Stylistics: all terms

Stylistics

the branch of linguistics that studies how language is used for expressive purposes and how meaning, emotion, and evaluation are created through linguistic choices.

Stylistics of Language

studies expressive means that exist in the language system itself, regardless of context.

Stylistics of Speech

studies how expressive means are used in real texts and concrete situations.

Lingua-stylistics

studies stylistic phenomena strictly from the linguistic point of view (sounds, words, grammar).

Literary Stylistics

studies stylistic devices in literary texts and their artistic effect.

Stylistics of Encoding

studies how the author creates meaning and expressiveness.

Stylistics of Decoding

studies how the reader understands and interprets stylistic devices.

Practical Stylistics

teaches correct and appropriate language use in different situations and styles.

Discourse Stylistics

studies stylistic features of texts in communication (media, politics, advertising).

Official Style

is used in documents, laws, instructions; it is precise, impersonal, and standardized.

Scientific Style

is used to present knowledge logically and objectively.

Newspaper Style

informs and influences readers using clarity and expressiveness.

Publicist Style

aims to persuade and influence public opinion.

Belles-lettres Style

is the language of fiction, emotional and imaginative.

Register

is a variety of language used in a particular situation.

Bookish language

is formal, literary, and rarely used in everyday speech.

Colloquial language

is informal, conversational speech.

Graphon

is intentional distortion of spelling to show pronunciation or emotion. ("Whatcha doin'?")

Neutral words

have no stylistic colouring, can be used in any situation.

Terms

are words with precise meanings in science or profession.

Historical words

name objects that no longer exist, and have no synonyms.

Archaisms proper

are old words that have modern synonyms. Example: Thou (= you).

Poetic words

are elevated, literary words used in poetry. Example: Billow (= wave).

Slang

is informal vocabulary used by social groups. Example: Cool, chill.

Jargonisms

are words used by professional or social groups. Example: Bug (programming error).

Vulgarisms

are rude or obscene words.

Dialectal words

belong to regional varieties. Example: Lass (Scottish).

Neologisms

are newly created words.

Stylistic coinages

are newly created expressive words.

Nonce-words

are words created for one occasion. Example: He was totally unfunnyfied.

Imagery

creates mental pictures through language.

Transferred meaning

is meaning based on comparison or association. Example: Cold look.

A trope

is a stylistic device based on transferred meaning.

Expressiveness

is the ability of language to intensify meaning. Example: Absolutely amazing.

Emotiveness

expresses emotions. Example: How wonderful!

Evaluation

shows approval or disapproval. Example: slim is positive, skinny is negative, and thin is neutral.

Expressive means

are language units with inherent expressiveness.

Stylistic devices

are intentional expressive patterns. Example: Metaphor, irony.

A figure

is a stylistic form based on structural change.

Figures of Substitution

One element replaces another. Example: Metonymy.

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration. Example: I waited for ages.

Meiosis

Deliberate understatement. Example: Just a scratch.

Litotes

Understatement using negation. Example: Not bad.

Metonymy

Naming by association. Example: The crown decided. The White House decided.

Synecdoche

Part for whole or whole for part. Example: All hands on deck.

Periphrasis

Descriptive naming. Example: The king of beasts.

Euphemism

Replacement of harsh word. Example: Passed away.

Metaphor

Hidden comparison. Example: Time is a thief.

Antonomasia

Proper name becomes common noun. Example: A real Romeo.

Personification

Human traits to non-humans. Example: The wind cried.

Allegory

Extended metaphor. Example: Animal Farm.

Irony

Opposite meaning. Example: Nice weather! (storm)

Simile

Explicit comparison. Example: As cold as ice.

Quasi-identity

Near equation. Example: He was a lion.

Replacers

Synonymous substitutions. Example: The old man → the elderly gentleman.

Specifiers

Details that clarify meaning. Example: That man — tall and silent.

Climax (Gradation)

Increasing intensity. Example: Whispered, spoke, shouted.

Anti-climax (Bathos)

Sudden drop. Example: Lost his job — and his pen.

Pun

Wordplay. Example: Hard to beat.

Zeugma

One word for incompatible objects. Example: Lost keys and temper.

Tautology

Unnecessary repetition. Example: Free gift.

Oxymoron

Contradictory words on a phrase level. Example: Deafening silence.

Antithesis

Opposition in parallel form. Example: Many are called, few chosen.

Euphony

Pleasant sound combination. Example: Flowing vowels.

Cacophony

Harsh sound combination. Example: Repeated k, t sounds.

Onomatopoeia

Sound imitation. Example: Buzz.

Assonance

Vowel repetition. Example: Deep green sea.

Consonance

Consonant repetition. Example: Blank and think.

Alliteration

Initial consonant repetition. Example: Wild winds.

Paronomasia

Similar-sounding words. Example: Wise words.

Rhythm

Regular stress pattern. Example: Poetry beats.

Metre

Fixed rhythmic pattern. Example: Iambic pentameter.

Poetic Line

One line of verse. Example: A single poetry line.

Poetic Foot

Basic rhythmic unit. Example: Iamb (× /).

Enjambment

Sentence continues to next line. Example: I saw the light / That never fades.

Stanza

Group of lines.

Blank Verse

Meter without rhyme.

Free Verse

No fixed rhythm or rhyme.

Accented Verse

Stress-based rhythm.

Poetic Prose

Prose with poetic features.

Rhyme

Similar ending sounds. Example: Night

Elliptical Sentence

Missing elements. Example: Coming?

Aposiopesis

Broken sentence. Example: If you do that, I'll…

Nominative Sentence

Only noun. Example: Night.

Missing Auxiliary

Auxiliary omitted. Example: You seen her?

Asyndeton

No conjunctions. Example: Came, saw, won.

Apokoiny Construction

One word for two clauses. Example: There was a man stood there.

Repetition

Repeated words. Example: Never, never.

Anaphora

Repetition at beginning. Example: He wanted peace. He wanted truth.

Epiphora

Repetition at end. Example: In the room.

Anadiplosis

End → beginning repetition. Example: Fear leads to anger.

Chain Repetition

Multiple anadiploses. Example: Fear → panic → madness.

Framing (Ring Repetition)

Beginning = end. Example: Hope… hope.

Polysyndeton

Many conjunctions. Example: And laughed and cried.

Prolepsis

Noun + pronoun. Example: That man, he knows.

Stylistic Inversion

Unusual word order. Example: Gone are the days.

Detachment

Separated sentence part. Example: Tired and angry, she left.

Parenthesis

Inserted comment. Example: (to my surprise)

Parallelism

Similar structure. Example: She wanted peace, she wanted freedom.

Parcellation

Split sentence. Example: She was alone. Afraid.