文體學chapt3Surface-structureDeviation

1、Chapter 3Surface-structure DeviationnRevision of chapter 2n1. What is style?n2. What is the most important view on style?n3. How is foregrounding achieved?n4. Discuss the following topics:n 1) Role of idiolectn 2) Role of regional dialectn 3) Role of social dialectn 4) Black Englishn 5) Sex-related

2、variationsn 6) Relation between speech situation and formality n of stylenContents of this chaptern1. Introductionn2. Phonological deviationn3. Graphological deviation (including grammetrics)n4. Syntactic deviationn5. Lexical deviationn6. Summary1. Introduction In this chapter we will deal with four

3、 types of surface structure deviation, namely,phonological deviation,graphological deviation,syntactic deviation, and lexical deviation.2. Phonological deviation There are chiefly three types of phonological deviation: omission, mispronunciation and substandard pronunciation, special pronunciation.

4、2.1 OmissionnOmission refers to the omission of a sound or sounds in speech. Three types of omission: n1) aphesis, the omission of an initial part of a word: “mid” (for “amid”); n2) syncope, the omission of a medial part of a word: “neer” (for “never”); n3) apocope, the omission of a final part of w

5、ord: “wi” (for “with”).nFunction:nSuch omissions, as conventional licenses of verse composition, are often used by poets to change the pronunciations of the original words so as to better and more easily arrange sound patterns to achieve the intended communicative effects. n2.2 Mispronunciation and

6、sub-standard pronunciationnConsider the analysis of the stylistic effects of mispronunciation and substandard pronunciation employed in examples (4), (5), and (6): pp.25-29.nBelow are some more examples:n“Ah!” said Joe. “Theres another conwict off.” (C. Dickens, Great Expectations)n“We shot him, Gra

7、nny!” I cried. “We shot the bastud!” (William Faulkner, Unvanquished)n坐在那里的小孩扭過頭，眼睛忽閃忽閃地望著我，說：“叔叔！我不是銀（人）？”（杜鵬程夜走靈官峽）nHe asked, “Wul-well, was he ever a c-c-c-cockroach, like Archy?” (J. Updike, A Sense of Shelter)n(5) “If you do not go away from these premises before night, I shall feel boundindeed

8、, I am bound-to-to-to quit the premises myself!” (H. Melville, Bartleby the Scrivener)n2.3 Special pronunciationnFor convenience of rhyming, the poet may give special pronunciation to certain words:n(7) The trumpet of a prophecy! O, Wind,n If winter comes, can spring be far behind?nHere, the noun wi

9、nd /wind/ is pronounced like the verb “wind” /waind/ to rhyme with behind. This kind of rhyming is also referred to as eye rhyme.nSee another two examples:nO! He gives us his joynThat our grief he may destroy;nTill our grief is fled and gonen He doth sit by us and moan.n 少小離家老大回，n 鄉(xiāng)音無改鬢毛衰。（賀知章回鄉(xiāng)偶書）n

10、In first example, moan /mun/ should be read as /mn/.n3. Graphological deviationnDefinition of graphology: the encoding of meaning in visual symbols.nSub-areas of graphology where deviation can occur: shape of text, type of print, grammetrics, punctuation, indentation, etc.3.1 Shape of textnThe shape

11、 of a piece of literary work, esp. a poem, can be designed in an unconventional way so that it may be suggestive of a certain literary theme. nSee Ex. (8) and Exercise 4.nBelow is a Chinese poem, whose shape signals the way the song is sung:n而你啊，n “命運”姑娘，n 你對我們n 曾經(jīng)是那樣殘酷n 無情，n但是，今天n 你突然n目光一轉，n 就這樣熱烈地

12、n 愛上了我們，n而我們n 也愛上了你！n而你啊，n“歷史”同志，n 你曾是n 滿身傷痕，n 淚水，n 血跡n （賀敬之放聲歌唱）n3.2 Type of printnLiterary writers also choose to express their ideas by manipulating the type of print which may include italics, bold print, capitalization and decapitalization, etc. nSee example (9):nThe original poem (as a deviant

13、 version):nMe up at doesnout of the floornquietly Starena poisoned mousenstill who alivenis asking whatnhave i done thatnYou wouldnt haven(e. e. cummings)nThe revised version:na poisoned mousenwho still alivendoes Stare quietlynout of the floornup at Menis asking whatnhave i done thatnYou wouldnt ha

