ENGL 519 - An Overview of Stylistics.pdf

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1. Stylistics
An Overview of

2. Seira Elaine Delos Santos
DISCUSSANTS
Nicolle Elino Jennelyn Encela
Marc Larrenz Lazo Alyanna Laine Tumampil Ma. Ellaine Marie Vizarra

3. The Nature and Goals
of Stylistics
Based on scholarly texts (Crystal & Davy, Fowler, Wales, etc.)
Presented by: Tumampil, Alyanna Laine L.

5. Stylistics
What is Stylistics?
noun
/staɪˈlɪs.tɪks/
the study of style used in language
(Definition of stylistics from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's
Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

6. What is Stylistics?
Stylistics has various definitions and theories in linguistic scholarship.
Some view it as a branch of linguistics dealing with:
Varieties of language
Dialogue, accent, register, length, and linguistic choice
(Bradford, 1979; Downes, 1998)
Others argue it tries to explain style choices used by individuals and social
groups.
(Turner, 1973; Birch, 1995; Fowler, 1998)

7. Style
Style refers to the choice of words/expressions by a person in a
given context.

According to De Vito (1967):
“Style is the selection and arrangement of linguistic features which are
open to choice.”
An author’s identity can be reflected in habitual expressions.

8. Style
Crystal and Davy (1983) state:
“Style is the effectiveness of a mode of expression.”
Style reflects communicative performance
Communicative Performance how one generates and understands context.
Therefore, stylistics is the study of style.

9. Nature of Stylistics
Stylistics is a borderline discipline between
language and literature.
Analyzes both literary and non-literary texts.
Uses insights from: Literature, psychology,
sociology, politics, etc.
Hence, stylistics is multidisciplinary in nature.

10. Dimensions of Style
Style as Choice: Characteristic decisions at all language levels.
Style as Deviation: Deviation from the norm becomes
stylistically significant.
Style as Situation: Style is shaped by physical, cultural, or
pragmatic context.
Style as Temporal Phenomenon: Style varies by time (e.g., Old
vs. Modern English).
Style as the Individual: Reflects personal idiolects or language
patterns.

11. Goals of Stylistics
Establish discourse peculiarities
Induce appreciation of discourse
Ascertain linguistic habits
Make critical judgments
Stylistics aim to:

12. Establish Discourse Peculiarities
Identifies what makes a writer, speaker, period,
or genre unique.
Taylor Swift vs. Kendrick Lamar
America English vs. British English
Old English vs. Modern English

13. Induce Appreciation of Discourses
Increases enjoyment of a text through deeper
understanding.
Reveals linguistic creativity in authorial and character
choices.
Enhances reader/listener sensitivity to aesthetic language
use.

14. Ascertain Linguistic Habits
Style reflects linguistic habit, shaped by cultural and ideological
settings.
Chatman (1971):
“Every analysis of style can be seen as an attempt to discover
the artistic principles that underpin the choice a writer has
made.”
Stylistics builds awareness of language use and interpretation.
Enables objective, not subjective, conclusions.

15. Make Critical Judgments
Stylistics supports value-based analysis grounded in data.
Enables stylisticians to say:
“This text is composed in grand style.”
Judgments are based on objective textual evidence.

16. Rhetorics and the
History of Stylistics

17. In ancient Greece the use of language can be
seen mainly as an effort to create speeches.
Thus, we may recognize a practical function of
language in political and judicial speeches, and
as aesthetic function in ceremonial ones.

18. The art of creating speech was called Rhetoric (from
the Greek techne rhetorike) and was taught as one of
the main subjects in schools. The aim was to train
speakers to create effective and attractive speeches.
Rhetoric

19. The Rhetorical Triangle of Aristotle
Ethos
To appeal to ethos is to show the credibility of the speaker or
writer.
Pathos
To appeal to the emotions of the audiences.
Logos
Presenting the logic and reasoning behind a claim.

