We encounter a variety of texts every day: some "call" us to buy something (advertising slogans), others tell a fascinating story (fiction), others we use to convey information to our interlocutor (colloquial speech).
We see, hear or pronounce certain combinations of letters, and sometimes we don't even think about the style in which they are presented, what genres of text we use. We do it intuitively - we concisely talk with business partners, allow ourselves slang in a friendly conversation, expect beautiful descriptions from fiction and a clear presentation of information from scientific literature.
But sometimes the choice of style can be wrong, ie. does not match the speech situation. How can this be avoided? It turns out that there is such a science - stylistics, which studies the style, type, genretext and helps to understand their classification.
Let's try to understand the expressive possibilities of the text, study the classification of styles and genres and determine in what situations it is worth using them.
Conversational style
This style is most suitable for communication in everyday life and has the character of live communication between people of different social ranks and levels of education. It can be expressed both through dialogue and in personal correspondence (e-mail, chat, postal correspondence).
Styles and genres of text that are available for communication in everyday life do not have strict boundaries, are error tolerant, allow the introduction of foreign, slang words, abbreviations and even profanity. In addition, free word order is used in conversational style.
Dialogue example:
A: Well, buddy, are you ready for the test? B: Yes, I’m already crazy about this cramming…
This style is characterized by emotional coloring, which is achieved through exaggeration, petting, indignation or delight.
Dialogue example:
A: Hooray! B: What happened, baby? A: Mommy, I got the lead role in the school play. B: Well, what a smart girl you are!
In addition, in the colloquial style there are various interjections that fill in the gaps in the dialogue, and parasitic words that are repeated from time to time in speech.
Dialogue example:
A: In short, I came to her … We agreed. In short, do you understand!? B: Well..? A: And she, in short, noat home.
All conversational sentences are simple and clear. They do not contain eloquent comparisons and complex turns of speech.
Dialogue example:
- Would you like coffee? - Let's! - With sugar? - No.
Scientific style
This style is for the presentation of clear scientific facts and is enlightening.
Unlike colloquial, the scientific style is restrained from an emotional point of view, has a clear sequence of presentation. He does not tolerate mistakes and colloquial expressions.
Each fact of scientific presentation has a foundation of arguments proving its relevance.
Scientific style has a clear narrative structure:
- an introduction that denotes a certain theory; - the main part, where arguments and counterarguments are given; - a conclusion summarizing all the facts stated.
This style is presented in the form of a well-meaning monologue, and the dialogues are held in the form of discussions. The appeal of all participants in the discussion to each other is presented in a respectful manner.
Dialogue example:
A: This theorem does not require proof. B: I'm sorry, Dr. Fedorov, I have to disagree with you.
The scientific style is characterized by the use of special terminology and words that are not used in colloquial speech. In addition, the presentation often uses words designed to emphasize the logical sequence of judgments: in this way, for example, however, etc.
Example:
The deviant behavior of some individuals is often associated withincorrect construction of the chain of priorities.
This style corresponds to such genres of text as a report, abstract, article, manual.
Formal business style
This is the style of business negotiation. The way of presenting information in this style is regulated and standardized, as evidenced by the presence of special forms and stamps. It is characterized by accuracy, conciseness, neutrality of narration.
This style can also be recognized by the presence of special words: in connection, on the basis, I order, I undertake, plaintiff, employer, responsible person, take action, etc.
Example:
Due to systematic violations of discipline, I order to remove citizen Ivanov A. E. from official duties until further clarification of the reasons.
Dialogue between participants in a formal business conversation is conducted in a respectful manner, regardless of qualifications and niche occupied in the business hierarchy.
Dialogue example:
A: Marina Petrovna, please bring us some coffee. B: One minute, Sergey Viktorovich.
Official text styles and genres include contracts, commercial proposals, ordinances, laws, statements, regulations, business correspondence and, of course, business dialogue.
Publicistic style
The functionality of this style is to convey information to the general public, highlight resonant events, influence, call to action.
This style is mainly used by the mass mediainformation and is the most ambiguous. It can contain both clarity, logic and neutrality, as well as emotionality, the expression of one's own opinion. Simple sentences can alternate with complex ones. The journalistic narrative is full of metaphors, epithets, comparisons, in them one can often find borrowed words lined up in an unusual chain. Irony and sarcasm are also appropriate here.
