Stylistic Grammar 1 Points for discussion n

Stylistic Grammar 1

Points for discussion: n n The theory of grammatical gradation. Marked, semi-marked and unmarked structures. Grammatical metaphor and types of grammatical transposition. Morphological stylistics. Stylistic potential of the parts of speech. Stylistic syntax. 2

Grammatical gradation Grammatical structures marked structures (grammatically correct structures) semi-marked structures (structures marked by the deviation from lexical or grammatical valency) unmarked structures (grammatically incorrect structures) 3

Types of denotative grammatical meanings n n n reflects relations of objects in outside reality such as singularity and plurality. denotes the relation of the speaker to the first type of denotation, expressed by such categories as modality, voice, definiteness and indefiniteness. has no reference to the extra-linguistic reality, this is an intralinguistic denotation, conveying relations among linguistic units proper, e. g. the formation of past tense forms of regular and irregular verbs. 4

Grammatical metaphor is a transposition (transfer) of a grammatical form from one type of grammatical relation to another 5

Types of grammatical transposition n the transposition of a certain grammar form into a new syntactical distribution with the resulting effect of contrast the transposition involving both — the lexical and grammatical meanings the transposition of classifying grammatical meanings, that brings together situationally incompatible forms 6

The noun and its stylistic potential n n n The category of number: The clamour of waters, snows, winds, rains. . . ; There were numerous Aunt Millies …; The category of gender: England's mastery of the seas, too, was growing even greater. Last year her trading rivals the Dutch had pushed out of several colonies. The category of case: Love's first snowdrop Virgin kiss! 7

The article and its stylistic potential n n n the indefinite article used with a proper name: A Forsyte is not an uncommon animal the definite article used with a proper name: You are not the Andrew Manson I married the definite article as an intensifier of the epithet: I was pointed out for the rest of my visit as the mad Englishman n zero article before a common noun: They went as though car and driver were one indivisible whole 8

The stylistic power of the pronoun n Ø Ø Ø personal pronouns: the plural of majesty: And for that offence immediately do we exile him hence. the plural of modesty: Are we pining in secret? Tell me all, and let me console you. an expressive address: Get out of my house, you fool, you idiot, you stupid old Briggs. a generalizing meaning: All the people like us are we, and everyone else is they. the effect of estrangement: I do not want to write; I want to live. What does she mean by that? It's hard to say. 9

The stylistic power of the pronoun n Ø Ø § possessive pronouns: loaded with evaluative connotations: Your precious Charles or Frank or your stupid Ashley devoid of any grammatical meaning of possession: Well, you tell that Herman of yours to mind his own business demonstrative pronouns: That wonderful girl! That beauty! It was Robert Ackly, this guy, that roomed right next to me. 10

The adjective and its stylistic functions n relative adjectives used in a comparative or superlative degree: Mrs. Thompson, Old Man Fellow's housekeeper, had found him deader than a doornail. n n the transposition of other parts of speech into the adjective: dirty-jeaned drabness the use of comparative or superlative forms with other parts of speech: He was the most married man I've ever met n an adjective gets substantivized and acquires the qualities of a noun: The impossible had happened 11

The verb and its stylistic properties n n the use of 'historical present' shades of modality the Imperative form and the Present Indefinite referred to the future: Edward, let there be an end of this. I go home the emphatic use of shall/will : The prizes shall stand among the bank of flowers. I will be told. 12

The verb and its stylistic properties n Ø Ø continuous forms: conviction, determination, persistence: Well, she's never coming here again, I tell you that straight; impatience, irritation: —/ didn't mean to hurt you. -You did. You're doing nothing else; surprise, indignation, disapproval: Women kill me. They are always leaving their goddamn bags out in the middle of the aisle. verbs of physical and mental perception: Why, you must be the famous Captain Butler we have been hearing so much about. 13

The verb and its stylistic properties n the use of non-finite forms of the verb (the infinitive, participle I) in place of the personal forms: Expect Leo to propose to her! n the passive voice of the verb: . . . he is a long -time citizen and to be trusted. . . n the use of the auxiliary do in affirmative sentences: Then I do look at her and see that all the colour has left her face. 14

Affixation and its expressiveness n suffix -ian/-ean: the pre-Tolstoyan novel n n suffix –ish: baldish, dullish, biggish suffixes of the negative evaluation: -ard, -ster, -aster, -eer or half-affix monger: drunkard, scandal-monger, black-marketeer, mobster 15

Stylistic syntax The major principles at work on the sentence level are n n The omission or absence of one or more parts of the sentence (ellipsis): one- member nominal sentences; break-in-the narrative; aposiopesis; decomposition Repetition of some parts: anaphora, framing, anadiplosis, epiphora The inverted word order (inversion). The interaction of adjacent sentences: parallel constructions, climax, anticlimax. 16