22. The Rhetorical Triangle of Aristotle
Ethos
Pathos
Logos
"Since our data shows that the new policy has increased productivity
by 30%, it is the most logical course of action for the company."
"Choosing not to support this cause will mean that countless
innocent children will continue to suffer in poverty."
"As a doctor with over twenty years of experience, I can assure
you that this new treatment is safe and effective."

23. Another language activity was the creation of poetic
works. The process of artistic creation was called
Poetics. Its aim was to study a piece of art, and unlike
rhetoric, it focused on the problems of expressing the
ideas before the actual moment of utterance. The work
of Aristotle entitled “Poetics” is considered to be a
pioneer publication in this field.

24. Aristotle’s Poetics
Mimesis (Imitation)
Aristotle believed that art is a form of imitation, but not just a
simple copy of reality. Instead, he argued that things like poetry
and plays imitate human actions and feelings. This allows an
audience to learn important truths about life from fictional
stories. He thought that this desire to imitate is natural for people
and brings them pleasure.

25. Aristotle’s Poetics
Catharsis (Emotional Purgation)
This is Aristotle's most famous idea. He believed the goal of a
tragedy is to cause a release of emotion, which he called
catharsis. By watching the characters in a play experience sad and
frightening things, the audience gets to feel and then let go of
their own feelings of pity and fear. This process leaves them
feeling emotionally cleansed and balanced.

26. The third field of language use was creating a dialogue.
The study of creating and guiding a dialogue, talk or
discussion, as well as the study of methods of
persuasion was called Dialectics. This method is still
known in pedagogy as the “dialogical” or “Socrates’
method”.

27. The further development of Stylistics was based on the
three mentioned sources from which Poetics went its
own way and created the field of study known at
present as Literary Criticism. Rhetoric and Dialectics
developed into Stylistics.

28. Stylistics is the study of textual meaning. Historically, it
arose from the late-19th- and early-20th-century
Russian formalist approach to literary meaning, which
endeavored to identify the textual triggers of certain
literary effects from their structures. As a result, for
much of its history, stylistics has been concerned with
the style, and consequent meaning, of literary works.

29. INFLUENCE
ANALOGISTS (CAESAR)
VS.
ANOMALISTS (CICERO)

30. Rhetoric the art of creating speeches and
Poetics (process of artistic creation).
Aristotle "Poetics" 320 B.C. - epic drama
and lyrics.
Socrates - Dialectics (the art of creating
a dialogue) Poetics developed into
Literary Criticism; Rhetoric and
Dialectics - into Stylistics.
ROOTS AND PREDECESSORS
OF ANCIENT TIME

31. it brought us the
distinction of two different
styles in speech, which
were presented by Caesar
and Cicero.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF
STYLISTICS IN ANCIENT ROME

32. CAESAR
And the Analogists
CICERO
And the Anomalists
Stressed regularity and system
rules
Focused on facts and data
Their aim was to create
simple, clear and
straightforward speeches.
Aimed at the creation and development of
"Ornate Dicere' that is flowery language.
Used unnatural syntactic patterns, sought
for innovative often artificial sentence
structures.
Created anomalies on all language levels.due
to their approach, where the true message
and communicated content were secondary
to the form of presentation, rhetoric was
called the "mother of lies".
Cicero built his theory of rhetoric on the
distinction between three styles: high,
middle and low.
TWO DIFFERENT STYLES
OF SPEECH

33. High Style (Grand or Sublime)
- To move or emotionally stir the audience
(often used in persuasive or passionate
speeches).
Middle Style (Moderate or Temperate)
- To please or entertain; often used to explain
or express ideas clearly and gracefully.
Low Style (Plain or Simple)
- To instruct or clarify.
CICERO’S THREE LEVELS OF STYLE
(THREE STYLES OF ORATORY):

34. Anomalistic rhetoric of Cicero (aesthetically
attractive) became a model way of public
speaking.
Influence of ancient India - brevity of
speech.
Distinction between FORM and CONTENT.
The language of science, culture,
administration (Latin) was different from
the language of common people.
MIDDLE AGES AND THE
NEW AGE

35. - style referred to written form of language
Nicolas Boileau L'Art poetique (1674) language
and parole.
stylus altus (works of art).
stylus mediocris (the style of high society).
stylus humilis (the style of low society and
comedies).
ROMANTICISM

36. STYLE

37. What is Style?
The term 'style' is used in
linguistics to describe the choices
which language makes available
to a user, above and beyond the
choices necessary for the simple
expression of a meaning.

