalism and respect is established through the use of formal language and proper formatting. The text itself, including the greeting, body of the email, and closing, conveys the specific message or request. In a casual text message between friends, the context of familiarity and informality is evident in the use of slang and emojis. The text itself may be brief and to the point, reflecting the nature of the relationship.

9. Discourse : means written or spoken communication that goes beyond single sentences. It is about how language is used in context to create meaning . It is not just grammar and words; it includes tone, style, power relations, intentions, culture, and purpose . Examples : A casual chat with a friend: “Hey, what’s up? Did you see that movie ?” A political speech: “We must unite as one nation to overcome these challenges .” A scientific article: “The results indicate a significant correlation between X and Y .”   All of these are different discourses, because they use language differently depending on audience, purpose, and context . .

10. . Types of Discourse 1. Narrative Discourse: tells a story or describes events 2. Expository Discourse: Explains, informs, or provides information logically . 3. Argumentative or persuasive Discourse: Aims to convince or persuade an audience. 4. Conversation Discourse: is everyday talk. 5. Institutional Discourse : is doctor–patient talk, teacher–student talk. 6. Media Discourse: is newspapers, TV, social media posts. 7. Religious discourse: is sermons, prayers….

11. Assignment! Critical Reflection Essay Prompt: “No text exists without context.” • Write 600–800 words discussing this claim. Use at least 2 examples from literature, media, or real-life communication.

12. STYLE refers to the choice of words, expressions, and techniques in a given context by a given person, for a given purpose that reflect the creator’s voice. Various styles of writing: Expository style Descriptive style Narrative style Persuasive or argumentative style Philosophical style Journalistic or reportage style Satirical style Professional style

13. Let’s apply! Practice using the quote “Only when water breaks, I break too”: • Poetic style: “My fracture waits on water’s fracture.” • Philosophical style : “I will not name myself broken until nature itself gives way.” • Persuasive style: “Do not call me weak — even water must break before I do.” • Satirical style: “So apparently, I am supposed to wait for water to get dramatic before I can crack .”

14. Narrative style: she said it with calm defiance: ‘she would not break, not yet not until the water broke first.’ Journalistic style: “In her words, resilience is absolute: ‘Only when water breaks, I break too,’ she remarked, drawing a line between human fragility and nature’s surrender.” Expository style: “The statement implies that her breaking point aligns only with the breaking of water, symbolizing extreme resilience and an almost impossible threshold for collapse.” Descriptive style: “Her voice carried a quiet storm, as if carved from stone and tide: she would not fracture, not even tremble, until the first ripple of water broke.” Professional style: “My endurance is measured against the most fluid of elements; I will not collapse unless water itself gives way.”

15. Assignment! Style applications Prompt: “He hurt me deeply with his silence, confusion, and quick withdrawal — never once thinking of saving me by telling the truth.” • Apply all seven styles of writing on the above quote.

16. Style is “the selection and arrangement of linguistic features which are open to choice” (De Vito, 1967).

17. STYLE is a writer’s idiosyncratic way of expressing himself or herself is an offshoot of his or her personality.

18. Style may be said to relate to communicative performance, which is the demonstration of the speaker’s or writer’s language capacity in generating and understanding specific communicative contexts.

19. Stylistics is a branch of linguistics and is the scientific study that focuses on the study of styl e in language. The science which explores how readers interact with the language of (mainly literary) texts in order to explain how we understand, and are affected by text when we read them. The word-stylistics was firstly attested in the oxford English dictionary only in 1882, meaning the science of literary style, the study of stylistics features.

20. Stylistics examines how linguistic elements, such as words, phrases, and syntactic structures, contribute to the overall aesthetic and communicative qualities of a text.

21. Stylistics , study of the devices in languages (such as  rhetorical  figures and syntactical patterns) that are considered to produce expressive or literary style.

22. The preferred object of stylistic studies is literature, but not exclusively "high literature" but also other forms of written texts such as text from the domains of advertising, pop culture, politics or religion.

23. Types of Stylistics There are different methods of studying style in language, each ‘type’ focuses on a different angle of analysis: Linguistic Stylistics: Studies the devices in language of literary texts (such as rhetorical figures and syntactical patterns) that are employed to produce expressive or literary style. Ex/ In Shakespeare’s line “To be, or not to be, that is the question” , a linguistic stylistician may analyze: • Syntax: the parallel structure “to be, or not to be.” • Phonetics: repetition of the b sound (alliteration). This shows how language choices create rhythm and emphasis

24. 2. Literary stylistics: Established methods of close reading, the procedures of literary stylistics focus on how style contributes. Ex/ In Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”: “The woods are lovely, dark and deep.” A literary stylistician looks at how adjectives like lovely, dark, deep create atmosphere (beauty + mystery + danger). 3. Comparative Stylistics: Compares styles of writings across different languages. Ex/ English: “Time is money.” Arabic equivalent: “ ) الوقت كالسيف إن لم تقطعه قطعك” Time is like a sword: if you don’t cut it, it cuts you). A comparative stylistician would study how metaphors differ across cultures and what that reveals about thought and style.

