The style of news media (print journalism).

Stylistics and its objectives. The definition of style. Subdivisions of stylistics.

The scope of problems and the object of stylistic study go as far back as ancient schools of rhetoric and poetics. STYis a branch of linguistics, which studies the principles, and the effect of choice and usage of different language elements in rendering thought and emotion under different conditions of communication.

I.R.Galperin asserts that stуlistiсs, sometimes called
linguastylistics, is a branch of general linguistics that mainly deals with two interdependent objectives:

- the investigation of the special language media(SD’s and EM’s); which secure the desirable effect of the utterance, and

- the investigation of certain types of texts (FS’s) which are distinguished by the pragmatic aspect of communication.

Subdivisions:Literary & linguastylistics. Stylistic analyses includes all lang. levels: phonetic, lexical, gram.

The subdivision of linguostylistics is based on the level-forming approach:sounds, words, phrases and sentences, paragraphs and texts are studied from the point of view of their expressive capacities, or stylistic function. Нere belong:

• Lexical stylistics (stylistic lexicology).

• Phonostylistics (stylistic phonetics).

• Grammatical stylistics. (Morphological stylistics, Syntactical stylistics)

• Functional stylistics (the theory of functional styles).

• Text stylistics is one more branch of stylistic research.

The notion of style.

Stylistics, as the term implies, deals with styles.

The word style is derived from the Latin word ‘stilus’ (‘stylus’) or Greek ‘stylos’ which meant a short stick used by the Romans for writing on wax tablets. Later it was associated with the manner of writing. Today it can be applied in any activity which can be performed in more than one way (manner), verbal communication including.

Style is frequently regarded as something that belongs exclusively to the plane of expression and not to the plane of content because one and the same idea can be expressed in different ways.

T.A. Znamenskaya believes that the existent definitions of the notion ‘style’ intersect with 3 meanings: 1.A variety of the national language traditionally used in diff. spheres of life that is characterized by particular linguistic features (vocab, gram and pronunc., the degree of formality - social, occupational and regional varieties). 2. A generally accepted linguistic identity of oral and written units of speech.

3. An individual manner of expression

Style is also understood as a technique of expression, i.e.the ability to write clearly, correctly and in a manner calculated to interest the reader. Style in this sense deals with the normalized forms of the language.

The generic term ‘style’ is often identified with the individual style of an author, or the authorial style.I.R. Galperin believes that this is only one of the applications of the term ‘style’.

Style is frequently treated as the embellishment of language when the style is imposed on language for artistic effect.

The problem of classification of functional styles.

 Speaking of FS, I.V. Arnold suggested a classification of FS according the basic ling-c function they fulfill. She started w/a kind of abstract notion termed neutral style. It has no distinctive features and its func-n is to provide a standard background for the other styles. The other – 'real' styles can be broadly divided into two groups: 1.Colloquial styles: literary colloquial; familiar colloquial; low colloquial. 2.Literary bookish styles: a) scientific ; b) official documents; c) publicist (newspaper); d) oratorical; e) poetic (lofty-poetical). The func-n of colloquial styles is intercourse; of scientific prose and official doc-s – information; publicist, oratorical and poetic – influence. I.R. Galperin in his definition of a FS stresses the aim of communication. He distinguishes 5 substyles: 1.The belles-lettres style: a) poetry; b) emotive prose; c) the language of the drama. 2.The publicist style: a) oratory and speeches; b) the essay; c) articles. 3. The newspaper style: a) brief news items; b) headlines; c) advertisements and announcements; d) the editorial. 4. The scientific prose style: a) exact sciences; b) humanitarian sciences; c) popular science prose.

5.The style of official documents:a) business documents; b) legal documents; c) the lng of diplomacy; d) military doc-s. Y.M. Skrebnevuses the term sublngs in the mng that is usu. attributed to FS. According to him, style is a specificity of sublng,andany sublng has

a) absolutely specific ling-c items that belong to one sublng only (and actually make it), e.g. metre in poetry; b) relatively specific ling.items – applicable in several sublngs, e.g. the use of neologisms in scientific prose and newspapers; and c) non-specific ling-citems – common to all sublng. He maintains that the number of sublngs and their styles is infinite. Y.M. Skrebnev rejects the idea of the complete classification of styles and believes that ‘there are as many sublngs with their styles as you choose’ (including idiolects).The scholar recognizes only the two major varieties of lng use – formal and informal. V.L. Naer’sclassification includesseven styles: official documents, scientific papers, professional-technical, newspaper, publicist, belles-lettres, religious texts. One of his merits consists in the fact that he was the only one among Soviet scholars to recognize the religious variety.

The style of scientific prose

Here belong manuals, monographs, articles, presentations, theses, dissertations, etc. The aim of the scientific prose style is to prove a hypothesis, to create new concepts, development, relations between different phenomena, etc. Peculiarities:

1.The use of termsof Latin, Greek, Arabic origin (make a more direct reference to something).

