Structural and linguistic features of functional styles

Each style has a set of distinctive characteristics that make it recognizable even from the first glance.

First of all they are manifested in structure. Compositional structure of documentary text is greatly conventional, it includes coded graphical layout, clear-cut sub­division of texts into units of information; logical arrangement of these units, order-of-priority organisation of content and informa­tion. Some genres, ex. business letters are strictly organized. The principal parts that make up the business letter are: the heading, date line, inside address, salutation, body, complimentary closing, and signature line. In addition to these basic components, there are several other elements that may be added to the letter, depending upon its content: an attention line, a subject line, identification initials, an enclosure notation, and a carbon copy notation. The attention line follows the inside address and gets the letter to a specific person or department. A subject line, announcing the purpose of the letter, precedes the salutation. The identification initials, which are often not included, follow the signature line, with the initials of the writer preceding those of the typist. Any material enclosed with the letter is indicated by typing “Enclosure(s),” followed by the number of such enclosures in parentheses. This line immediately follows the line of identification initials. The carbon copy notation, indicating to whom additional copies of the letter have been sent, is typed below the enclosure line. There may also be a special notation such as “CONFIDENTIAL” (always capitalized) on the envelope.

Scientific style also has definite features. Compositional features vary in different types and genres: mono­graph, article, presentation, thesis, dissertation, etc. In scientific proper and technical texts e.g. mathematics: highly formalised text with the prevalence of formulae, tables, diagrams supplied with concise commentary phrases. In humanitarian texts (history, philosophy) we can see descriptive narration, supplied with argumentation and interpretation, sequential presentation of material and facts. Typical feature is the extensive use of citation, references and footnotes, use of digressions to debate or support a certain point. Definite structural arrangement is organised in a hierarchical order: introduction, chapters, paragraphs, and conclusion.

Publicistic style demonstrates careful subdivision into paragraphs, clearly defined position of the sections of an article: the most important information is carried in the opening paragraph; often in the first sentence.

Vocabulary is one of the most notable features of a certain style. In publicistic style it is carefully selected and characterized by variety of topics, wide use of quotations, direct speech and represented speech, newspaper cliches and set phrases, terminological variety, abbreviations and acronyms, numerous proper names, toponyms, anthroponyms, names of enter­prises, institutions, international words, dates and figures, abstract notion words, elevated and bookish words. In headlines: frequent use of pun, violated phraseology, vivid stylistic devices. In oratory speech: words of elevated and bookish character, colloquial words and phrases, frequent use of such stylistic devices as metaphor, alliteration, allusion, irony, etc.

Vocabulary of documentary style is stylistically neutral and bookish. Terminology of a certain sphere can be present. Proper names (names of enterprises, companies, etc.) and titles are carefully reproduced. Phraseology gives rise to specific documentary vocabulary: cliches, opening and conclusive phrases. Words are used in their primary denotative meaning.

Scientific vocabulary contain specific functionally loaded linguistic units: connective phrases and words to sustain coherence and logic (consequently, on the contrary, likewise), extensive use of double conjunctions (as... as, either... or, both... and). Terms are numerous. Also we can notice extensive use of bookish words. Words are used in their primary dictionary meaning, usually non-connotative.

Grammatical organisation can be observed as a feature of a definite style. In newspaper we can see frequent use of non-finite verb forms, preferable use of non-perfect verb forms, omission of articles, link verbs, auxiliaries, pronouns, especially in headlines and news items.

Syntactical features can be seen in impersonal sentences, elliptical constructions, interrogative sentences, infinitive complexes and attributive groups in headlines,

Grammatical features of scientific style are traditional: restricted use of finite verb forms, use of 'the author's we' instead of I, frequent use of impersonal constructions. Sentences have an organising function and are usually devided into postulatory (at the be­ginning), argumentative (in the central part), fonnulative (in the conclusion). Usually we can see direct word order, complicated sentences with subordinate clauses, a lot of participial, gerundial and infinitive constructions, adverbial and prepositional phrases. Parenthesis is widely used. Nominal constructions prevail over the verbal ones to avoid time reference for the sake of generalisation.

In documentary style there is an accurate use of punctuation, adherence to the norm, sometimes outdated or even archaic, e. g. in legal documents. Business texts are based on simplified normative syntax reasonably.