Any rules for building a structure for presenting information can be violated for the sake of one main goal - to attract the attention of readers or listeners.
Example:
What drives young people to such controversial feats? Bad Education? Negative peer influence? Ecology? I think the brain drain is the problem.
Journalistic writing genres include newspapers, articles, magazines, campaign programs, political speeches and debates.
Art Style
Everyone has a favorite book. It contains a description of the characters and a description of the world around, detailing the scenes, a comparison of situations, a description of behavior, thoughts and voice acting of the dialogue.
This is the artistic text.
Example:
He was so excited that he couldn't speak. She was also silent.
Fiction has no clear boundaries and borrows characteristics from other styles. In the dialogue, the character can use a conversational style, and some monologues are described in a scientific style. But such expressive and emotional devices as epithets, allegory and metaphor are purelyartistic text.
Example:
The leaves shimmered with burgundy-amber colors under the rays of the setting sun.
Sentences in this style are filled with synonyms and antonyms. A popular technique in fiction is to alternate between simple and complex sentences.
Example:
I ran down the main street for a few miles, then turned into a park and looked around frantically. Empty.
Typology of literary genres by form
Classification of the genre of texts is made in three directions: form, content and gender.
Literary form refers to the union of works with identical formal properties.
The following genres of text are distinguished by form:
1. A play is a literary work intended to be staged in a theatre.
2. A story is a prose narrative about one or more characters, contained within fifty pages.
3. The novel is a large-scale epic work that tells about a change in the worldview of the protagonist, overcoming a crisis period and spiritual rebirth. Here, the presence of one or more protagonists (the main character striving for a specific goal) and an antagonist (a character that interferes with the achievement of the main goal of the protagonist) is mandatory. The volume of a work can vary from 200 pages to several volumes.
4. A story is a cross between a short story and a novel. It is based on the narrative of events and incidents in the life of the mainhero.
5. An essay is a work of art that does not contain conflict. There are other types of text genres in this category (epics, short stories, odes), but at this stage in the development of literature they are not as popular as the above types.
Characterization of genres by content
Text genres in Russian can also be classified by content:
1. Comedy is a work with a pronounced humorous or satirical overtones.
Examples: "Woe from Wit", "The Taming of the Shrew", "The Government Inspector", "The Ideal Husband".
2. Tragedy - the plot of this type of work is built on a sequence of events that inevitably lead to a tragic ending.
Examples: Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Moo-moo.
3. Drama - at the heart of works of this type is the problem of human interaction with society, with the outside world and with oneself.
Examples: Green Mile, Borrowed Life, Wuthering Heights.
Text genres in Russian: classification by gender
The following types of texts are distinguished in this category:
1. Epos - works stretched out in time, saturated with many main and auxiliary characters, events and experiences. The story is told mainly from the point of view of an impartial observer and is presented in the form of memories of past events.
2. Lyrics is a literary text, saturated with sensual experiences and the author's own thoughts.
3. Lyro-epos is a combined type that has absorbed the characteristics of the epicand lyrical types.
4. The drama is built on the relationships of the characters among themselves. Expressed primarily as a dialogue with explanatory notes by the author.
How to determine the genre of the text: some tips
To classify this or that work, it is necessary not only to put it on the shelves, count the number of pages and evaluate the emotional coloring, but also understand the author's idea, comprehend the behavior of the characters, extract morality from the written.
How did you feel after reading the literary work? You couldn't help laughing? Most likely, the read work was of a comedic nature. Can't hold back your tears over the sudden death of a beloved hero? You have read tragedy. Do the relationships between the characters still keep you on your toes? Now you know the genre - drama.
How large is your work? Perhaps these are several pages of text that tell about some event in the character's life. This is a story. Or is it a multi-volume creation with many characters and an intricate plot. In this case, it's about romance.
How is the text stated: dry and impartial, or, on the contrary, bright and emotional? In the first case, the work can be described as an epic, in the second - as a lyric.
It is not so difficult to classify texts of different genres, it is enough to understand their meaning.