25. 4. Functional Stylistics: focuses on how style changes depending on function or domain (scientific, journalistic, conversational, etc.). Ex/ • Scientific style: “Water boils at 100°C under standard atmospheric pressure.” (precise, formal, impersonal) • Conversational style: “You know, if you heat water enough, it’ll boil.” (casual, personal, vague) 👉 Functional stylistics studies why different contexts require different styles . 5. Cognitive Stylistics: studies how style connects with mental processes and interpretation. (In the mind of the reader) Ex/ In the novel “The Great Gatsby”, Nick says: “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” A cognitive stylistician asks: How does the metaphor of boats and currents make readers mentally picture the struggle against time? It’s about mental imagery and how style shapes interpretation.

26. Assignment! Multi- D imensional Text Analysis “In the near-empty café, her eyes clung to the door that never opened. The steam of her untouched cup rose and vanished, just like the words she never spoke. In the end, silence was their last conversation.” • Analyze this text using all five methods of stylistics.

27. Question!!! How can linguistics features reveal the meaning of a text?

28. Nature of Stylistics: Stylistics is a borderline discipline between language and literature. Stylistics focuses on language use in both literary and non-literary texts. Stylistics uses insights from numerous disciplines such a literature, psychology, sociology, philosophy and so on (multidisciplinary). Stylistics can be applied to analyze various forms of communication, including literature, advertising, political speeches, and everyday discourse. Stylistics operates on multiple levels, including: - Lexical Level: Analyzing the choice and arrangement of words. - Grammatical Level: Examining sentence structures and syntactic patterns. - Phonological Level: Considering the sound patterns and rhythm. - Discourse Level: Analyzing the overall organization and coherence of a text.

29. Goals of Stylistics Understanding Style Goal: To comprehend how linguistic choices contribute to the unique style of a text or discourse. Approach: Analyzing patterns, repetitions, and deviations in language to identify the distinctive features that characterize an author's or speaker's style.

30. Goals of Stylistics 2. Aesthetic Appreciation Goal: To appreciate the aesthetic qualities of language use. Approach: Examining the creative and imaginative aspects of language, including metaphor, simile, and other rhetorical devices, that contribute to the overall artistic appeal of a text.

31. Goals of Stylistics 3. Communication Analysis: Goal: To explore how linguistic choices impact communication. Approach: Investigating how style influences the reception and interpretation of a message. This involves considering the audience, context, and purpose of the communication.

32. Goals of Stylistics 4. Literary Interpretation: Goal: To enhance the interpretation of literary texts. Approach: Applying stylistic analysis to literature helps uncover layers of meaning, symbolism, and thematic elements that may not be immediately apparent through traditional literary analysis.

33. - Stylistics enhances our ability to appreciate, analyze, and interpret the diverse ways in which language is used to convey meaning and create aesthetic experiences.

34. Methods of Stylistics Closed reading - Method : Examining the text in detail, paying close attention to individual words, sentence structures, and overall composition. - Purpose : To uncover subtle nuances and patterns that contribute to the overall style of the text.

35. Methods of Stylistics 2. Corpus Linguistics - Method: Analyzing large corpora of texts to identify recurring linguistic patterns. - Purpose : To observe language trends, variations, and changes across different genres and contexts.

36. Methods of Stylistics 3. Comparative Stylistics - Method : Comparing the stylistic features of different texts or authors. - Purpose : To highlight similarities and differences in style, allowing for a deeper understanding of individual and shared stylistic preferences.

37. -Through a multidisciplinary approach, stylistics opens doors to deeper insights into the nature of language and its role in communication and expression.

38. 1. What is primarily studied in stylistics? Task 1. What’s the Style? Answer each of the following questions based on the discussion.

39. 2. Which level of linguistic analysis involves the relationships between words and their meanings? Task 1. What’s the Style? Answer each of the following questions based on the discussion.

40. 6. How is stylistics connected to language and literature? Answer each of the following questions based on the discussion.

41. 7. What types of text are studied in stylistics? Answer each of the following questions based on the discussion.

42. 8. What makes stylistics multi-disciplinary? Answer each of the following questions based on the discussion.

43. 9. What are the purposes of stylistics? Answer each of the following questions based on the discussion.

44. 10. How is stylistics dynamic and evolving? Answer each of the following questions based on the discussion.

45. The writer’s choice of words The study of language and literature Analyzing the choice and arrangement of words. 4. Examining sentence structures and syntactic patterns. Task 2. Knowing Me, Knowing You Identify what is described or exemplified in each of the following number.

46. 5. Considering the sound patterns, rhyme and sound devices 6. Analyzing the overall organization and coherence of a text 7. Method of stylistics that examine the words, phrases, clauses 8. Studying large amount of words to analyze its pattern Task 2. Knowing Me, Knowing You Identify what is described or exemplified in each of the following number.

47. 9. Looking at the styles of different writers 10. Aims to improve literary and non-literary texts Task 2. Knowing Me, Knowing You Identify what is described or exemplified in each of the following number.

48. Task 3. Digging Deeper Read the following lines from a text and analyze it according to lexical, grammatical, phonological and discourse levels. There is no Frigate like a Book By Emily Dickinson There is no Frigate like a Book To take us Lands away Nor any Coursers like a Page Of prancing Poetry – This Traverse may the poorest take Without oppress of Toll – How frugal is the Chariot That bears the Human Soul –

49. Assignment! 1. Answer/accomplish Tasks 1-3. Write your answers on a whole tablet paper. 2. Review your notes on the nature and goals of stylistics. There shall be a quiz next meeting.