ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

2|Page
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

INTRODUCTION

The subject of stylistics has so far not been definitely outlined. This is due to a
number of reasons. First of all there is a confusion between the terms style and stylistics.
The first concept is so broad that it is hardly possible to regard it as a term. We speak of
style in architecture, literature, behavior, linguistics, dress and other fields of human
activity. Even in linguistics the word style is used so widely that it needs interpretation.
The majority of linguistics who deal with the subject of style agree that the term applies
to the following fields of investigation.

1.) the aesthetic function of language;

2.) expressive means in language;

3.) synonymous ways of rendering one and the same idea;

4.) emotional colouring of language;

5.) a system of special devices called stylistic devices;

6.) the splitting of the literary language into separate subsystems called stylistics devices;

7.) the interrelation between language and thought;

8.) the individual manner of an author in making use of language.

STYLISTICS
 the study of literary discourse from a linguistic orientation

3|Page
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

 explicates the message to interpret and evaluate literary writings as works of art

 deals with expressive means which secure the desirable effect of the utterance

 Stylistics is the application of concepts from linguistics and allied disciplines in

the analysis and interpretation of samples of communication through language.
(Otanes,ms)

 The linguistic study of different styles is called stylistics (Chapman, 1973:11)

 Stylistics is the study of literary discourse from a linguistics orientation. What

distinguishes it from literary criticism is that it is a means of linking the two.
(Widdowson, 1975)

 Practical stylistics is the process of literary text analysis which starts from a basic
assumption that the previous interpretative procedures used in the reading of a
literary text are linguistic procedures (Carter, 1991:4)

ACTIVITY 1: ESSAY WRITING

Directions: Elucidate the following sentence. You may cite examples or situation
to expand your answer.

“The difference between stylistic devices and literary devices”

The difference between stylistic devices and literary devices in literature and
writing, stylistic elements are the use of any of a variety of techniques to give an
auxiliary meaning, ideas, or feeling to the literalism or written. While in the literary
device, poetic devices are an example of it that is used in poetry. A poem is created out of
poetic devices composite of structural, grammatical, rhythmic, metrical, verbal, and
visual elements. They are essential tools that a poet uses to create rhythm, enhance a
poem's meaning, or intensify a mood or feeling.

4|Page
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

Stylistic devices are the tools for refining words into memorable lines. Take, for
example, the epitome of English literature: “To be, or not to be? That is the question — ”
In that two-sentence line, Shakespeare used four stylistic devices: rhetorical question,
iambic meter, antithesis, and caesura.

Literary devices are techniques that writers use to express their ideas and enhance
their writing. Literary devices highlight important concepts in a text, strengthen the
narrative, and help readers connect to the characters and themes. These devices serve a
wide range of purposes in literature. Some might work on an intellectual level, while
others have a more emotional effect. They may also work subtly to improve the flow and
pacing of your writing. No matter what, if you're looking to inject something special into
your prose, literary devices are a great place to start.

Three basic principles of a linguistic approach to literary study and

criticism (Carter):

 that the greater our detailed knowledge of the working of the language system, the
greater our capacity for insightful awareness of the effects produced by the
literary texts

 that a principled analysis of language can be used to make our commentary on the
effects produced in a literary work less impressionistic and subjective

 that because it will be rooted in a systematic awareness of language, bits of

language will not be merely spotted and evidence gathered casually and
haphazardly. Analysis of one linguistic pattern requires checking against related
patterns across the text. Evidence for the text will be provided in an overt or
principled way. The conclusions can be attested and retrieved by another analyst
working on the same data with the same method. There is also less danger that we
may overlook textual features crucial to the significance of the work.

5|Page
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

Why is practical Stylistics so important?

 It can provide the means whereby the student of literature can relate a piece
literature to his own experience of language and so extend that experience.

 It can assist in the transfer of interpretative skills, on essential purpose of literary

education.

 It can provide a procedure for demystifying literary texts.

 The focus of a literary text in itself provides a context in which the learning of
aspects of language can be positively enjoyed.

