- •Lecture 5. Stylistic syntax of the english language Working definitions of principal concepts
- •Em based on the deliberate omission of some obligatory elements
- •In the sentence structure
- •Em based on the redundancy of the elements of the sentence
- •Em based on the violation of the traditional word-order and isolation of some parts of the sentence
- •Inversion
- •Syntactical stylistic devices sd based on the formal and semantic interactions of syntactical constructions of several neighbouring sentences
- •Sd based on the transposition of the meaning of the syntactical structure of the sentence model in a definite context
- •Sd based of the transposition of the meaning of connection between the components of the sentence or sentences
- •The usage of coordination instead of subordination and subordination instead of coordination
Sd based on the transposition of the meaning of the syntactical structure of the sentence model in a definite context
RHETORIC QUESTION – presents a negative or affirmative statement in the form of a question. The emphatic character of rhetoric question draws the attention of the reader even when the latter is not supposed to answer anything, when the possible answer is implied within the boundaries of the question itself.
e.g. Can anybody answer for all the grievances of the poor in this wicked world? (Ch. Dickens)
Rhetoric question is an indispensable element of the oratorical style, but it is not confined to it only, more and more penetrating into other styles. It is widely used in modern fiction for depicting the inner state of a character, his meditations and reflections.
Sd based of the transposition of the meaning of connection between the components of the sentence or sentences
PARCELLATION – is a deliberate break of the sentence structure into two or more isolated parts, separated by a pause. Parcellation is typical of the colloquial type of speech.
The stylistic functions of parcellation are:
1. It is used for specification of the idea of the basic part.
e.g. They would appear with soup. Thin and watery. (P. White. Riders).
2. It is used to characterize the emotional state of mind of the personages.
e.g. Then the pain began. Slow. Deliberate. Methodical. And professional. (H. Bobbins. The Betsy).
3. Parcellation may fulfill the descriptive function, depicting the conditions and the details of the events described.
e.g. My hubby has hung himself. In the bathroom.With the cord. (P. White. Riders).
The usage of coordination instead of subordination and subordination instead of coordination
Cf.: As the day was clear, we decided to climb the mountain.
The day was clear and we decided to climb the mountain.
The day was clear, we decided to climb the mountain.
The stylistic difference between these sentences is very slight but undoubtedly it does exist. It is the connection itself, but not the content of the sentence which is stylistically significant in this case.
The usage of coordination instead of subordination helps the author to show different aspects (planes) of narration.
e.g. He was more enthusiastic about America than ever, and he was not so simple, and he was not so nice. (E. Hemingway).
