Definition
 Form
is a term which refers to the recognisable shape of a text or
a speech act.
This
shape may be either physical or abstract.
Examples
Spoken |
|
Written |
Conversation |
|
Menu |
Sermon |
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Letter |
Announcement |
|
Novel |
Anecdote |
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Article |
Joke |
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Poster |
Use The
term 'form' is used in linguistics and in literary criticism as
a technical term.
It
is used when considering the shape, the construction,
or the type of speech or writing.
An
awareness of form can help to produce more efficient communication.
Keeping
form in mind helps to clarify the type of end product required.
Form
is an important part of stylistic analysis -
together with audience and function.
When
studying a text we first try to identify
its form. What type of writing is it? (Is it a letter, an
advertisement, a timetable, or a novel?)
Then
we might ask 'To whom is it addressed?' [audience] and 'What is
it doing?' [function].
When
thinking of linguistic or literary form, it's sometimes useful
to think in terms of material shape. For instance, a table is usually
a rectangular horizontal surface suppored by legs at each corner.
That is the form of a table.
Similarly,
a piece of writing which begins with a postal address and the words
'Dear Sir', then ends with 'Yours sincerely' - is likely to be
a letter. This is the form taken by most letters.
It
is possible for one form to contain another or several other forms.
For example, a novel may contain a letter or a poem. A sermon may
contain an anecdote.
Most
poems have a form, but this varies a great deal. The sonnet is
in part defined by its form which is the number of lines and the
rhyme scheme.
Form
in speech may be signalled by recognisable phrases, tone of voice,
or choice of vocabulary.
For
instance, 'The train now standing in platform ten...' would be
recognised by most people as the start of a railway announcement.
Similarly,
'O Lord, we beseech thee to ...' would easily be identified as
the start of a prayer.
If
someone says 'My grandfather always told me that ...' we know that
they are probably going to offer moral advice - a piece of homespun
wisdom.
Beware! The
term 'formal' has widened in its application to mean 'serious' — just
as 'informal' has also extended its meaning to encompass notions
of friendliness.
For
instance, the greeting 'Hi there!' might be described by most people
as informal. However, because it is part of a recognised verbal
ritual, in linguistic terms [strictly speaking] it is 'formal'
because it has a fixed shape.
The
two terms, 'formal' and 'informal' therefore need to be used accurately
when applied to linguistic or literary analysis. |