14、venBelow are two other examples:n and break onetwothreefourfivepigeonsjustlikethat (e. e. cummings)nDeviant type of print employed in ad:n人生有時在高處n 有時在低處n中國人壽保險始終陪伴您（中國人壽保險公司廣告）n3.3 GrammetricsnGrammetrics is meant the ways in which grammatical units are fitted into metrical units such as lines and s

15、tanzas.nSee the grammetrical deviation used by W. Carlos Williams in the following poem:nThis Is just to SaynI have eatennthe plumsnthat were innthe iceboxnand whichnyou were probablynsavingnfor breakfastnForgive menthey were deliciousnso sweetnand so coldnStylistic features of the above poem:n1) Gr

16、ammetrical features: pp.35-39;n2) Other features: na 2-sentence poem with 3 stanzas; nno punctuation marks, no stop, with a pulling forward effect; na contrast in peace between the first two stanzas and the last one: slower a pace, indicating the delicious taste by the experiencer.nCompare the same

17、content in prose instead of in poetry:nI have eaten the plums that were in the icebox and which you were probably saving for breakfast. Please forgive me. They were delicious and so sweet and so cold.nConsider the detailed analysis of grammetrics used in this poem, which helps to cultivate our compe

18、tence in stylistic analysis.nBelow are two other poems by the same poet:nThe Red Wheelbarrownso much dependsnuponna red wheelnbarrownglazed with rainnwaternbesides the whitenchickens.nPoemnAs the catnclimbed overnthe top ofnthe jamclosetnfirst the rightnForefootncarefullynthen the hindnstepped downn

19、into the pit ofnthe emptynflowerpotnBelow is a limerick (Thornborrow & Wareing, 2000: 43) with grammetrical features:nThere was a young man from JapannWhose limericks never would scan.nWhen his friends told him so,nHe said, yes I knownBut I always try to get as many words into the last line as I

20、 possibly can.nIt is a narrative poem consisting of two sentences put in different lines to conform to poetic conventions in form. Pay attention to the humorous effect originating from the lengthened last line, iconic of the protagonists habit of trying “to get as many words into the last line as I

21、possibly can”.nBelow are two Chinese examples:n翻出來一件n隔著冬霧的n隔著雪原的n隔著山隔著海的n隔著十萬里路的n別離了四分之一世紀的n母親親手n為孩子織的n沾著箱底的樟腦香的n舊毛衣n（熊秉明的）nCompare:n翻出來一件隔著冬霧的、隔著雪原的、隔著山隔著海的、隔著十萬里路的、別離了四分之一世紀的、母親親手為孩子織的、沾著箱底的樟腦香的舊毛衣。n隨著晚霞n飄來了n一位n扛鋤頭的n農(nóng)家姑娘n她在清涼的河水里n洗著美麗的長發(fā)n輕輕地把手一甩n彈出一片晶亮的晨光n悄悄地告訴n送給她胭脂的夕陽n她明天 就要出嫁n做新娘（李曉梅小河邊的詩）nComp

22、are:n隨著晚霞飄來了一位扛鋤頭的農(nóng)家姑娘。她在清涼的河水里洗著美麗的長發(fā)，輕輕地把手一甩，彈出一片晶亮的晨光，悄悄地告訴送給她胭脂的夕陽：她明天就要出嫁做新娘。nGrammatically speaking, the first poem is only composed of one phrase with a long attribute, exactly, 6 modifiers; nthe second poem is composed of two sentences across the two stanzas, the first sentence being inverte

23、d, which is also referred to as marked theme in the next section:n隨著晚霞(theme/topic) | 飄來了一位扛鋤頭的農(nóng)家姑娘(comment/rheme)。nNow let us have a practice on how to compose a poem via grammetrics:nBelow are several sentences describing you:n三年前我們一起來到了美麗的曲園，同窗共讀，彼此結下了深厚的友誼。明年，我們又將離開這里，奔赴各地，去開創(chuàng)美好的未來。nWe can arran

24、ge the same passage into a poem-like style stanza:n三年前n我們一起n來到了曲園n同窗共讀n彼此結下了n深厚的友誼n明年n我們又將n離開這里n奔赴各地n去開創(chuàng)美好的未來nIs the second version like a poem? Are you convinced of the magic function of grammetrics?n4. Syntactic deviationnSyntactic deviation refers to departures from normal surface grammar, includ

25、ing marked themes, deviant phrase structures and deviant use of grammatical rules.n4.1 Marked themenTheme: The initial unit of a clause is called its theme.nThe theme may be characterized as the communicative departure for the rest of the clause.nThe expected or “unmarked” them of a main clause in E

