Exploring Language and Linguistics

PREVIEW

This chapter explores how language, grammar and rhetoric can be employed as critical tools in text analysis, and in particular, in the analysis of literary texts. The logical point of departure in literary linguistics is that since prose and poetry are made up of words, phrases, clauses and sentences, the most appropriate way to analyse those texts is by means of linguistic frameworks. Just as an art critic might come to a balanced interpretation by observing and commenting on patterns of things like colour, depth and form, so the literary linguist can attain a grounded understanding of the textual object of investigation, as it were, by detecting and reporting on perceptible lexical, syntactic and discoursal patterns within a given context.

In this chapter, you will first be introduced to the historical background of literary linguistics as it developed in the twentieth century. Thereafter, we will consider some of the directions the field is taking today. Lastly, and moving on to a more practical side, you will be introduced to a range of literary linguistic tools and methods. The focus here will be on analysis up to and including the sentence level. It is here that we will be exploring the notion of foregrounding at the levels of language. The goal is to anchor our literary interpretations and evaluations in concrete linguistic description. By the end of the chapter, not only will you have acquired a firm knowledge of the history, tools and methods of literary linguistics, you will also be able to bring what you have learned to bear on your own literary linguistic analyses.

INTRODUCTION

The term ‘literary linguistics’ is often used interchangeably with ‘stylistics’. Literary linguistics does not engage solely in the analysis of literary texts, but in other discourse forms too, including political discourse, advertising discourse, legal discourse and even everyday conversation. The reason for this is that the notions of creativity and innovation in language are not just confined to the realm of literature. Just look at the world around you: the internet, the television, even the public texts on display on your university campus.