METHODS IN

STYLISTIC ANALYSIS
(MEETING 2)

DR. NURHAYATI
CONTENT OF THE LESSON
 Linguistic Domain in Stylistic Analysis

 Methods in Stylistic Analysis

 The Concept of Context in Stylistic Analysis

 Example of Stylistic Analysis

 To investigate the phenomenon
of style in a text

STYLISTICS
AIMS OF To explore language, and, ANALYSIS COVERS
STYLISTICS more specifically, to explore ANY UNIT OF
creativity in language use LANGUAGE FROM
SOUND, GRAPH, TO
THE LARGEST
TEXT

To investigate the phenomenon

of language used in unusual
environment and with
unexpected meanings
Levels of
language

Phonetics &
Phonology
Methods in Stylistic Analysis
 The method of Semantico-stylistic analysis:
Defining correlation between language properties and content of information
Identifying stylistic effects through comparing with other language means from a set of
synonymous units

 The method of stylistic experiment : substituting the writer‘s words, utterances or constructions for new
ones

 The quantitative method: defining the quantitative properties of a language phenomenon for distinguishing
peculiarities and regularities of language units
 STEPS IN DOING STYLISTIC ANALYSIS

IDENTIFYING RELATING EXPLAINING

WITH

The meaning of the text

Irregularities Linguistic context
The motive of using style
Deviation Situational context
Stylistic effects
Neologism Social context
Elements of literariness
Awkward words Historical context
 DEFINITION OF CONTEXT
1. Context is situation in which we find ourselves, the actual circumstances of time
and place, the here and now of the home, the school, the work place, ect.

“The chalk is over there”

2. Context is the features on the situation that are taken as relevant,

not an external set of circumstances but a selection of them internally
represented in the mind.
“ Over there? Where do you mean?”

3. Context is a psychological construct, a conceptual representation of

a state of affairs. It may be constructed directly from immediate concrete
situation, and it can be entirely independent of ssuch situational factors.
 TYPES OF CONTEXT
LINGUISTIC CONTEXT

 Refers to the linguistic environment such as the words and sentences that surround any part
of a discourse and that help to determine its meaning
 Microcontext is the context of a single utterance (sentence)
 Macrocontext is the context of a paragraph in a text
 Megacontext is the context of a book chapter, a story or the whole book
 TYPES OF CONTEXT
A SITUATIONAL CONTEXT

 Is formed by extralingual conditions in which communication takes place

 Can be physical or abstract and can significantly affect the communication.
 TYPES OF CONTEXT
SOCIAL CONTEXT HISTORICAL CONTEXT

 politeness,
 shared beliefs,
 cultural features,
The information about the period, the place,
and the events that. created, influenced, or
formed the backdrop to the historic. resources.

 social organization
In writing, historical context includes the social,
 etc. economic, cultural, and political influences that shape
your primary sources.
SAMPLE ANALYSIS

Little I ask; my wants are few;

I only wish a hut of stone,
(A very plain brown stone will do,)
That I may call my own;—
And close at hand is such a one,
In yonder street that fronts the sun.

the first stanza Oliver Wendell Holmes’ poem titled “Contentment”

SAMPLE ANALYSIS
THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon
insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose,
however, that gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point
definitely, settled --but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of
risk. I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution
overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as
such to him who has done the wrong.

The opening sentences of Edgar Alan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado