Depending on the tasks of communication, people choose different styles. This is a way of expressing one's thoughts, which is characterized by certain features, a combination of linguistic means, and features of their selection. Functional stylistics is a section of stylistics. This is the science of language, which studies the basic speech units and their combinations. What are functional styles and what they are, will be discussed next.
General concept
Before considering the definition of the concepts of "language style", "stylistics" and "functional style", it is necessary to expand knowledge about this area of science. Its tasks are the study of language units, their combinations. In addition, she studies the means of speech.
The term "functional style" was proposed to be able to designate varieties of speech. It was introduced by V. V. Vinogradov. This is the central concept of functional stylistics as such. Terms such as "functional variant" or "functional type" have the same meaning. However, they are lesspreferred.
The word "style" defines the specificity, the main purpose of the phenomenon. It is multi-valued. In the concept of style, only in the field of linguistics, several definitions are defined:
- This is a type of language that has been assigned to a certain area of society.
- Set of functional language units.
- The manner of communication accepted in society, oratory, scientific, judicial or other speech.
- Individual approach to expressing thoughts.
- The state of speech in a certain era.
The concept of functional style in stylistics began to develop in the Petrine era. V. M. Lomonosov made a great contribution to its development. He is considered one of the main figures in the development of the style of the Russian language. Lomonosov developed a theory that became the main work in the direction of the history of this science. The fact is that even ancient writers were familiar with such a concept. Lomonosov's work made it possible to rethink this theory by applying it to the Church Slavonic and Russian languages. The scientist offers three styles:
- low;
- medium;
- high.
The difference between them lies in the use of Slavicisms in them. Now the definition of functional styles is based on the works of V. V. Vinogradov.
Definition
In functional style textbooks there is a special definition of this concept. This is a science that studies the varieties of literary languages. They have a specific scope, have special language tools.
Functional style is now commonly called a historically or socially developed variety of speech that is used in a certain area of human life. The language in which people communicate may have a specific organization.
Extralinguistic factors underlie the classification of language styles. These include topics determined by the scope of the language, as well as the goals pursued by communication. The form of presentation and communication depends on social consciousness, the field of human activity. This, for example, can be law, art, politics, science, and so on. Accordingly, they are also distinguished by traditional functional styles. There are book and colloquial-household directions. The first category includes styles:
- scientific;
- formal business;
- literary and artistic;
- journalistic.
The non-literary style also stands out. Functional styles of speech in this category can be colloquial, extralinguistic. Their basis is the sphere of domestic relations. It is the field of activity that a person is currently engaged in that determines the choice of his style of communication. It should be noted that in different areas of speech, different goals are pursued when discussing the same issue. Therefore, statements may differ in their content, but the topic is the same.
Features of the presented definition
The foundations of modern functional stylistics have been developed by many linguists and scientists. However, the modern conceptThe presented definition should be considered with some clarifications.
The fundamental position is the fact that functional styles are understood as a symbiosis of social consciousness. They cannot be regarded as the result of the speech activity of an individual, but as a social phenomenon. This is the result of the collective consciousness. Each of its representatives is aware of such features of speech, due to which a certain functional style is created. It is used to achieve certain goals in communication. Each member of the language group understands and better perceives such information.
In this case, the style is not developed as a random sum of elements of the language. This is a clearly organized, socially and historically established system of elements of speech. They are used in a specific context, which is indicated by a functional application. Texts that are created within the same style have a specific purpose. They allow you to achieve the goals of social communication. For example, they are used to express political ideas or form public opinion. With the help of the appropriate style, scientific information is conveyed, etc.
Style should also be understood as a set of typical features. Each variety has a certain set of its own lexical and phraseological structures, morphological, syntactic specifications, pronunciation options. For example, in some varieties of business style (in military-type documentation), the names of geographical objects are written in the nominative case, and inscientific texts use verb-nominative combinations.
