Style In Language

by Thomas Albert Sebeok (Editor)

Style in Language is a comprehensive book written by Thomas Albert Sebeok that explores the various aspects of language style. The book delves into the different components of language, including syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, and how they contribute to the overall style of a piece of writing or speech. The author discusses the importance of style in communication and how it can impact the message being conveyed. He also examines the role of culture and social context in shaping language style, as well as the different styles used in various genres such as poetry, fiction, and journalism. Throughout the book, Sebeok provides numerous examples and case studies to illustrate his points, making it an engaging and informative read for anyone interested in language and communication. The book is suitable for both students and professionals in the fields of linguistics, literature, and communication studies. Overall, Style in Language is a valuable resource for understanding the intricacies of language style and its impact on communication.Contributing Authors Include I. A. Richards, Richard M. Dorson, C. F. Voegelin And Others.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Genres: Linguistics

488 pages, Hardcover

Published July 14, 2012

About the author

Thomas Albert Sebeok or Sebők was a prominent linguist and semiotician, and editor-in-chief of the leading periodical in the field, Semiotica, from its 1969 founding until 2001. He earned his Ph.D. from Princeton University in 1945. He is counted among the originators of the field of biosemiotics, and was highly influential in the study of non-human signaling and communication systems.

Sebeok was survived by his wife (and frequent co-author), Jean Umiker-Sebeok

Reviews

[Frankie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a script of a conference held in '58 combining the essays and comments of almost twenty attendees of three fields: linguistics, psychology and literary criticism. I have to say that I learned a lot about the crossovers between linguistics and literary criticism, though their points were more vague and confusing than those of the psychologists. The psychologists were the clearest, and ironically the most talented writers and speakers. The linguists and critics spent most of their time arguing the definitions of "stylistics" and "literature," with obsessive jargon.

The largest failure of the text is that of anachronism, e.g. references to the USSR, the beat generation and "electronic computing machines." We might blame this for the lack of female participants in the conference. I also, however, think of anachronism as a possible strongpoint, since the text predates and is safe from certain modern linguistic theories. Despite this the text works on many levels. The conference layout, with articles followed by comments, was solid and well organized. When wading through a difficult article, I looked forward to what the more outspoken members would add in the comments to refute the author or clarify his muddled points.

My favorite articles are Hrushovski's study of free verse, Sebeok's on the Cheremis sonnet, Brown's and Gilman's "The Pronouns of Power and Solidarity," and Jenkins' study on commonality. If you have this text, I recommend reading at least these.

There are men here who are impossible to understand. They're the ones who use specifically unclear terms and formulas. Often their conclusions are rhetorical. Perhaps I'm not sufficiently versed in the finer points of linguistics to follow them. Voegelin and I. A. Richards were two whose essays were frustrating to me. Most of the linguists wrote with an air of self-defense and condescension aimed at the men in other fields. In this competition the psychologists won again, since they rarely compared themselves to other conferees and stuck to salient facts. In the end, I felt the whole text, and the conference itself, lacked unity of purpose, since no one could agree on how to even define "style."

[Leonardo]

Zizek usa el artículo de Jakobson de este libro en Sobre la Violencia Pág.99

[Dan Clore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent anthology presenting the papers (sometimes just abstracts) and discussion from an historically important conference held in 1958. Most notable for Roman Jakobson's magisterial synthesis in his "Concluding Statement: Linguistics and Poetics", essential reading for anyone interested in Critical Theory (literary criticism, linguistics, formalism, structuralism, semiotics, narratology, etc.) and its historical development, and oral statements he made during discussion periods. The book also includes good articles and oral statements from other major critical figures including I.A. Richards, Seymour Chatman, W.K. Wimsatt, M.C. Beardsley, Thomas Sebeok, Charles Osgood, and Rene Wellek.

Along with Jakobson's contributions, the most interesting articles (to me) include "Linguistics and the Study of Poetic Language", along with other material from little-known Polish theorist Edward Stankiewicz. These cover some of the same issues as Jakobson's much better-known "Concluding Statement", and the latter displays their palpable influence. Stankiewicz should clearly be better known. Other than that, Rene Wellek's "Closing Statement" also stands out, making many interesting points related to these two essays and others in the volume.

[Mohamamd]

plz send me book for print

[Karla Ribeiro]

I haven't read it yet..:(...