TYPES OF STYLISTICS

1. Lexical stylistics
 studies functions of direct and figurative meanings
 also the way contextual meaning of a word is realized in the text
 deals with various types of connotations – expressive, evaluative,
emotive, neologisms, dialectal words and their behavior in the text

2. Grammatical stylistics

 subdivided into morphological and syntactic:

o Morphological s. views stylistic potential of grammatical
categories of different parts of speech. Potential of the number,
pronouns…
o Syntactic s. studies syntactic, expressive means, word order and
word combinations, different types of sentences and types of
syntactic connections. Also deals with origin of the text, its
division on the paragraphs, dialogs, direct and indirect speech, the
connection of the sentences, types of sentences.

3. Phonostylistics

6|Page
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

 phonetical organization of prose and poetic texts

 here are included rhythm, rhythmical structure, rhyme, alliteration,
assonance and correlation of the sound form and meaning
 also studies deviation in normative pronunciation

4. Functional stylistics

 deals with all subdivisions of the language and its possible use
(newspaper, colloquial style)
 Its object-correlation of the message and communicative situation

5. Individual style study

 Studies the style of the author

 Looks for correlations between the creative concepts of the author and
the language of his work

6. Stylistics of Encoding

 The shape of the information (message) is coded and the addressee plays
the part of decoder of the information which is contained in message.
 The problems which are connected with adequate reception of the
message without any loses (deformation) are the problems of stylistics
of encoding.

ACTIVITY 2: VENN DIAGRAM

Directions: Compare and Contrast Morphological Stylistics from Syntactic

Stylistics.

Morphological Syntactic
Stylistics Stylistics

views stylistic potential of studies syntactic, expressive

Similarities
grammatical categories of means, word order and word
different parts of speech. Morphological combinations, different types of
Potential of the number, and syntactic are sentences and types of syntactic
tools used by the
pronouns. linguist to connections. Also deals with
understand the
7 | P a gon
origin of the text, its division e
way a language the paragraphs, dialogs, direct
works.
and indirect speech, the
connection of the sentences,
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

Grid of Relationships with Other Disciplines

Morphology and
syntax are tools
Morphology and
used by the linguist
syntax are toolsthe
to understand
used
way aby the linguist
language
to understand
works. the
Different
way a language
languages have their
works. Different
Morphology
own specific and
word
languages
syntax are have
order and tools their
the
own
used specific word
by studies
linguist the linguist
these
order
to and the
understand
differences the
within
linguist
way studies
a language
the structure ofthese
differences
works. within
Different
syntax and
the structure
languages
morphology. of their
have
syntax and word
own specific
morphology.
order and the
linguist studies these
differences within
the structure of
syntax and
morphology.

Co-operative Principle

8|Page
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

According to Grice, people can engage in meaningful conversation

because, under normal conditions, the interlocutors observe certain principles,
which he calls the four conversational maxims. The maxim of Quality upholds the
value of truth/sincerity; the maxim of manner refers to the avoidance of obscurity
of expression and ambiguity, and to be orderly.(Pratt, 1977, pp. 129-130 in Weber, 1996)

“Grice’s Maxims of Conversation:

The Principles of Effective Communication”

(The co-operative principle and its regulative conversation)

 The maxim of QUANTITY

 where one tries to be as informative as one possibly can, and gives as
much information as is needed, and no more
 make your contributions as informative as possible
 do not give too much or too little information.

 The maxim of QUALITY

 where one tries to be truthful, and does not give information that is false or
that is not supported by evidence.
 make your contribution that you believe to be true

 The maxim of RELATION

 where one tries to be relevant, and says things that are pertinent to the
discussion.
 be relevant

9|Page
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

 The maxim of MANNER

 when one tries to be as clear, as brief, and as orderly as one can in what
one says, and where one avoids obscurity and ambiguity
 avoid unnecessary prolixity, obscurity of expression and ambiguity, and
be orderly.

Four cases when maxims are often violated:

a) A speaker may unostentatiously violate a maxim; this accounts for lies and
deceits.

b) He may opt out of the co-operative principle, e.g., government officials’ refused
to answer questions requiring classified information.

c) Faced with clash, he may break one maxim or another

d) He may ostentatiously flout the maxim, so that it is apparent to his interlocutors.

ACTIVITY 3: MULTIPLE CHOICE

Directions: Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. What are the maxims of quantity?

a. Speakers should be brief and orderly, and avoid obscurity and ambiguity.
b. Speakers should be as informative as is required, that they should give neither
too little information nor too much.
c. Speakers are assumed to be saying something that is relevant to what has been
said before.
d. Speakers are expected to be sincere, to be saying something that they believe
corresponds to reality.

