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Definition
 Style
is a particular set of characteristics in the use of language.
These
characteristics are the result of choices which may be made consciously
or unconsciously.
The
results are speech or writing which
may be efficient, idiosyncratic, identifiable, or memorable.
Examples
The
following are examples of good style in instructional writing and
prose fiction:
- When approaching a roundabout, watch out for traffic already
on it. Take special care to look out for cyclists or motorcyclists
ahead or to the side. Give way to traffic on your right unless
road markings indicate otherwise; but keep moving if the way
is clear.
- Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins.
My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue
taking a trip of three steps down the palate to
tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.
Use
The
term 'style' is usually used in a positive sense to praise what
are seen as good qualities.
Even
bad style may be identifiable - if it is consistent.
Good
style is often easy to recognise, but quite difficult to analyse.
It may be used and perceived - unconsciously.
One
very important feature of good style is that it must be entirely
appropriate for the task it is performing.
This
means that the author must take into account [even if unconsciously!] audience, form,
and function.
Style
might be good, yet hardly noticeable - because it is concentrated
on effective communication. This is sometimes known as 'transparent'
good style.
The
following extract is from The Highway Code.
When approaching a roundabout, watch out for traffic already on it. Take special
care to look out for cyclists or motorcyclists ahead or to the side. Give
way to traffic on your right unless road markings indicate otherwise; but
keep moving if the way is clear.
This
is writing which is makes its points as simply and as clearly
as possible. The vocabulary is that of
everyday life, and in manner it is speaking to a general reader
without trying to make an impression or draw attention to itself
in any way.
This
writing is entirely free of literary effects or decoration.
In
most writing however, 'good style' is normally associated with
verbal inventiveness and clever manipulation of the elements
of literary language.
The
extract from Vladimir Nabokov's famous novel Lolita illustrates
this point:
Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the
tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at
three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.
This
is writing which is deliberately setting out to be impressive.
It relies very heavily on decoration and ornament.
In
this extract Nabokov uses lots of alliteration -
the repetition of the 'l' and 't' sounds, metaphor -
'light' and 'fire' - and onomatopoeia -
'trip', 'tap' - as well as such fancy wordplay as the orthographic
and semantic parallels between 'life'
and 'fire'.
Good
style in speech and writing - like that in clothes or other matters
involving taste - can go in and out of fashion.
Style
in context. Style, in any kind of speech or writing, is
extremely important to the overall function of
communication. In most cases, a consistency of features produces
what we understand as a pleasing style. That is, the style
is appropriate to the context in
which it occurs.
A
discordant style is produced by the inclusion of some feature
which does not fit with the stylistic context of the piece. In
other words, the feature is out of place.
An
example of this might be found in a personal letter which is
signed 'Yours faithfully' or an aristocratic character in a novel
speaking street slang for no good stylistic
reason. |
