Towards a Pedagogical Stylistics

Abstract

Since the 1950s, pedagogical stylistics has been intrinsically linked with the teaching of written texts (and especially literary texts) to speakers of English as a second language. This is despite the fact that for decades many teachers have also structured their lessons in L1 classrooms to focus upon the linguistic features of literary texts as a means of enhancing their students’ understanding of literature and language. Recognizing that instructors in both L1 and L2 settings were often employing related pedagogical techniques without realizing that their colleagues in the other context were facing similar challenges, the PEDSIG group of the Poetics and Linguistics Association (PALA) has sought to add a theoretical dimension to research undertaken into practice in the stylistics classroom. Its goals, then, were: to establish a working definition of pedagogical stylistics; to identify the theoretical and pedagogical underpinnings of the discipline shared by L1 and L2 practitioners; to point if possible towards any emerging consensus on good practice. The group determined that the principal aim of stylistics in the classroom is to make students aware of language use within chosen texts, and that what characterizes pedagogical stylistics is classroom activities that are interactive between the text and the (student) reader. Preliminary findings, from a pilot study involving a poem by Langston Hughes, suggest that the process of improving students’ linguistic sensibilities must include greater emphasis upon the text as action: i.e. upon the mental processing which is such a proactive part of reading and interpretation; and how all of these elements – pragmatic and cognitive as well as linguistic – function within quite specific social and cultural contexts.

The role of literature in instructed foreign language learning and teaching: An evidence-based survey

“…Indeed, Clark & Zyngier (2003) suggest that the aim of activities within a pedagogical stylistics framework is not to achieve an improvement in the learners' linguistic competence, although this may well be a 'by-product of such an activity ' (2003: 349).…”

“…One important strand in the contribution of stylistics is the way in which it has looked more systematically at language awareness. As Clark & Zyngier (2003) state, the purpose of the pedagogical stylistics which they advocate is 'to promote linguistically aware readers who can perceive the qualities of language which are manipulated for particular effects (including the aesthetic ' (2003: 342). Zyngier, Fialho & do Prado Rios (2007) move this to the realm of literary awareness, and describe a study which attempted to raise literary and language awareness with EFL learners at a low-intermediate level.…”

Stylistic Use of Phraseological Units in Discourse

“…Discoursestylistics focuses on use of language and the stylistic features essential for understanding and appreciation of longer stretches of text (Carter and Simpson 1989;McRae [1987McRae [ ] 1990Carter [1994] 1995;Carter 1996: 1-15;Emmott [1997Emmott [ ] 1999. Pedagogicalstylistics has emerged to view the teaching of literature from the pedagogical standpoint (Bex 1988;Short [1988Short [ ] 1992Nash [1990] 1995;Carter and Long 1991;Widdowson 1992;Zyngier 1994Zyngier , 1999Zyngier , 2000Carter 1997;Clark and Zyngier 2003 et al). Cognitivestylistics is interested in the interaction between thought and language, figurative use of language, construction of new meanings and forms, and other cognitive aspects of language use (Lakoff and Turner 1989;Steen 1994Steen , 2006Semino and Culpeper 2002;Gavins and Steen 2003;Semino 2008 et al).…”

Effects of Academic Qualifications on Malaysian English Language Teachers’ Subject Matter Knowledge of Literary Devices

“…To prepare the questionnaire on literary devices, the following studies were referred to : Widdowson, (1992;, Simpson (1992), , Weber (1996), Manan (2000), and Clark and Zyngier (2003). Other local research on literature by Rosli Talif, (1995), Subramanian (2003), Fauziah Ahmad (2007), and Che Tom Mahmud, (2005), and Wan Kamariah Baba (2008) were also used.…”