Discourse Stylistics

   Discourse stylistics emerges as a significant field within linguistics during the 1980s. The term “discourse” originates from the French word “discours,” that is also utilized in English beside “discourse” . While often used interchangeably with “text,” the word  “discourse” encompasses a broader scope, including interaction, communication, and situational context. Initially, discourse primarily refers to “uttered language …. a continuous stretch of (especially spoken) language larger than a sentence” (Crystal, 1992, P. 25). The early stylisticians believe that a text accurately represents a “world” within a text. According to the interpretation of the “Whorfian hypothesis”, a person’s worldview is partly shaped by language, and a “linguistic” analysis  will expose this sense. However, contemporary thinking suggests that sense is the result of interpretive procedures. It is now understood that not every reader will necessarily share the same meanings, although a general agreement is similarly, as well as a significantly different analysis may indicate issues with the making or understanding of the text.  Yule (1983, P. ix) figures out that  reader’s understanding of a text will vary depending on their individual perspective; it cannot be assumed to have a single, unchanging meaning for all readers. As pragmatics considers language in use, beyond grammar and semantics, ‘stylistics’ has become progressively interested in utilizing its developments. Existing in a world of relatively changing senses; the reader’s part is that of an explainer rather than a passive hearer. In recent years, it has been widely accepted to claim that there is no clear method for distinguishing between literary and non-literary forms of communication. Both spoken and written language use the same linguistic tools. That is, figures of speech such as metaphor and simile are used in both spoken language and various types of piece of writing . Although private diaries may be directed only for the author, they are recited at a later time, leading to potential surprises for the author. Thus, an element of “decentering” is present in almost any written text, as it is usually addressed to a future or different self who may not have the same knowledge .

   Context is commonly defined as the immediate discourse and the circumstances of the participants involved. In a written work, the beginning serves as the initial orientation to the discourse, as there is no prior content preceding it. However, elements such as the title, appearance, author, and publisher of a book or magazine offer readers clues about the nature of the text, thereby providing some contextualization. The context in which discourse occurs is referred to as the “discourse world”, while the subject matter is known as the “text world”. It is the text itself that facilitates the activation of knowledge and establishes a shared understanding through negotiation among participants.Discourse stylistics has emerged as a distinct discipline that investigates how discourse is structured and deals with the messages it conveys, thereby facilitating stylistic interpretation and evaluation of texts. Halliday and  Hasan (1976, P. 8) explain that the analysis of cohesion is crucial in discourse stylistics as it reveals semantic and aesthetic connections. Given that earlier research in the 1960s and 1970s has overlooked stylistic elements of language, discourse stylistics proves particularly valuable. Consequently, it has become a common term used to describe the practice of analyzing literary texts using discourse analysis.