Modern stylistics and functional styles are determined not only by a set of specific language tools, but also by methods of combining elements of speech. The same language units are defined in certain contexts. Different aspects of semantics come to the fore. Their expressive possibilities are different. The use of the same categories, their relationship with other elements of speech is different.
Features of science
The foundations of modern functional style were developed many decades ago. The theory has undergone significant changes. But there is no common understanding of what style is to this day.
Stylistics is a science that defines the rules for the appropriate use of synonyms and other linguistic means in speech. She studies them at different levels. But stylistics looks at linguistic means from its own point of view. Such a scientific approach is defined in additional meanings. The following is determined by them:
- The area of human activity in which communication takes place.
- Typology of situations in which each value is appropriate.
- Society's assessment of specific phenomena that reflect certain units of language.
Such features can be considered as an imprint, a trace of a particular era, area of human life. They can be used to determine at what time, under what circumstances this or that style was applied. Gradually, people's speechenriched with new shades. At the same time, the rules are constantly changing. What was normal 200-300 years ago would look strange today. Such norms are less strict than in grammar, but if they are not observed, sometimes you can alienate the interlocutor, creating a wall of misunderstanding between you and him.
Therefore, the concept of the norm is fundamental for the language. Functional stylistics studies those means, approaches, language forms that are appropriate to use in a particular case, communicating with different people. A person must master several types of speech organization in order to understand the interlocutor, and also be able to convey his point of view. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the characteristics of the main functional styles.
Science content
Functional style is revealed in a number of concepts:
- Functional style. This is a system of characteristic features that distinguish each type of speech.
- Factors that make up style. They are connected with the sphere of communication outside of linguistics and linguistic type.
- Style trait. This is a quality, a characteristic feature, in which each speech variety differs.
- Language features. These are phraseological units and lexical phrases, morphemes, derivational, syntactic units that embody the main idea and features.
- Stylistic analysis. This is the pinnacle of linguistic research, which is based on the identification of the functions of all units of different levels.
These are the basic concepts that reveal the functional style. They areconsidered in school practice.
Scientific type of speech
Practical and functional style of the Russian language is studied by children at school. This is necessary to create in people an understanding of the main features, shades and nuances of communication in a given situation. Indeed, with friendly communication, for example, a scientific style is inappropriate. The person may be misunderstood. Of course, while getting a higher education, defending a scientific work, it is unacceptable to use the figures of speech inherent in the colloquial everyday style. It may also be misunderstood by listeners.
To understand the functional features of the main styles of speech, they need to be considered in more detail. They have characteristic features. One of them is scientific style. Its name speaks for itself. The main feature in this case is the logic in the course of presentation. And she is emphatically strict. All parts of the style have semantic connections, located in the text in a strict sequence. In the course of the presentation, facts are provided on the basis of which conclusions are drawn.
Another sign of scientific style is precision. Artistic images, epithets and comparisons are out of place here. This is a text in which the information is unambiguous, which is achieved by careful selection of words. They are used exclusively in their direct meaning.
The use of terms in the course of the presentation, as well as special vocabulary, is welcome. At the same time, an amendment is made to which field of science the presentation belongs to. Each of them has certain speech techniques, vocabulary.
Considering basic conceptsfunctional style, it is worth noting that it is characterized by such concepts as “coloring” and “feature”. For scientific speech, abstractness and generalization create a characteristic coloring. They permeate every text of this type. Therefore, it is allowed to use abstract concepts here. They are hard to imagine and feel. Here words can be used, the meaning of which is rather abstract. These can be words such as "time", "limit", "power", etc.
Scientific styles often use formulas, graphs, tables, drawings, diagrams, etc. They are more often used when writing texts, but oral forms are also possible. These include lectures, reports, etc. Genres of scientific style are also specific. These can be articles, abstracts, monograms, etc.
Publicistic type of speech
An important aspect to consider when communicating is style. The functional styles of the language, applied correctly, allow conveying information to listeners, interlocutors as accurately and completely as possible. One of the main ones is the journalistic variety of speech organization. Its main feature is the transfer of information to listeners, which is significant. This style allows you to have a certain impact on the reader or audience. He convinces them of something. Publicistic style is designed to inspire certain ideas, views. It encourages action, certain actions.