2. What is the maxim of quality?

10 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

a. Speakers should be brief and orderly, and avoid obscurity and ambiguity.
b. Speakers should be as informative as is required, that they should give neither
too little information nor too much.
c. Speakers are assumed to be saying something that is relevant to what has been
said before.
d. Speakers are expected to be sincere, to be saying something that they believe
corresponds to reality.

3. What is the maxim of relation?

a. Speakers should be brief and orderly, and avoid obscurity and ambiguity.
b. Speakers should be as informative as is required, that they should give neither
too little information nor too much.
c. Speakers are assumed to be saying something that is relevant to what has
been said before.
d. Speakers are expected to be sincere, to be saying something that they believe
corresponds to reality.

4. What is the maxim of manner?

a. Speakers should be brief and orderly, and avoid obscurity and ambiguity.
b. Speakers should be as informative as is required, that they should give neither
too little information nor too much.
c. Speakers are assumed to be saying something that is relevant to what has
been said before.
d. Speakers are expected to be sincere, to be saying something that they believe
corresponds to reality.

5. When speakers are flouting the maxims…

a. they have an imperfect knowledge or performance of language.
b. they seem unwilling to cooperate in the way the maxim requires.
c. they appear not to follow the maxims but expect hearers to appreciate the
meaning implied.
d. they know that the hearer will not know the truth and will only understand the
surface meaning of the words.

6. The speaker who flouts the maxim of quantity ...

a. by suing hyperbole, metaphor, irony and banter.
11 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

b. appears to be obscure, is often trying to exclude a third party.

c. expects that the hearers will be able to imagine what the utterance did not say.
d. seems to give too little or too much information.

7. The speaker flouting the maxim of quality

a. by suing hyperbole, metaphor, irony and banter.
b. appears to be obscure, is often trying to exclude a third party.
c. expects that the hearers will be able to imagine that the utterance did not say.
d. seems to give too little or too much information.

8. When speakers flout the maxim of relation, ...

a. they may use hyperbole, metaphor, irony and banter.
b. they appear to be obscure, are often trying to exclude a third party.
c. they expect that the hearers will be able to imagine that the utterance did not
say.
d. they seem to give too little or too much information.
9. When speakers flout the maxim of manner, ...
a. they may hyperbole, metaphor, irony and banter.
b. they appear to be obscure, are often trying to exclude a third party.
c. they expect that the hearers will be able to imagine that the utterance did not
say.
d. they seem to give too little or too much information.

10. A speaker can be said to violate a maxim when ...

a. they have an imperfect knowledge or performance of language.
b. they seem unwilling to cooperate in the way the maxim requires.
c. they appear not to follow the maxims but expect hearers to appreciate the
meaning implied.
d. they know that the hearer will not know the truth and will only understand
the surface meaning of the words.

11. What is infringing maxims?

a. When the speaker has an imperfect knowledge or performance of language.
b. When the speaker seems unwilling to cooperate in the way the maxim
requires.
c. When speakers appear not to follow the maxims but expect hearers to
appreciate the meaning implied.
d. When speakers know that the hearer will not know the truth and will only
understand the surface meaning of the words.
12 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

12. What is opting out the maxims?

a. When the speaker has an imperfect knowledge or performance of language.
b. When the speaker seems unwilling to cooperate in the way the maxim
requires.
c. When speakers appear not to follow the maxims but expect hearers to
appreciate the meaning implied.
d. When speakers know that the hearer will not know the truth and will only
understand the surface meaning of the words.

ACTIVITY 4: NEWS WRITING

Directions: Grice’s maxims were originally meant to describe how

people
Intuitively communicate or convey verbal or written information. Apply the four maxims
by writing an editorial news article based on your chosen topic or issue that is rampant
nowadays. Make sure to be as informative, truthful, relevant, and brief as possible.

Which is better, the deep nasal swab or the rapid test?

When it comes to detecting the coronavirus, not all tests are created equally. Two tests
are widely available to see if someone has the virus: a polymerase chain reaction swab, or
PCR test, and a less invasive antigen test . While both methods have the same goal, Jon
Baker, Sparrow Health System’s administrative director of laboratory services, said the
rapid antigen tests fall short of the PCR test.