38. What is Style?
- Is regarded as something that
belongs exclusively to the plane
of expression and not to the
plane of content
- A selection of non-distinctive
features of language.

39. I. NORM

40. Norm
– is an invariant, which should
embrace all variable phonemic,
morphological, lexical, and syntactic
patterns with their typical properties
circulating in the language at a
definite period of time.

41. II. Individual Style

42. Individual Style
- is the way in which a person
distinctively uses language.
This may encompass different
words, phrasings, and other
aspects of language use.

43. III. Functional Style

44. Functional Style
- is a system of interrelated language
means serving a definite aim in
communication. It is the coordination of
the language means and stylistic devices
which shapes the distinctive features of
each style and not the language means or
stylistic devices themselves.

45. Norm
Term
The standard or correct use of
language accepted by most
speakers.
Definition Example
Individual
Style
Functional
Style
✓ "She goes to school every day."
✗ "She go to school every day."
- A poet writes: "The moon whispers to the night."
- A teenager says: "That’s awesome!"
- Formal: "Please submit the report by Friday."
- Informal: "Send me the report by Friday."
- Scientific: "Plants need sunlight for photosynthesis."
A person’s unique way of
expressing themselves in
speaking or writing.
The way language changes
depending on its purpose and
where it’s used.

46. DENOTATIVE VS
CONNOTATIVE

47. DENOTATIVE
the explicit or direct
meaning of a word
or expression

48. TYPES OF DENOTATIVE MEANING
DEMONSTRATIVE
SIGNIFICATIVE
makes reference
to an object that
is actively
existing
evokes a general
idea of an object
or phenomenon
e.g. a Chair is an actual object that
we can sit on
e.g. Freedom is the concept that we
feel when we can do anything we
want responsibly

49. CONNOTATIVE
the personal and cultural
meanings in addition to their
literal meaning; can be a
positive connotation or a
negative connotation

50. The word “Childlike” can have two
connotative meanings:
Positive Connotation: Childlike
means too innocent and pure
Negative Connotation: Childlike
means immature and naive.

51. SIMILARITIES OF
DENOTATION AND CONNOTATION
Both relate to the meaning of terms and objects.
They coexist in language and communication.
They influence our understanding of words.

52. DENOTATION CONNOTATION
NATURE
IMPLICATION
USAGE
Objective, provides
textbook definitions.
Subjective, adds
layers of meaning.
Accurate and literal.
Can be negative,
neutral, or positive.
Used for clarity and
precision.
Used creatively in
writing, poetry, and
rhetoric.

53. LEXICAL VS
STYLISTIC
MEANING

54. LEXICAL
STYLISTIC
the meaning of a base
or root word without
considering any prefix
or suffix that may be
attached
describes the formal
features of texts for their
own sake to show their
functional significance
for the interpretation of
the text

55. DIE/PASS AWAY
Lexical Meaning: to stop living
Stylistic Meaning: Die - Direct, neutral, or
even blunt; Pass away - Euphemistic, softer,
more respectful

56. TERM FOCUS EXAMPLE
DENONATIVE
LEXICAL
CONNONATIVE
STYLISTIC
Literal reference; the most
literal, primary meaning of a
word (usually the first
dictionary entry)
Meaning of the word as a
vocabulary item; the dictionary
entry (can include multiple senses
and even figurative uses)
Emotional or cultural meaning;
Can be positive, negative, or
neutral, depending on the
listener’s perception.
Tone, formality, register;
how the word is used in a
specific style or context.
“The fire spread quickly.”
“Fire up the engine.”
“She has a fire in her soul.”
“The night was lit with fire and
music.”