The journalistic style is used in various spheres of human activity, for example, insocial, economic, cultural, political, etc.
Newspaper articles, essays, interviews, reports are written in non-fiction genres. This genre includes judicial speech, speeches to the public. Oratorical speech, reports are characterized by a similar style. Functional varieties of language may repeat some of the features of each other. As in scientific texts, there is logic in the journalistic style. But in this case, it is complemented by emotionality and imagery.
The judgments of the author of such a speech should be evaluative, calling for some action. To do this, language tools of the appropriate type are used. This is socio-political vocabulary. Syntactic constructions can be varied.
Formal business type of speech
Considering the style of resources and functional style, it is worth saying a few words about official business speech. It is used in the field of legal, industrial or other service relations. The main features of this style are as follows:
- accuracy that does not accept any other interpretation;
- no personal judgment;
- stereotyping, conditionality by the standards that are used in the construction of the text;
- character of speech prescriptive or obligatory.
This style, like scientific speech, is characterized by precision. This is manifested in the use of special terminology. If the vocabulary is non-terminological, then it is inherent in unambiguity.
A typical, key feature of this style is the limited use of synonymous substitutions. The same words are repeated, while being mostly terms.
The impersonal nature of judgments is expressed in the fact that verbs and personal pronouns of the first and second person are absent. The forms of the third person are used in a personal-indefinite meaning.
Description or narrative is almost non-existent in business documents. The texts are completely devoid of emotional coloring, expressiveness. In such texts, visual means are completely absent. The functional stylistics of the Russian language when using the business style is studied by students of almost all speci alties. Even with official statements, it is business speech that is used. Therefore, working people are sure to apply this style.
Colloquial type of speech
The functional style of the Russian language still cannot cover all cases of communication. Colloquial speech is knocked out from the general series. This is an informal speech, which has its own characteristics. With the help of this style people communicate. Therefore, the main task of colloquial speech is communication. The main form of this informal style is oral.
There are several directions in the composition of colloquial speech. It can be a literary and colloquial style, which involves the use of generally accepted words. They correspond to the norms of classical literary speech. Also colloquial-colloquial variety belongs to this style. With such communication, there are colloquial colloquial turns and constructions in speech. These phrases and words candeviate to a greater or lesser extent from the norms of classical literature. The tone of such speech is stylistically reduced.
Conversational styles can also be expressed in writing. It can be private letters, correspondence of a personal nature. They also keep diaries in this style.
Artistic type of speech
Functional style studies the features of speech techniques and constructions. Some directions may have similar features. So, for example, artistic style has some qualities inherent in other types of speech organization. It is a tool that writers skillfully use. With its help, the authors express their creative ideas.
Although various features of other styles are inherent in artistic speech, they appear in it in a special role. They are used for the purpose of emotional as well as aesthetic impact on the audience.
In artistic speech colloquial statements are allowed. Dialect words can also be found here, and sometimes even outright vulgarisms. In the artistic expression of their thoughts, the authors use the whole variety of expressive and visual means. These can be epithets, metaphors, hyperbole, antitheses, etc.
The choice of means of speech depends on the individuality of the writer, the topic chosen by him, the genre. Also, the idea of a work can determine the style of expression of the author's thoughts. Here there are a variety of shades, emotional coloring. The same word can mean different things and is not unambiguous. This is the difference between artistic and business styles.
The functional style of such texts is ambiguous. The main goal pursued by artistic speech is the creation of certain images. For this reason, such literature often uses emotional turns, picturesque turns of speech.
The authors strive for a vivid expression of plots, which makes us avoid stereotypes and stencils. To express their thoughts, writers are looking for new options for self-expression, using original figures and forms of speech. The art style has many genres. It also includes a wide variety of language techniques and means.