“The main difference is that there’s a much greater possibility of a false negative with an
antigen test,” Baker said. “Particularly if you don’t have symptoms.”

The PCR tests, in which a sample is collected with a deep nasal swab, have a higher
sensitivity to detect the coronavirus. Many rapid tests, which involve either a shallow
nasal swab or throat swab, don’t have the same capability, Baker said.

“PCR is by a long shot the most sensitive method,” he said.

But that doesn’t mean the rapid tests don’t have their uses, Baker said.

Why is the PCR test better?

13 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

The PCR test has become the “gold standard” because it is sensitive enough to detect the
smallest traces of the virus, Baker said.

If you’ve been exposed to the virus, were in contact with someone who tested positive or
are only showing mild symptoms, the PCR test is the best method, Baker said.

The limitations of the PCR test are that it takes longer to process and not all medical
facilities can perform the tests, Baker said. The antigen tests can fill that gap but it should
be used in concert with a confirmatory PCR test if one is available, he said.

SPEECH ACT

The theory that “many utterances are significant not so much in terms of what
they say, but rather in terms of what they do” (Sullivan, et al., 1994, p. 293)

Types of Speech Acts

There are various kinds of speech acts, yet the following, classified by John
Searle, have received particular attention:

1. Representatives commit a speaker to the truth of an expressed proposition.

 Paradigm cases: asserting, stating, concluding, boasting, describing, suggesting.
o I am a great singer.
o Bill was an accountant.
2. Commissives commit a speaker to some future action.
 Paradigm cases: promising, pledging, threatening, vowing, offering.
o I am going to leave you.
o I’ll call you tonight.
3. Directives are used by a speaker who attempts to get the addressee to carry out
an action.
 Paradigm cases: requesting, advising, commanding, challenging, inviting,
daring, entreating
o You’d better tidy up that mess.
o Sit down.
4. Declarations affects an immediate change of affairs.
 Paradigm cases: declaring, baptizing, resigning, firing from employment, hiring,

14 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

arresting.
o We find the defendant guilty.
o I resign.
5. Expressives express some sort of psychological state.
 Paradigm cases: greeting, thanking, apologizing, complaining, congratulating.
o This beer is disgusting.
o I’m sorry to hear that.

ACTIVITY 5: DIAGRAM COMPLETION

SPEECH ACTS SAMPLE SENTENCES

1. The sea water is not salty.

2. The tallest man can reach the sky.

Representatives
3. Bill Gates is not really the richest person on earth.

1. I will bring my daughter to the dental clinic.

Commissives 2. I will cook a dinner tonight.

3. I will go to the doctor for my regular check up.

1. Clean the toilet.

Directives 2. List down the items we need to buy in the grocery store.

3. Go to you room and read some books.

1. I will lend you some of my money once I get my salary.

Declarations
2. You’re no longer part of the team.

15 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

3. I will appoint you to be my personal secretary.

1. I’m so grateful to you.

Expressives 2. I appreciate your honesty.

3. Congratulations on your new baby.

Directions: Complete the following diagram by writing three sample sentences

on each type of speech acts.

PRAGMATIC STYLISTICS

Kind of Exchange Example Speech Act Equivalent

1. Factual Information The plane departs at Representative (judged for

Identify, ask report, say, 7:30 truth, value, may either be
think hedged or aggravated)
2. Intellectual Information These arguments are Representative
agree/disagree, correct
remember/forget,
certain/uncertain, ask/give,
accept/decline,
capable/incapable
3. Emotional Attitudes I’m worried about my Expressive
surprise, hope, fear, worry, term papers
preference, gratitude,
intention, want, desire
4. Moral attitudes I appreciate you help Expressive (states joy,
apology, approval, disappointment, likes,
appreciation, regret, dislikes, etc.)
indifference

16 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

5. Suasion Hand in you Directive (makes a request

suggest, request, invite, assignment to be implied with)
instruct, advice, warn, offer
6. Socializing Hi, Larry, how are Directive (i.e., Tell me how
greet, take leave, introduce, you? are you)
propose, congratulate, etc.