26、nglish includes subject, auxiliary, wh-element and main verb, as is illustrated on p.39. nMarked theme: p.40.nSee also the discussion on theme and rheme.nThe analysis of 4 examples used in literature: nNo. 1:nMy opinion of the coal trade on that river is, that it may require talent, but it certainly

27、 requires capital. Talent Mr. Micawber has, capital Mr. Micawber has not. (C. Dickens, David Copperfield)nNo. 2:nBehold her, single in the field,nYon solitary Highland Lass!nReaping and singing by herself;nStop here, or gently pass!nAlone she cuts and binds the grain,nAnd sings a melancholy strain;n

28、O listen! for the Vale profoundnIs overflowing with the sound.n(W. Wordsworth, The Solitary Reaper)nNo. 3:nOut of the bosom of the Air,nOut of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,nOver the woodlands brown and bare,nOver the harvest-fields forsaken,nSilent, and soft, and slownDescends the snow.n(L

29、ongfellow, Snowflakes)nNo. 4:nRound the cape of a sudden came the sea,nAnd the sun looked over the mountains rim,nAnd straight was a path of gold for him,nAnd the need of a word of men for me.n(R. Browning, Parting at Morning)n4.2 Deviant phrase structurenO What a noble mind is here overthrown!nThe

30、courtiers, soldiers, scholars, eye, tongue, sword.n(William Shakespeare, Hamlet)nDo not go gentle into that good nightn(D. Thomas, Do not Go Gentle into that Good Night)n4.3 Deviant use of grammatical rulesnBelow are two types of deliberate violations of grammatical rules:nFirstly, misuse of tense f

31、orms:nyou pays your money and you doesnt take your choice. (e. e. cummings, why must itself up every of a park)nIt is the poets daring violation of grammatical rule, signaling here that “you cannot get what you like by paying money”: nThe strange phenomenon is signaled by the deviant language used t

32、o describe it.nSecondly, omission of articles in the following poem:nThere head falls forward, fatigued at evening,nAnd dreams of home,nWaving from window, spread of welcome,nKissing of wife under single sheet;nBut waking seesnBird-flocks nameless to him, through doorway voicesnOf new men making ano

33、ther love. (W. H. Auden, The Wanderer)nThe elliptical use of articles here cues the homeless vagabonding life of the vagabond. 4.4 Deviant sentence lengthnIn literary writing, the writer may choose to exploit super-long or super-short sentences for different stylistic purposes and effects, for examp

34、le, the former for the expression of complex content while the latter for quick pace. nFor the former case, consider the following examples:nChildren in famine, victims tortured by oppressors, helpless old people a hated burden to their sons, and the whole world of loneliness, poverty, and pain make

35、 a mockery of what human life should be. (B. Russell, What I Have Lived for)n在昨天，今天和明天之間，在父與子與孫之間，在山村二郎神擔過的巨石與十七層的部長樓之間，在海云的在天之靈與拴福大嫂新買的瓷碗之間，在李谷一的“潔白羽毛”和民國十八年咸菜湯之間，在骯臟、混亂而又辛苦經(jīng)營的交通食堂和外商承印的飛行時刻表之間，在秋文的目光、冬冬的執(zhí)拗、四九年的腰鼓，七六年的旅行，在小石頭、張指導員、張書記、老張頭和張副部長之間，分明有一種聯(lián)系，有一座充滿光榮和陷阱的橋。（王蒙蝴蝶）nAs the Tonnerres had incr

36、eased, their settlement had been added to, until the clearing at the foot of the town hill was a chaos of lean-tos, wooden packing cases, warped lumber, discarded car tyres, ramshackle chicken coops, tangled stands of barbed wire and rusty tin cans. n(M. Laurence, The Loons)【潛鳥】n5. Lexical deviation

37、nLexical deviation in literature refers to neologisms or coinage of new words in literary writing. nIn coining new words, it may be said that the literary writers is not so much breaking rules of word-formation as extending the rules. 5.1 AffixationnBelow are two examples:nThere was a balconyful of

38、gentlemen. (Chesterton)nWe left the town refreshed and rehatted. (Fotherhill) 5.2 CompoundingnBaby wakenOpen-eyed (W. H. Davies)nThey were else-minded then, altogether, the men (G. M. Hopkins) 5.3 Conversion “Dont be such a harsh parent, father!”n“Dont father me!” (G. G. Wells)nLet him easter in us. (Gerald Manley Hopkins, The Wreck of the Deutschland)nThe just man justices. (ibid., As Kingfishers Catch Fire)nThe achiev