Approaches to style Approaches to style in literature and rhetoric studies in literature and rhetoric studies Maarten van Leeuwen & Suzanne de Werd Maarten van Leeuwen & Suzanne de Werd PhD- -students Stylistics of Dutch students Stylistics of Dutch PhD stilistiek@let.leidenuniv.nl stilistiek@let.leidenuniv.nl
I ntroduction I ntroduction � Introduction Introduction � � Stylistics in Dutch literary studies Stylistics in Dutch literary studies � (Suzanne) (Suzanne) � Stylistics in rhetorical analysis of Stylistics in rhetorical analysis of � speeches (Maarten) speeches (Maarten) � Conclusion / discussion Conclusion / discussion �
Style in Dutch literary Style in Dutch literary studies studies � Why does stylistic research of literary Why does stylistic research of literary � texts occupy such a marginal position texts occupy such a marginal position in Netherlandic Netherlandic studies? studies? in
What I s Stylistics and Why What I s Stylistics and Why Are They Saying Such Are They Saying Such Terrible Things About I t? Terrible Things About I t? - Prof. Stanley Fish (UC Berkeley, 1972) Prof. Stanley Fish (UC Berkeley, 1972) -
‘Terrible Things Terrible Things’ ’ ‘ Structuralism Structuralism 1. 1. Personality Personality 2. 2. Deviance Deviance 3. 3. Poetry Poetry 4. 4. Methodology Methodology 5. 5. Generative linguistics Generative linguistics 6. 6.
1. Structuralism 1. Structuralism � Structure versus style Structure versus style � � Merlyn Merlyn (1963 (1963- -1967) 1967) � � A.L. A.L. S Sö ötemann temann: : De De structuur structuur van Max van Max � Havelaar (1966) (1966) Havelaar � W. Blok: W. Blok: Verhaal Verhaal en en lezer lezer (1960) (1960) � � Frank Frank Maatje Maatje: : Literatuurwetenschap Literatuurwetenschap � (1970) (1970)
1. 1 1 Structuralism Structuralism 1. � Structure: Structure: “ “The way in which in a The way in which in a � literary work a world is created by literary work a world is created by means of words.” ” means of words. “Structuur Structuur is de is de manier manier waarop waarop in in een een “ literair werk werk een een wereld wereld wordt wordt opgebouwd opgebouwd literair door middel middel van van woorden woorden. . ” ” door (Maatje Maatje 1970, p. 115.) 1970, p. 115.) (
1. 2 2 Structuralism Structuralism 1. � “ “Style is, foremost, the special relation Style is, foremost, the special relation � between somebody’ ’s use of speech on s use of speech on between somebody the one hand, and the supra- -individual individual the one hand, and the supra language which he uses on the other language which he uses on the other hand, and this insofar as that relation hand, and this insofar as that relation specifies something about his specifies something about his personality, is ‘ ‘characteristic characteristic’ ’ for him. for him.” ” personality, is (Maatje Maatje 1970, p. 59.) 1970, p. 59.) (
1. 3 3 Structuralism Structuralism 1. � Style vs. structure Style vs. structure � � An author or oeuvre has a style An author or oeuvre has a style � � A particular novel has a structure A particular novel has a structure � � No systematic linguistic approach No systematic linguistic approach �
2. Personality 2. Personality � Style vs. psychology Style vs. psychology � � Historical origin Historical origin � � An author has style, a literary work An author has style, a literary work � has ‘ ‘structure structure’ ’ has
3. Deviance 3. Deviance � Deviance vs. choice Deviance vs. choice � � Ordinary vs. Ordinary vs. ‘ ‘literary literary’ ’ language use language use �
4. Poetry 4. Poetry � Poetry vs. prose Poetry vs. prose � � Focus on Focus on foregrounded foregrounded elements elements � � Historical origin Historical origin �
5. Methodology 5. Methodology � Deviance vs. norm Deviance vs. norm � � Prof. G.S. Prof. G.S. Overdiep Overdiep (1885 (1885- -1944) 1944) � � ‘ ‘Standard language use Standard language use’ ’ as norm as norm �
6. Generative linguistics 6. Generative linguistics � Language Language- -in in- -use vs. the language use vs. the language � system system � Linguistics vs. literature studies Linguistics vs. literature studies �
Conclusion Conclusion � Stylistics in Dutch Literature Studies Stylistics in Dutch Literature Studies � � Style vs. structure Style vs. structure � � NWO project Stylistics of Dutch NWO project Stylistics of Dutch � � Micro Micro- -level and macro level and macro- -level level �
The style of speeches The style of speeches
Ada Boerma vs. Thom de Graaf ‘De burgemeester drukt ‘De burgemeester drukt � � niet in zijn eentje een niet in zijn eentje een stempel op de gemeente. stempel op de gemeente. De politieke besluitvorming De politieke besluitvorming is in eerste en laatste is in eerste en laatste instantie aan de raad en instantie aan de raad en aan het college. (…) De aan het college. (…) De burgemeester heeft burgemeester heeft natuurlijk eigen taken, maar natuurlijk eigen taken, maar is niet een eerste en niet is niet een eerste en niet een vijfde wethouder. Ik een zevende wethouder. Ik ambieer die rol ook niet.’ ambieer die rol ook niet.’