STYLISTICS DEVICES

Figurative Language, Sound Techniques, Structural Devices, Irony, Register

Tropes and Figure of Speech

 Tropes are based on the “transfer” of meaning, when a word (or combination of
words) is used to denote an object which is not normally correlated with this
word. Examples: Metaphor (“Love is a caged bird.”)/ Metonymy (“The pen is
mightier than the sword.”)

 Figures of speech whose stylistic effect is achieved due to the unusual

arrangement of linguistic units, unusual construction or extension of utterance.
Examples: Simile, litotes, oxymoron, antithesis...

Levels of Tropes and Figures of Speech

1. Phonetic devices (alliteration, assonance) - f. repetition of the same sound (Ex:“A

university should be a place of light, of liberty, and of learning” – they produce effect of
euphony )

2. Graphical (icons and graphic symbolism)

3. Lexical – interrelation of different meaning of one word and of connotative meanings

of different words Metaphor – t. use of words (word combinations) in transferred
meaning by way of similarity or analogy – Ex: “Art is a jealous mistress”

4. Syntactical – is based on the arrangement of elements of the sentence (Ex: Inversion,

ellipsis, rhetorical question)

17 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

5. Lexico-syntactic – f. simile, litotes

STYLISTIC DEVICE – FIGURATIVE LANGUANGE

CHARACTONYM – when the name of a character has a symbolic meaning

 The pen is mightier than the sword.

 The pentagon denies knowledge of the cover-up.

METONYMY – is similar to synecdoche, but instead of a part representing the whole, a

related object or part of a related object is used to represent the whole

 She was greeted by the sound of silence as she entered.

 O hateful love, O loving hate! I burn and freeze like ice!

OXYMORON - is a combination of openly contradictory words and meanings (cold

war, silent scream, hateful love). It is more “compact” than paradox.

 Einstein is not a bad mathematician.

 Our opinions differ slightly (instead of, “Our opinions are very different.”)

PARADOX - is a statement that seems to be self- contradictory or opposed to common

sense, but on close examination, it mostly reveals some truth.

UNDERSTATEMENT – an expression that is deliberately less forceful or dramatic than

the subject would seem to justify or require (litotes & meiosis)

 If you love someone, set him free.

 True living is dying unto oneself.

Forms of Understatement (Figures of Quantity)

LITOTES - a figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an

affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite, as in This is no small
problem. (American Heritage Dictionary, 4th Ed.)
o “not unusual”
o “no mean feat”
o “not the kindest person”

MEIOSIS – understatement used for effect such as sarcasm or sardony. E.g.

18 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

“Charlie is not the sharpest knife in the drawer” means that Charlie does not
even come close to the sharpest because he’s blathering idiot.
o Can also be used to describe mannerism and tone (e.g.,’a brooding, quit,
Byronic hero will often be understated in action and tone)

 “Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice…”
 And the lovers walked towards the rising sun, fearing no storm that may
be brewing in the horizon.

SYMBOL – may be an object, a person, a situation, an action, a word, or an idea that has
literal meaning in the story as well as an alternative identity that represents something
else

 Love is a star to every wandering bark.

 The eyes are the windows to the soul.

METAPHOR – is a direct comparison used to add descriptive meaning to a phrase.

 That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.
 To err is human; to forgive, divine.

ANTITHESIS – emphasizes the contrast between two ideas. The structure of the phrases
/ clauses is usually similar in order to draw the reader’s / listener’s attention directly to
the contrast.

 Noli Me Tangere contains characters, events and realities that existed during
Spanish colonization. The story may be seen as symbolic.

ALLEGORY – is a story that has a second meaning usually be endowing characters,

objects or events with symbolic significance; expanded metaphor

 Full fathom five thy father lies

 Death bed beckons
 Odds and ends, short and sweet

ALLITERATION – is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words

occurring in succession

ASSONANCE – is the repetition of vowel sounds in the words occurring in succession

CONSONANCE – the repetition of consonants at the ends of words occurring in

succession

19 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

 He’s such a Romeo, that guy.

 If a face could launch a thousand ships, then where am I to go?

ALLUSION – a reference, direct or indirect, to something or someone from history or

literature

 Before Hector came out to face Achilles, he bid a long, sad farewell to his wife
and expressed his dear wishes for his only son’s future.