Phonetic features can be observed only in those genres that belong to oral speech: for example in oratory we can see standard pronunciation, wide use of prosody as a means of conveying the subtle shades of meaning, overtones and emotions, phonetic compression.

 Make practical stylistic tasks

What styles are imitated in these extracts of literary text? What features of certain functional styles are used for imitation?

1.

. "What is it? Can't you trace the fault?"

He looked at me thoughtfully. "There is no fault."

I failed to understand. "You mean it's repaired?"

"No. There never was any fault."

"Well, that's cheering. What went wrong then?"

"That's what bothers me. Nothing went wrong."

"No? In that case, you know how deep this thing is?"

"Yes. It's as deep as the gauge showed, Two miles"

2.

Neither was it inevitable that we should lose the mole. Its electronically fortified metal would withstand a temperature of two thousand degrees; its makers had assumed that it might en­counter veins of volcanic lava. The strength of its shell was enormous; the makers guaranteed that it could stand a pressure of two and a half tons to the square inch. But if it reached the blocks at a depth of two miles, it would be supporting about twice that weight, or very nearly. Besides, its transmitting equipment might not stand the temperature. And then there was always the possibil­ity that it might pass beyond the range of the remote control, or sustain damage to its receiver.

3.

Before I had finished talking to the New York Times man, three more helicopters appeared. More journalists. By four o'clock, Reich had been persuaded to emerge from his tent, and was demonstrating the mechanism of the probe — with a bad grace. By six o'clock, we were both hoarse and weary. We escaped back to the hotel in Kadiri, and managed to eat a quiet supper. The manager had been told to refuse all telephone calls. But at nine o'clock, Fuad got through to us. He was waving a copy of the New York Times. The whole front page was devoted to the story of the "World's Biggest Discovery Ever". I was quoted as endorsing the theory that we had discov­ered the city of a race of giants. 1 was made to hint that these giants had also been magicians who had raised their thousand ton building blocks by some strange art that has now been forgotten. A well known colleague of mine gave his opinion that the pyramids of Egypt 'and ancient Peru could never have been built by any known method of engineering, and that this new discovery would surely prove it beyond all doubt. On the inside page of the newspaper, a popular writer on archaeology contributed an article called "The Giants of Atlantis"

4.

"Our aim today is to warn the people of the earth about a greater menace than they have ever faced. This planet is at present being watched by an enormous number of alien intelligences, whose aim is either to destroy the human race or to en-slave it.

But in recent weeks we have become convinced that we are facing something far more dan­gerous than a curse. It is our conviction that we have disturbed the sleep of forces that once domi­nated the earth, and who are determined to dominate it again. These forces are more dangerous than any yet known to the human race because they are invisible, and are capable of attacking the human mind directly. They are able to destroy the sanity of any individual they attack, and to cause suicide. They are also capable of enslaving certain individuals and of using them for their own purposes.

"At the same time, it is our belief that the human race has no cause for panic. Their numbers are small compared to ours, and we have been forewarned. The struggle may be hard, but I think that there is every chance that we shall win. A.I.U. organized a fast rocket to take us to Base 91, and we were there within an hour. Our arrival was announced on television the same afternoon. The President made a personal appear­ance to explain his reasons for allowing us into Base 91 (which was the United States' maximum security area—-a joke said it was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to get into Base 91). He said that our safety was a matter of world importance, and that any attempt by reporters to contact us would be treated as a breach of security regulations, and dealt with as such. This certainly solved one of our major problems; from that time onward, we could move about, without being followed by a dozen helicopters.

 Make practical stylistic tasks

Read 4 examples of a functional styles and summarise their features to the plan

1. In 5 sentences describe the main function of a certain functional style, author-reader-reality-text relations.

2. Determine the text substyle, genre.

3. In 10-20 sentences describe the formal structure of the text.

4. In 5 sentences summarize content structure.

• for a publicistic text as a plan;

• for a scientific text as a set of arguments;

• for a literary text as a composition;

• for a documentary text as a description of formal relations and participants.

5. Enumerate 5-8 typical linguistic phenomena of a certain style, exemplify them from the text.

publicistic text