Scientific style, the features of which are the subject of research for linguists, is a set of specific speech techniques used mainly in the scientific, scientific and technical, popular science sphere to express and design ideas, hypotheses, achievements that are diverse in content and purpose.
General characteristics of scientific text
Scientific text is a summary, result or report on research activities, which is created for a circle of people who have the appropriate qualifications for its perception and evaluation. In order to make it as informative as possible, the author must resort to the use of a formalized language, special means and ways of presenting the material. Most often, a scientific text is a published or intended for publication work. The texts of the scientific plan also include specially prepared materials for oral presentation, for example, a reportat a conference or academic lecture.
Characteristic features of the scientific style are neutral tone, an objective approach and informativeness, structured text, the presence of terminology and specific linguistic means adopted among scientists for a logical, adequate presentation of the material.
Varieties of scientific style
The prevalence of the written form of the existence of works of scientific style determines the validity, balance, clarity of their content and design.
The division of scientific texts into types and types is explained, firstly, by the difference in objects described by numerous disciplines, the content of the research activities of scientists, and the expectations of the potential audience. There is a basic specification of scientific literature, which divides texts into scientific-technical, scientific-humanitarian, scientific-natural. It is possible to single out more particular sublanguages that exist within each of the sciences - algebra, botany, political science, etc.
M. P. Senkevich structured the types of scientific style according to the degree of "scientific" of the final work and identified the following types:
1. The actual scientific style (otherwise - academic) is typical for serious works intended for a narrow circle of specialists and containing the research concept of the author - monographs, articles, scientific reports.
2. The presentation or generalization of the scientific heritage contains secondary information materials (abstracts, annotations) - they are created in a scientific-informative or scientific-abstract style.
3. A separate scientific and advertising area is occupied by industrial advertising, which presents the results and benefits of specific products - new achievements in technology, electronics, chemistry, pharmacology and other applied fields of science.
4. Scientific reference literature (reference books, collections, dictionaries, catalogs) aims to provide extremely concise, accurate information without details, to present the reader with only facts.
5. Educational and scientific literature has a special scope, it outlines the basics of science and adds a didactic component that provides illustrative elements and materials for repetition (educational publications for various educational institutions).
6. Popular science publications present biographies of prominent people, stories of the origin of various phenomena, a chronicle of events and discoveries and are available to a wide range of interested people, thanks to illustrations, examples, explanations.
Scientific text properties
Text created in scientific style is a standardized closed system.
The main features of the scientific style are compliance with the normative requirements of the literary language, the use of standard turns and expressions, the use of the capabilities of the "graphic" language of symbols and formulas, the use of references and notes. For example, cliches are generally accepted in the scientific community: we will talk about the problem …, it should be noted that …, the data obtained during the study led to the following conclusions …, let's move on to the analysis … etc.
For the transfer of scientificinformation, elements of an "artificial" language - graphic - are widely used: 1) graphs, diagrams, blocks, drawings, drawings; 2) formulas and symbols; 3) special terms and lexical features of the scientific style - for example, the names of physical quantities, mathematical signs, etc.
The reference apparatus (footnotes, references, notes) forms a more accurate idea of the subject of speech and serves to implement such quality of scientific speech as the accuracy of citations and the verifiability of sources.
So, the scientific style, the features of which are characterized by compliance with the norm of the literary language, serves as accuracy, clarity and conciseness in expressing the thoughts of the study. A scientific statement is characterized by a monologue form, the logic of the narrative is revealed sequentially, the conclusions are designed as complete and complete sentences.
Semantic structure of scientific text
Every text of a scientific style has its own construction logic, a certain finished form that corresponds to the laws of structuring. As a rule, the researcher adheres to the following scheme:
- introduction to the essence of the problem, justification of its relevance, novelty;
- selection of the subject of research (in some cases, the object);
- setting a goal, solving certain tasks in the course of achieving it;
- review of scientific sources that in any way affect the subject of research, description of the theoretical and methodological basis for the work; justification of terminology;
- theoretical and practical significance of a scientific work;
- content of the most scientificwork;
- experiment description, if any;
- results of the study, structured conclusions from its results.
Language features: vocabulary
An abstract tone and generalization form the lexical features of the scientific style:
1. The use of words in their concrete meanings, the predominance of words with an abstract meaning (volume, permeability, resistance, conflict, stagnation, word formation, bibliography, etc.).
2. Words from everyday use acquire a terminological or generalized meaning in the context of a scientific work. This applies, for example, to technical terms: coupling, coil, tube, etc.
3. The main semantic load in a scientific text is carried by terms, but their share is not the same in different types of works. The terms introduce certain concepts into circulation, the correct and logical definition of which is a necessary condition for a professionally written text (ethnogenesis, genome, sinusoid).
4. Abbreviations and abbreviated words are typical for works of scientific style: publishing house, GOST, Gosplan, million, research institutes.
Linguistic features of the scientific style, in particular, in the field of vocabulary, have a functional focus: a generalized abstract nature of the presentation of material, the objectivity of the views and conclusions of the author, the accuracy of the information presented.
Linguistic features: morphology
Morphological features of scientific style:
1. At the grammatical level, with the help of certain forms of the word andconstruction of phrases and sentences creates an abstraction of the scientific text: it is noted that …, it seems that …, etc.
2. Verbs in the context of a scientific text acquire a timeless, generalized meaning. Moreover, the forms of the present and past tense are used mainly. Their alternation does not give either “picturesqueness” or dynamics to the narrative, on the contrary, they indicate the regularity of the described phenomenon: the author notes, indicates …; the achievement of the goal is facilitated by solving problems, etc.