FORESHADOWING – when the author drops clues about what is to come in a story,
which builds tension and the reader’s suspense throughout the narrative.

 So, the world will end on the 21st of December? Great!

 Thanks for revealing out secret plan, Einstein!

VERBAL IRONY – also known as “sarcasm,” this is the simplest form of irony, in
which the speaker says the opposite of what he or she intends

 In Hugo’s Les Miserables, one wouldn’t expect Javert to kill himself towards the
end of the story, especially when Valjean is well within his reach. (also, Twist
Ending)

SITUATION IRONY – when the author creates a surprise that is the perfect opposite of
what one would expect

 In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the drama of ActV comes from the fact that
the audience knows Juliet is alive, but Romeo thinks she’s dead. If the audience
had thought, like Romeo, that she was dead, the scene would not have had the
same power.

DRAMATIC IRONY – when the reader knows something important about the story that
one or more characters in the story do not know

DICTION – is the choice of specific words to communicate not only meaning, but
emotion as well (establishes tone)

TONE – expresses the writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward the subject, the reader, or
herself or himself

DECORUM – the appropriateness of a work to its subject, its genre, and its audience

MOOD – the emotional color or the prevalent emotion in a poem or work of fiction

20 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

LOCAL COLOR – depiction of the unusual or traditional features of a particular place

that make it interesting

MOTIF – a word, phrase, image, or ideas is repeated throughout a work or several works
of literature

ANALOGY – a comparison between two things that are similar in some way, often used
to help explain something or make it easier to understand

PUN/DOUBLE ENTENDRE – also known as “word play,” this refers to the use of
words with double meanings, sometimes relying on how the word is pronounced
(“homophonic pun”)

 Everybody kneads flour.

Santa’s helper’s are subordinate Clauses.
A horse is very stable animal
“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.” – Groucho Marx

ACTIVITY 6: FILL IN THE BLANKS

Directions: Study the given excerpts and identify what stylistics device is at work.
Write your answer on the space provided.

1. “And so it was that later

As the miller told his tale
That her face at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale. “(from a Whiter Shade of Pale by Reid & Brooker)

ANSWER: __Allusion______________

2. “Parting is such a sweet sorrow…” (from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet)

ANSWER: __Oxymoron____________

3. “Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)

With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
Praise him.” (from Pied Beauty by Gerard Manley Hopkins)

ANSWER: __Alliteration_____________

4. “And then the clock collected in the tower Its strength, and struck.” (from Eight
O’clock by A.E. Housman)

ANSWER: ___Personification________

21 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

5. “A poem should be wordless

As the flight of birds.
A poem should be motionless in time
As the moon climbs…” (from Ars Poetica by Archibald Macleish)

ANSWER: ___Simile_______________

6. “Night is curious child.” (from Four Glimpse of Night by Frank Marshall Davis)

ANSWER: ___Metaphor____________
7. “Mary had a little lamb,
You’ve heard this tale before
But did you know she passed her plate and had a little more?” (Author unknown)

ANSWER: __Pun/Double Entendre___

8. “A blind man looks back

Into the future with the
Ear-splitting whispers of
Unconcealed ghosts
Thundering silently.” (Author unknown)

ANSWER: __Oxymoron______________

9. “He said I was average

But was just being mean.
Invisible cows are herd
But not seen…” (by Paul Waddington)

ANSWER: __Pun/Double Entendre_____

10. “That twenty centuries of stony sleep.” (from The Second Coming by William Butler yeats)

ANSWER: __Foreshadowing___________

11. “He was as brave as a lion.”

ANSWER: __Simile__________________

12. “All the worlds a stage And all the men and women merely players; They have
their exits and their entrances.” (from As you like it by William Shakespeare)

ANSWER: __Metaphor________________

22 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

13. “Death lays its icy hands on kings.”

ANSWER: ___Personification___________

14. “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more
temperate.” (from Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare)

ANSWER: __Metaphor________________
15. ‘Hail divinest Melancholy, whose saintly visage is too bright to hit the sense of
human sight.’

ANSWER: ___Apostrophe_____________

Nine (9) of the most frequently used Connectives

(Champan 1973)

a. Conjunctions and conjunctive adjectives (e.g., however, but, furthermore,

nevertheless)

Ex. In Dapitan Rizal engaged in farming, sculpture, poetry-writing and other

useful activities, but life there proved routine until Josephine Bracken came to his
life.

b. Pronominal linkage with a preceding noun.