Terms are w-ds denoting various scientifical & techn. objects, phenomena & processes. They are found in techn. texts.They are emotionally neutral. 2. The use of numerous neologismsfollowed by an explanation. 3. The extensive use of bookish wordsandwordsthat render abstract notions, e.g. nomenclature, algorithm. 4. The restricted use of expressive means and stylistic devices. Though emotiveness is not entirely excluded from scientific prose. There may be statements which are reinforced by some emotionally coloured words, interjections, expressive phraseology or a metaphor. 5. The use of a developed and varied set of connective phrasesand words. 6. The use of three major types of sentence patterns (postulatory, argumentative (in the central part), and formulative (in the conclusion). 7. The use of quotations and references to ground the idea. 8. The frequent use of parentheses(explanatory or qualifying remarks) introduced by brackets, commas or a dash. 9. The use of 'the author's we' instead of I. 10. The impersonalityis mainly revealed in the frequent use of passive constructions, it-sentences, non-finite verb forms, various generalizations and abstractions.

The style of news media (print journalism).

Some scholars discriminate between the newspaper style and the publicist style, some do not, uniting all the varieties of the journalistic sphere either under the term newspaper or publicist style, the mass media style, etc.

The core element of the print journalism is a news report. It is always an account of current news, something of timely importance, something burning and topical for the moment. The main goal is to inform. The headline is written in a telegraphic manner; it is critical, summarizing, always suggestive and drawing attention to a news story.

The function of the headline is complex: to inform, to arise interest in the potential reader and to catch his eye. Headlines may later be expanded by subheadlines.

One of the distinctive linguistic features of a news report is a special layout known as an inverted pyramid. It means the top down presentation of information that comes in a descending order of significance.

The lead gives or summarizes the answers to the following ‘5 ws and h: who? what? when? where? why?’ and the sequential ‘how?’ Language: - preference is given to standard phrases and clichés; - the vocabulary used is neutral and common literary; - done in the third person with the usage of passive forms. Grammatical parameters: - complex sentences with a developed system of clauses, - verbal constructions (inf, participial, gerundial), - verbal noun constructions, - syntactical complexes (esp. the nominative with the infinitive). These structures are largely used to avoid mentioning the source of information or to shun responsibility for the facts reported.

Essays are defined as short literary compositions that deal with the problem from an individual point of view. Essays fall into several varieties: -descriptive (making a picture of smb. or smth.), -narrative(telling a real story), -expository(based on argumentation), etc.

Argumentation, or logical reasoning, is conveyed by -clear paragraphing; -an ample use of quotations from authoritative sources and citations of the author’s opponents; -connectives establishing a causal link; -parentheses; -generalizations; -relevant statistical data; -illustrations; -vivid examples; - background history facts; -sound analogies and parallels; -accentuating the main points graphical means, etc.

Emotions:-the emotionally coloured lexicon; -the whole range of tropes and figures of speech; -historical, literary and biblical allusions, allusions to political and other facts of the day; -such phonological means as alliteration and rhythm; etc.

On the pages of a newspaper or a magazine one also finds crossword puzzles, chess problems, comic strips, horoscopes, letters to the editor. Some of them publish poems, stories and novels (one installment per issue), etc.

The style of advertising

The style of advertising is represented by a huge variety of texts that can be classified into: informative advertising , advertorials and advertising notes. Informative advertising looks like a small article, but it may also consist of one line. It is carried out in an informative manner and is placed in mass media. Advertising note is a short piece of advertising, often without any title, but containing the company's logo and slogan. They do not usually include a direct offer to try a new product, but describe new sides of the product. In accordance with their leading function advertisements can be classified into shortcopiesandlongcopies.

Shortcopies, consisting of less than five sentences, are aimed at supporting the existing image of a product or a company. They usually come together with illustrations. Longcopies usually describe a wide range of characteristics of the new products.

Compositionally, texts of advertising may include: the title, the subtitle, the slogan, and the body.

The Title. The titles of advertisements are designed to grasp the maximum of the reader's attention. This effect has its roots in the mechanism of human perception: most people notice only the title. The main features of advertisement titles are the following: targeting at a certain audience; conveying the very essence of the announcement; making evident the usefulness of the object advertised, picturing a new aspect of a widely used product. To achieve a benefit-driven effect of the headline different "power words" are used, e.g. absolutely, approved, authentic, confidential, discount, easily, exclusive, fantastic, fast, guaranteed, immediately, important, improved, lasting, professional, sensational, simple, special, recommended, unique, etc.

The Subtitles. Subtitles can be presented in the form of a question, which stimulates the reader's interest and adds a provoking effect to the whole advertisement. It is in the subtitle where the nature of the offer, mentioned in the title, is made clear.

The Slogan. Slogans perform two functions: -state in a short but precise form the key idea of the company; emphasize the reliability of the company by serving as an old friend, who never changes no matter how much time has passed. Very often slogans come together with the company's logo - a name, symbol, or trademark designed for easy recognition, especially one borne on a single printing plate or piece of type.Logos together with slogans if used frequently result in creation of a brand -a trademark or a distinctive name identifying a product or a manufacturer.

The Body. The body of the advertisement represents the major information, though in many cases this information is only a further extension of the title, the subtitle or the slogan, having the same tone, the same spirit.

The effectiveness of advertisements is strongly enhanced due to the use of the numerous language means of all levels: lexical - synonyms and antonyms, emotionally coloured words, neologisms, which usually stand for the names of the new products, metaphors, metonymies, zeugmas and puns; syntactical - imperatives, detached constructions, parallel constructions, repetitions, antitheses, elliptical sentences, etc.; morphological - the extensive use of personal pronouns often used in the genitive case and possessive pronouns, as well as adjectives in the superlative degree of comparison, etc.; phonological - rhyme and rhythm, alliteration, assonance, etc.