57. I. Linguistic
Context

58. This refers to the surrounding
words, phrases, or sentences
that help us understand the
meaning of a specific word or
expression.
It's within the text or speech
itself

59. "She gave him a
cold look."
Example:

60. Types of Linguistic Context
Microcontext - is the context of a single
utterance (sentence)
Macrocontext - is the context of a
paragraph text.
Megacontext - is the context of a book
chapter, a story or a whole book.

61. Example
Microcontext - "The bark was rough."
Macrocontext - “We must unite against
the threat that looms over our freedom.”
Megacontext - “He’s a real Romeo.”

62. II. Extralingual
Context

63. This refers to the external
factors that influence how
language is understood — like
setting, culture, speaker’s
identity, tone, body language,
etc.
Involves non-verbal clues,
social setting, or background
knowledge.

64. If someone says “Nice job!” after
you trip and fall...
— The extralinguistic context
(tone + situation) tells you it’s
sarcastic, not a compliment.
Example:

65. Expressiveness
vs.
Emotiveness

66. a kind of intensification of
an utterance or a part of it.
broader than emotiveness.
Expressiveness

67. are the emotions of a writer or
speaker.
occupies a predominant position in
expressiveness. There are media in
language, which aim at logical
emphasis of a certain part of
utterance. They evoke no feelings but
serve the purpose of verbal
actualization of the utterance.
Emotiveness

68. Expressiveness vs. Emotiveness
Expressiveness – in etymological sense is a
kind of intensification of the utterance (or a
part of it). It should not be confused with the
category of emotiveness that reveals emotions
of the writer or a speaker – by not directly
manifesting their emotions but by echoing
real feelings, designed to awaken co-
experience on the part of the reader.

69. Expressiveness vs. Emotiveness
Expressiveness: "The old house exhaled a sigh
of dust and decay as the door creaked open."
Emotiveness: “In that silence, the echo of his
goodbye was a cold, final thing."

70. Expressiveness vs. Emotiveness
Expressiveness is broader than emotiveness
and cannot be reduced to the latter, which is
the part of expressiveness and occupies a
predominant position in it.

71. Feature Emotiveness Expressiveness
What it is A quality of language.
A broader style or a linguistic
category.
Focus
The specific emotional content of
words and phrases.
The subjective attitude of the
speaker/writer.
Scope
Narrow; refers to a specific emotional
effect.
Broad; encompasses all means of
conveying attitude and personal style.
Means
Exclamations, interjections,
emotionally charged vocabulary.
Figurative language, unique syntax,
rhythm, imagery.
Example "I'm so furious!"
A detailed description of a character's
trembling hands and clenched jaw to
show they are furious.

72. Expressive Means,
Stylistic Devices, and
Functional Means

73. I. Expressive
Means

74. These are natural language
tools (words, phrases,
constructions) that carry an
emotional, emphatic, or
intensifying effect.
They're found in everyday
language and are not
necessarily artistic or poetic.

75. Examples:
Interjections: "Oh no!", "Wow!"
Intensifiers: "so beautiful", "utterly
ridiculous"
Exclamatory sentences: "What a terrible
day!"

76. II. Stylistic
Devices

77. These are deliberate artistic
techniques used in
literature, speeches, or
rhetorical writing to create
specific effects—beauty,
irony, persuasion, etc.

78. Examples:
Metaphor: "Time is a thief."
Irony: Saying "What a lovely day!" during a
storm.
Alliteration: "She sells seashells by the
seashore."

79. III. Functional
Style

80. Functional style refers to types
of language use suited to a
specific context, audience, or
purpose. Each style has its own
rules, vocabulary, and tone.
Each style has its own rules,
vocabulary, and tone.

81. Style Where it's used Example
Scientific
Academic papers,
textbooks
“The study shows a significant correlation…”
Literary Novels, poems, plays
“The wind whispered secrets through the
trees.”
Colloquial Everyday conversation “What’s up?” “Gonna grab a bite.”