Chapter 2 The Need for Stylistic Study
Review
● STYLE是使用语言的一种方式，它属于言语(parole)，而不属于语言(langue)。
● STYLE体现在语言运用的各个层面，体现在语音、书写、词汇、句法结构乃至语篇类型的选择上。
● 任何类型的语篇都具有特定的文体特征；任何一个语篇也都具有特定的文体特征。
● STYLE的涵义颇多，既可指“文体”，“语体”，也可指“风格”或“文风”。广义的文体学成为普通文体学或语体学，狭义的文体研究称作文学文体学。
● 不论是从事广义的文体研究，还是进行狭义的文体研究，我们都需要借助于相关学科的理论和知识、尤其是修辞学、语用学、余篇分析和文学批评领域的知识。
What is context?
Definition:
    Context refers to the conditions in which something exists or occurs. Linguistically, this is the part of a discourse surrounding a word or passage that helps make its meaning clear.
    语境是人们运用语言进行言语交际的言语环境。言语交际有成效的进行（即说话人恰当地表达话语的意义和听话人准确地理解话语意义）必须依赖言语环境。
Classifications:
Classification 1:
1)内部语境(lingual/ linguistic context)
Rules concerning the language itself such as grammar
2)外部语境(extra-lingual/non-linguistic context)
The speaker’s and the audience’s mood, age, position, occupation, cultural background, etc.
Classification 2:
1) 指语篇内部的上下文(co-text; linguistic context)
2) 指言语事件发生时的社会情境特征(socio-situational features)以及交际双方的社会历史文化和风俗习惯，乃至价值观念等。主要分为两类：一种与语言使用者有关；一种与语言使用者对语言的使用有关。
Examples 1:
    Sam committed theft and was caught red-handed by Mary. Sam offered Mary $2 000 to hush the matter up. But she turned it down.
Example 2:
      “一秀才买柴曰：‘荷薪者过来。’因‘过来’二字明白，（柴夫）担到前面。问曰：‘其价几何？’因‘价’字明白，（柴夫）说了价钱。秀才曰：‘外实而内虚，烟多而焰少，请损之。’买柴者不知说甚，荷薪去了。”
（《笑赞》赵南星（明））
Exercise 1: Fill in the following blanks with the right word based on the context.
1. The (preceding/proceeding) message was brought to us by General Motors.
2. The whole audience was (affected/infected) by her sad story and many burst into tears.
3. If you put too many potatoes in that bag, it will defendant(burst/crack).
4. I cannot (tolerate/suffer) any more of your nonsense.
5. I didn’t say anything like that at all. You are purposely (revising/distorting) my ideas to prove your point.
6. To survive in the intense trade competition between countries, we must (enhance/gear) the qualities and varieties of products we make to the world-market demand.
Exercise 2: Fill in the following blanks with the right word based on the context.
1. Mother Teresa is notorious for her work with the poor and sick in India.
2. Because he did not know either party, the arbitrator was able to take an uninterested view of the dispute.
3. The businessperson has upheld a reputation for deception and deceit.
4. Propaganda is very important for the success of this activity.
5. Premier Zhou is a very prominent politician.
言语交际的适合性是言语交际的 “灵魂”。任何言语交际活动，都是由特定的人在特定的场合、为特定的目的、围绕特定的题材、向特定的对象进行的。（Who Speaks What Language to Whom and When)
言语交际既受社会情境的制约，又受具体的交际环境的制约，因此语言在其行使社会交际工具这一职能的过程中，不能不产生各种变体。
Example 3:
Where’s the salt? I’d like some, please.
Would you pass me the salt, please?
Would you be so kind as to pass me the salt, please?
Example 4:
1) Out!
2) Run along, now.
3) Would you mind leaving the room a moment, please?
4) The audience is required to kindly leave the room for a few moments.
5) The management respectfully required the conferees to vacate the auditorium between sessions in order to facilitate the operations of the custodial staff.
The significance of learning English stylistics: (P.15-23)
Three processes of literary criticism: (P.18) description – interpretation – evaluation
Foregrounding: (P.18)
  e.g. a month ago (normal)
      a grief ago (abnormal)
      a joy ago (abnormal)
      a happiness ago (abnormal)
Exercises:
1 Appreciation of Henry Reed’s poem Naming of Parts
Biography of Henry Reed
Henry Reed was a British poet, translator, radio dramatist and journalist. He was born in Birmingham and educated at King Edward VI School, Aston, followed by the University of Birmingham. He went on to study for an MA and then worked as a teacher and journalist. He was called up to the Army in 1941, spending most of the war as a Japanese translator.
Reed’s most famous poem is Lessons of the War, a witty parody of British army basic training during World War II, which suffered from a lack of equipment at that time.
Comment:
This is a beautiful war poem in which the cruelty of war in the foreground comes in contrast with the beauty and fragility of nature in the background. It depicts while the nature is reviving and grolifying in spring, human being is thinking of nothing but killing and destructing life which is really shameful.