Ex. “For an hour and half he wondered aimlessly up and down side streets,
immersed in solving some problem – chess of course – the meaning of which
suddenly had become the meaning of his whole existence on earth.” – Leonid
Leonov’s “The Wooden Queen”

c. Repetition of a keyword on proper name, either identically or in a different

grammatical form:

Ex. “He was a formidable player; few dared play with him for his stakes were so
high and reckless.” – Hesse’s Siddhartha

d. Use of synonyms or related word or phrase:

23 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

Ex. “For they sometimes, perhaps, even on the majority of occasions waited for
their squires to grow old, and then when they were cloyed with service, having
endured bad days and worse night, they conferred upon them some title, as such
count, or at least marquis. – Cervantes’s Don Quixote

e. Deictic words- ‘pointers’ like the, this, that –either governing a noun or referring
back to the whole sentence.

Ex. “Is that the way they do things where you’ve been,” he asked.” – for the
ladies to escort the gentlemen home? That was a nasty hit for Eleseus; he turned
red…”
– Hamsun’s Growth of the Soil

f. Repetition of the opening structure

Ex. We work when the sun rises.

We rest when the sun sets.
We dig wells for drink.
We plow the land for food.
What has the power of Emperor to do with us?

-Shih Shing (Book of Song)

g. Class-member relationships, or relationships of the parts of referent to the whole

Ex. “They were friends, yet enemies; he was master, she was mistress; each
cheated the other, each needed the other, each feared the other, each felt this
and knew this every time they touched hands…” –Virginia Woolf’s “Duchess
and the Jeweler”

h. Loosen semantic connection without repetition of items

Ex.I had soon realized I was speaking to a Catholic, to someone who believed
– how do they put it? –in an omnipotent and omniscient Dei ty, while I was
what is loosely called an Agnostic” –Graham Greene’s “The Hint of a
Explanation”

i. Clear sequence of events

24 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

Ex. “Those were the happiest years of my life, my friendship with Loizik and
stamp-collecting. Then I had scarlet fever and they wouldn’t let him come to
see me, but he used to stand in the passage and whistle so that I could see
him.” – Karel Capek, “The Stamp Collection”

Systemic Grammar in Literary Analysis

HALLIDAY’S SEVEN FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE

Michael Halliday (1975)

Function Examples Classroom Experiences

Instrumental "I want to ..." Problem solving,
language is used to gathering materials,
communicate preferences, role playing,
choices, wants, or needs persuading
Personal "Here I am ...." Making feelings public
language is used to express and
individuality interacting with others
Interactional "You and me ...." Structured play,
language is used to interact "I'll be the cashier, ...." dialogues and
and plan, develop, or maintain discussions,
a play or group activity or talking in groups
social relationship
Regulatory "Do as I tell you ...." making rules in games,
language is used to control "You need ...." giving instructions,
teaching
Representational "I'll tell you." Conveying messages,
Use language to explain "I know." telling about the real
world, expressing a
proposition
Heuristic "Tell me why ...." Question and answer,
language is used to find things "Why did you do that?" routines,
out, wonder, or hypothesize "What for?" inquiry and research

Imaginative "Let's pretend ...." Stories and

language is used to create, "I went to my grandma's dramatizations,

25 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

explore, and entertain last night." rhymes, poems, and

riddles, nonsense and
word play

ACTIVITY 7: DIAGRAM COMPLETION

Directions: Complete the following diagram by writing random language

activities that can be read, spoken, or written by students in a classroom environment.
The first item is already done for you.

HALLIDAY’S
SEVEN
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
FUNCTIONS OF
LANGUAGE

Sharing Activity:
Personal Have the students share what they did over the holidays
when they get back to school.

Let the students bring their arts materials such as coloring

Instrumental
books and construction papers for Origami making.

Group Activity:
Interactional Let the students group themselves into three to discuss the
moral values of the story assigned to them.

Make the students create a “house rules” and discuss for

Regulatory
approval.

Make the students share their thoughts and what have they
Representational
learned in the activities.

Oral Activity:
Heuristic
Have the students recite the poem they made.