3. The predominant imperfective verbs (about 80%) also give the scientific text a generalized meaning. In stable turnovers, perfective verbs are used: consider …; we will show with examples, etc. Indefinitely personal and impersonal forms with a hint of obligation or necessity are also commonly used: characteristics refer to …; you need to be able to …; don't forget about…
4. In a passive sense, reflexive verbs are used: it is required to prove …; explained in detail…; problems are considered, etc. Such verbal forms make it possible to focus on the description of the process, structure, mechanism. Short passive participles have the same meaning: the definition is given …; the norm can be understood, etc.
5. In scientific speech, short adjectives are also used, for example: the attitude is characteristic.
6. A typical feature of scientific speech is the pronoun we, used instead of I. This technique forms such features as the author's modesty, objectivity, generalization: In the course of the study, we came to the conclusion … (instead of: I came toconclusion…).
Linguistic features: syntax
The linguistic features of the scientific style in terms of syntax reveal the connection of speech with the specific thinking of the scientist: the constructions used in the texts are neutral and commonly used. The most typical is the method of syntactic compression, when the volume of the text is compressed while increasing its information content and semantic content. This is implemented using a special construction of phrases and sentences.
Syntactic features of scientific style:
1. Use of definitive phrases "noun + noun in the genitive case": metabolism, currency liquidity, dismantling device, etc.
2. Definitions expressed by adjectives are used in the meaning of the term: unconditioned reflex, solid sign, historical digression, etc.
3. The scientific style (definitions, reasoning, conclusions) is characterized by a compound nominal predicate with a noun, as a rule, with an omitted linking verb: Perception is a basic cognitive process …; Deviations from the normative implementations of the language is one of the most striking features of children's speech. Another common "predicate formula" is the compound nominal predicate with a short participle: can be used.
4. Adverbs in the role of circumstance serve to characterize the quality or property of the phenomenon under study: significantly, interestingly, convincingly, in a new way;all these and other events are well described in historical literature….
5. The syntactic structures of sentences express the conceptual content, therefore, the standard for a writing scientist is a complete sentence of a narrative type with an allied connection between its parts, with a neutral lexical content in terms of style and a normative word order: anthropoid (chimpanzee) sound language. Among complex sentences, structures with one subordinate clause dominate: Between intellect and language there is an intermediate primary communicative system, which is called the functional basis of speech.
6. The role of interrogative sentences is to draw attention to the material being presented, to express assumptions and hypotheses: Maybe a monkey is capable of sign language?
7. To implement a detached, deliberately impersonal presentation of information, impersonal sentences of various types are widely used: Friendly communication (heart-to-heart talk, chatter, etc.) can be attributed to status equal genres … This emphasizes the desire to be an objective researcher acting on behalf of a generalized scientific community.
8. In order to formalize the cause-and-effect relationships between phenomena, complex sentences with a coordinating and subordinating allied connection are used in scientific speech. Complex conjunctions and allied words are often found: due to the fact that, despite the fact that, due to the fact that, because, meanwhile, while, while, whileas well as others. Complex sentences with subordinate clauses explanatory, attributive, causes, conditions, time, consequences are widespread.
Means of communication in scientific text
Scientific style, the peculiarities of which are the specific use of language tools, relies not only on the normative base of the language, but also on the laws of logic.
Thus, in order to logically express his thoughts, the researcher must use the morphological features of the scientific style and syntactic possibilities to connect the individual parts of his statement. This goal is served by various syntactic constructions, complex sentences of various types with “paper clip words”, clarifying, participial, participial phrases, enumerations, etc.
Here are the main ones:
- comparison of any phenomena (both … and so …);
- use of connecting sentences containing additional information about what was said in the main part;
- participle phrases also contain additional scientific information;
- introductory words and phrases, plug-in constructions serve to link between semantic parts both within one sentence and between paragraphs;
- "paper clip words" (for example, thus, therefore, meanwhile, in conclusion, in other words, as we see) serve to establish a logical connection between different parts of the text;
- homogeneous members of a sentence are necessary to enumerate logically similar concepts;
- frequentthe use of clichéd structures, the logic and conciseness of the syntactic structure.
So, the scientific style, the features of the means of communication of which we have considered, is a fairly stable system that is difficult to change. Despite the extensive system of opportunities for scientific creativity, regulated norms help the scientific text to “keep its shape.”
Language and style of popular science text
The presentation of material in popular science literature is close to neutral, general literary, as the reader is offered only specially selected facts, interesting aspects, fragments of historical reconstructions. The form of presentation of this kind of data should be accessible to non-specialists, therefore, the selection of material, the system of evidence and examples, the manner of presenting information, as well as the language and style of works related to popular science literature, are somewhat different from the actual scientific text.
You can visualize the features of the popular science style in comparison with the scientific one using the table:
| Scientific style | Science style |
| Author and reader are equally aware of the subject matter. | The author acts as a specialist, the reader as a "non-specialist". |
| Abundance of general scientific vocabulary and terminology, often with complex formulations and proofs. | The terms are explained in an accessible language for the reader, the main results are given withoutdetails. |
| Neutral style. | Speech expression present. |
The popular science style uses many means belonging to the national language, but the features of originality are given to it by the functional features of using these means, the specific organization of the text of such a scientific work
So, the peculiarities of the scientific style are specific lexical and grammatical means, syntactic formulas, thanks to which the text becomes "dry" and precise, understandable for a narrow circle of specialists. The popular science style is designed to make the narrative about a scientific phenomenon accessible to a wider range of readers or listeners (“just about complex”), so it approaches the degree of impact to works of artistic and journalistic style.
