Stylistics

LECTURE 1
AMARA AFTAB SOOMRO
 Lecture Focuses on

• 1. What is Stylistics?
• 2. Concepts of Stylistics…
• 3. Need of Stylistics…
 Stylistics

Linguistic
Style
s
 Concept of Style
• A person’s distinctive language habits, or the set of individual
characteristics
Of Language use.
FOR EXAMPLE:
1. Hemingway’s Style
2. Henry Jame’s Style
3. Mark Twain’s style
• Or we can say that it is a some or all of the language habits
shared by a group of people at one time, or over a period of time.
For Example:
Elizabethan Style
the style of legal documents
the style of news reporting.
• 3. The characteristics of “Beautiful” and “good” literary writings.

• For Example:
* Ornate style
* Plain Style
* Conversational style
 Stylistics

• is basically a style of language.

• The concern of Stylistics is with the
• Language
• Aspects of speech events
• Language Varieties and its functions
 Definition of Stylistics

Manner indicating prominent linguistic features,

devices and patterns, most (or at least) frequently
occurring in a particular text of a particular variety
of language.
 Concepts of Stylistics
• Stylistics is a discipline that studies the ways in which language
is used; it is a discipline that studies the styles of language in
use.

• Stylistics is the branch of linguistics which applies the theory

and methodology of modern linguistics to the study of style.
 Definitions of Stylistics

• Stylistics is the branch of linguistics which

studies style in a scientific and systematic way of
concerning the manners/ linguistics features of
different varieties of language at different levels.
 Linguistic description

• The level of phonology

• The level of lexis
• The level of syntax/grammar
• The level of semantics.
 The level of phonology

• Phonology is the study of the rules for the

organization of the sound systems of a language
 The level of lexis

• lexicology studies the choice of specific lexical

items in a text, their distribution in relation to one
another, and their meanings 
 The level of Syntax

• Syntax refers to rules for ordering and

connecting words into sentences.
 The level of semantics 

• Semantics studies the overall meaning of a text,

the meaning derived from the way sentences /
utterances are used and the way they are related
to the context in which they are used / uttered and
some rhetoric devices.
 Need of Stylistics

• Stylistic study helps us to cultivate a sense of

appropriateness.
• Stylistics study sharpens the Understanding and
appreciation of linguistic and literary works.
• Stylistics Study helps us in adaptation in translation.
 1. Cultivate sense of appropriateness

• > who speaks what language to whom and when?

• > Proper words in a proper situation makes the true
definition of style.
• it ’ s related to the characteristics of the USE of language in situation:
role-relationship between addresser and addressee (degree of intimacy) .
• purpose for which language is used .
• (to inform, persuade … ) 
> Dear Sir,
I must apologize for the delay in replying to your letter of the 30th of
December …
Dear Jane,
I’ m terribly sorry not to have got round to writing before now … 
 2. Stylistics study sharpens the Understanding and
appreciation of linguistic and literary works.

1. Deviation :
The breaking of a normal rules of linguistic structure
2. Repetition:
The overuse of particular linguistic features.
3. Foregrounding:
e.g. a month ago (normal) a joy ago (abnormal)
a grief ago (abnormal) a happiness ago (abnormal)
 3. Stylistics Study helps us in adaptation in translation.

FOR EXAMPLE

1)It has been noted with concern that the stock of
books in the library has been declining alarmingly.
Students are requested to remind themselves of the
rules of the borrowing and returning of books, and
to bear in mind the needs of other students.
Penalties for overdue book will in the future be
strictly enforced.
2) The number of books in the library has been
going down. Please make sure you know the
rules for borrowing, and don ’ t forget that the
library is for everyone ’ s convenience. So from
now on, we ’ re going to enforce the rules
strictly. You have been warned!
1) Although learning is judged
to require from teachers (and
sometimes indeed it does ), real
instructors may be found not so
much in school or in great
laboratories as in the student ’ s
powers of insight.
2) We think we learn from
teachers, and we sometimes do .
But teachers are not always be
found in school or in great
laboratories. Sometimes what
we learn depends upon our own
powers of insight. 
Your Question Please!
Thank You for attention!