Purpose of the project Purpose of the project � A consistent method for critically A consistent method for critically � evaluating the effectiveness of the evaluating the effectiveness of the style of speeches style of speeches � Micro Micro- -level vs. macro level vs. macro- -level level �
1. Focus on literary texts 1. Focus on literary texts � Fowler (1986): Fowler (1986): � Linguistic Criticism is an introduction to the critical is an introduction to the critical Linguistic Criticism study of discourse; the chief emphasis is on those study of discourse; the chief emphasis is on those works of language hailed as ‘ ‘literary literary’ ’, but I have , but I have works of language hailed as tried to make it clear that all texts merit this sort of tried to make it clear that all texts merit this sort of analysis (… …). ).’ ’ (Fowler 1986: preface) analysis ( (Fowler 1986: preface) � Verdonk Verdonk (1995) (1995) �
2. Analyses of speeches 2. Analyses of speeches � ‘ ‘American tradition American tradition’ ’ � � Cheng (2006) Cheng (2006) � � De Jong & De Jong & Andeweg Andeweg et al. et al. (2004, 2005) (2004, 2005) �
2. 1 2. 1 I nteresting observations I nteresting observations… … � Cheng (2006) analyses how Chen Cheng (2006) analyses how Chen � Shui- -bian bian uses uses ‘ ‘language rhetoric language rhetoric’ ’ to to… … Shui � … … defuse dangerously tense relations with China; defuse dangerously tense relations with China; � � … … repair crucial relations with the US government; repair crucial relations with the US government; � � … … gain public support in the country. gain public support in the country. � (Cheng 2006: 584) (Cheng 2006: 584)
2. 1 2. 1 I nteresting observations I nteresting observations… … � Identification strategies: use of Identification strategies: use of we we � � Key tokens of reference Key tokens of reference � � Classical rhetorical figures Classical rhetorical figures �
2. 2 2 … … but not systematic but not systematic 2. � ‘ ‘Random Random’ ’ choice of linguistic elements choice of linguistic elements � � Other relevant stylistic devices? Other relevant stylistic devices? � � Trosborg Trosborg (2000) (2000) �
3 .1 .1 No explicit method No explicit method 3 � Consistency: how can we analyze Consistency: how can we analyze � other speeches? other speeches? � Relatively few attempts to change this Relatively few attempts to change this � situation situation � Netherlandic Netherlandic studies: Antoine studies: Antoine Braet Braet �
3 .1 .1 No explicit method No explicit method 3 � Braet Braet: : “ “What we want to know, is how a certain What we want to know, is how a certain � figure of speech affects or can affect the audience.” ” figure of speech affects or can affect the audience. � ( (“ “Wat Wat we we willen willen weten weten , is , is welk welk effect op effect op het het � publiek een een bepaalde bepaalde stijlfiguur stijlfiguur heeft heeft of of kan kan publiek hebben. .” ” ) ) hebben (Braet Braet 2007: 120) 2007: 120) (
3 .2 Unsatisfying methods 3 .2 Unsatisfying methods � Braet Braet (2007): 49 classical rhetorical (2007): 49 classical rhetorical � figures… … figures � … … related to the different related to the different ‘ ‘functions of functions of � language’… ’… language � … … and the different constitutive factors in a and the different constitutive factors in a � speech event speech event ( addresser, message, addressee, context, code) ( addresser, message, addressee, context, code)
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