26 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

Imaginative Let the students write a story about their favorite pet.

Three types of Dealing with Clauses by Halliday

(a) Action

-an affected participant has an inherent role associated with action clauses and

which is the goal in a transitive and the action in an intransitive clause.

Ex.: 1. Raskolnikov fell ill. (the affected participant)

2. The theory consumes him. (“causer’ of the process)

(b) Mental process

-further divide into verbs of perception, reaction, cognition and verbalization,

all having a processor and phenomenon, rather than having actor and goal as

participant roles.

Ex. Shen heard his younger brother (person)

the reason (abstraction)

the singing of the anthem (event) Bracketed words are phenomenon

the radio (object)

(c) Relation

27 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

-are those in which the process describes or states a relation between two roles.

Ex.: 1. Arnel Pineda acts as the lead singer. (attributive type)

2. The band Journey is as popular as the Jonas. (equative type)

PEDAGOGICAL STYLISTICS

Carter (in Weber, 1996) bats for a more extensive and integrated study of
language and literature which are better given as pre-literary linguistic activities.

1. Predicting how the narrative will develop after omitting the title, or rather
reading the first paragraph, what the story is all about. Those can be done by paired
group
1.1 Lyric poems or texts which evoke descriptive states do not benefit from this
activity

1.2 Texts with a strong plot component do

1.3 Even best narrative could make students read back and project forward

2. Use of close procedure

2.1 Focus on individual words/sequence of words, rather than on stretches of texts

2.2 Do some lexical prediction during the act of reading/ after a story is read.

2.3 Ask students to show careful/close reading.

2.4 Let them do reasonable and supportable predictions to make them alert to

over-all pattern of the story

3. Summarizing Strategies

3.1 Imposed a word limit for a summary, from 25-40 words to: (a) make them re-
structure, delete, re-shape to meet the word limit, (b) stress question on structure
and shape of the narrative.

28 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

3.2 Make them compare and criticize alternative summaries.

4. Forum: Debating opposing viewpoints.

4.1 Literature can mobilize student discussion and debate.

4.2 It lends itself to small-group activity.

4.3 Provide counter- examples from other groups who listen

4.4 Let them use their prior knowledge and the text in question.

5. Guided Rewriting

5.1 It helps students recognize the broader discourse patterns of text and styles
appropriate to them.

5.2 It involves them in re-writing stretches of discourse to change its

communicative value.

5.3 Let them rewrite a set of instructions, as a description, or turning a lecture

transcript into academic discourse.

5.4 Specify clearly information about audience/purpose

5.5 Rewrite one style into another to explore connection between styles and
meaning. Particularly juxtaposing literary and non-literary texts.

5.6 Sensitize students to varied ways in instructing information for readers in

different texts.

5.7 Make them infer ore on semantic overlaps, degrees of information supplies to
a reader, even the omission of certain expected propositions assigned thematic
significance,

29 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

ACTIVITY 8: ESSAY WRITING

Directions: Answer the following questions.

1. One of the pre-literary linguistic activities under pedagogical stylistic is the so

called Guided Rewriting. What do you think is the importance of rewriting in any
linguistic activities?
The importance of rewriting in any linguistic activities is that
words are put down and organized into coherent thoughts, and as these thoughts
become expressed in the text, the writer reflects on those thoughts, makes
adjustments and changes, and the text is revised, and this process continues.
2. What is the difference between rewriting and revising?
The difference between rewriting and revising is that a revision is when you
are only changing the text, and not the story. You are looking for the best way to
convey the information, the right amount of description, the right dialogue vs.
internalization balance, and all the technical aspects that make up good writing.
While rewriting is more substantial, because the story itself is changing. The
previous draft did not work, and you have multiple plots, subplots, or character
arcs that just did not do what you expected them to.
3. Which one is easier to create, rewriting and revising? Explain you answer.
For me, rewriting is easier because you are only making your text clearer
to the reader to convey what you ought to be, to unfolds the story as you want it,
and while you might shift a few things around or even delete entire chapters, you
are basically taking what is there and making it better.

30 | P a g e
ENGLISH 25 – INTRODUCTION TO STYLISTICS

---------------------------------------------- END OF MODULE--------------------------------------------

31 | P a g e