• Informal styles

• Literary colloquial

• Familiar colloquial

• Low colloquial

• FORMAL (BOOKISH) STYLES

• Scientific (learned)

• Publicistic

• Official

• Newspaper style.

There arises a question whether the style of fiction should be included into the system of functional styles. The Moscow linguistic school regards it as a functional style, the St.Petersburg school argues that as fiction embraces numerous individual styles and can include passages written in any functional style IT DOES NOT PRESENT A FUNCTIONAL STYLE.

What is often seen and treated as literary language should, perhaps, be described through terms of Poetic Language and 'Poetical' Language

SCIENTIFIC STYLE

The language of science is governed by the aim of the scientific functional style, which is to prove a hypothesis, to create new concepts, to disclose the internal laws of existence, development, relations between different phenomena, etc. The language means used, therefore, tend to render objective, precise, and unemotional, devoid of any individuality information. There is a striving for the most generalized form of expression.

1. The first and the most noticeable feature of this style is the logical sequence of utterances with clear indication of their interrelations and interdependence. It includes clear division into paragraphs, each one presenting a new idea and beginning with the key sentence developed and varied system of connectives as in scientific prose. Among them there are some archaic ones (hence, thereafter...) and double ones as not merely...but also; whether...or; both... and; as...as; the following cliches are used: to sum up; as we have seen; so far we have been considering. The same function is observed in the usage of adverbs finally; again; thus. Complex sentences prevail over compound ones. Inversions are not infrequent and they have the same connecting function.

2. The second and no less important feature and, perhaps, the most conspicuous, is the use of terms. The process of "de-terminization". We find a rapid creation of new terms in any developing science. Ways of term coining: borrowing, compound words, affixation and semiaffixation, abbreviation, metaphoric transference (mouse, domain, driver, telecommunication, genetically modified, DVD, VCR)

The general vocabulary employed in scientific prose bears its direct referential meaning. Self-sufficiency in any branch of science is now a thing of the past. Some bookish words can be found in scientific texts: automaton - automata; perform; cardinal; comprise. Words belonging to other functional styles are not used.

3. The next observable feature of the style of modern scientific prose, and one that catches the reader's eye, is the use of quotations and references.

4. The feature of scientific style, which makes it distinguishable from other styles, is the frequent use of footnotes, not of the reference kind, but digressive in character.

5. The impersonality of scientific writings can also be considered a typical feature of this style. It means the usage of pronouns we, you and one, frequent use of passive constructions especially with the verbs suppose, assume, presume, conclude, infer, point out, etc. Morphologically the learned style is also characterized by the usage of non-finite forms, gerundial and participial constructions. We also observe the frequent usage of Present Continuous and Future instead of Present Indefinite.

3. However expressiveness is not entirely or categorically excluded from scientific prose. Expressiveness used in the scientific functional style is quantitative, not qualitative.

PUBLICISTIC STYLE.

The general aim of publicistic style is to exert a constant and deep influence on public opinion, to convince the reader that the interpretation given by the writer is the only correct one and to cause him to accept the point of view expressed in the speech, essay or article not merely by logical argumentation, but by emotional appeal as well. Publicistic style has features in common with the style of scientific prose, on the one hand, and that of emotive prose, on the other. Its coherent and logical syntactical structure, with an expanded system of connectives and its careful paragraphing, makes it similar to scientific prose. Its emotional appeal is generally achieved by the use of words with emotive meaning, the use of imagery and stylistic devices as in emotive prose; but the SD used in publicistic style are not fresh or genuine.

The essay is a literary composition of moderate length on philosophical, social, aesthetic or literary subjects. The most characteristic language features of the essay are

1. Brevity of expression, reaching sometimes the degree of epigrammaticalness;

2. The use of the 1^st person singular, which justifies a personal approach to the problems treated;

3. A rather expanded use of the connectives, which facilitate the process of grasping the correlation of ideas;

4. The abundant use of emotive words;

The use of similes and developed metaphors as one of the media for the cognitive process.

Repetition may be regarded as the most typical SD of English oratorical style. Almost any piece of oratory will have parallel constructions, antithesis, suspense, gradation, and rhetorical questions. It will be no exaggeration to say that almost all typical SD can be found in English oratory. Questions are most frequent because they promote closer contact with the audience. The change of intonation breaks the monotony of the intonation pattern and revives the attention of the listeners.

NEWSPAPER STYLE.

This is the style that is undergoing rapid changes nowadays. Even ten years ago we could speak about the main function of newspaper style as communicating maximum information within a very limited space. the newspaper tends to have a serious talk with its reader and influence his opinion through analytical articles.

Another tendency clearly observed is the colloquialisation of the newspaper language. The lexis used in the papers is colloquial and has strong emotional connotations. The newspaper article according to W. Rivers is to pursue the three tasks: SIMPLICITY, CLARITY AND FORCE. To achieve them the "readability formula" is introduced. The main elements of it are the following:

• optimal length of a paragraph is observed with no more than three sentences each.

• The elements of deixis, including demonstrative and possessive pronouns, proper nouns, esp. geographical names, definite time are used in the sentences.

• Human interest elements.

• Appeal to the reader.

• The usage of transparent syntax.

Alongside with different kinds of articles modern newspapers are full of advertisements, both open and hidden. Advertisement presents a comparatively new substyle within the newspaper style.

As for the lexical material alongside with a lot of synonyms to present the most important ideas we find cliches and at the same time newspaper is the place where neologisms are coined e.g. antroponyms (bushism), terms are spread and colloquialised (MOT, default, SMS, MMS). We meet a lot of abbreviations including morpheme (limo, demo), semiaffix coinage (euro-, -free, -friendly), acronyms (NATO, SALT) and so on. On the level of grammar we meet

1. complex sentences with a developed system of clauses, esp. in brief news;

2. specific word-order which can be named "a 5-W-and-H-pattern rule". Here you will find the following order: Subject - Predicate - (Object) - Adverbial modifier of reason (manner) - Adverbial modifier of place - Adverbial modifier of time. It is necessary to note, that the adverbial modifier of definite time is often moved to the beginning of the sentence;

3. verbal constructions (infinitive, participial and gerundial) and verbal noun constructions;

4. syntactical complexes, esp. with the Complex Subject to avoid mentioning of the source of information;

5. attributive noun groups the national income and expenditure figures.

As for stylistic devices we meet here mostly trite metaphors, a lot of epithets and periphrases. Genuine SD are used basically with the ironical effect. They are metaphors, epithets, pun, violation of phraseological units, morphological repetitions, allusions. Syntactical SD comprise parallelism and rhetoric questions.

TYPES OF HEADLINES

1. full declarative sentence;

2. interrogative sentence;

3. nominative sentence;

4. elliptical sentence

• omission of the auxiliary;

• omission of the subject;

• omission of the subject and part of the predicate;

5. sentence with articles omitted;

6. phrases with verbals (infinitive, participle and gerund)

7. questions in the form of statements

8. complex sentence

9. headlines including direct speech

• introduced as a full sentence;

• introduced elliptically.

Another point which also deserves special consideration is the graphic means, including changes in the print, illustrations, insets, violation of spelling.

Advertisements as part of any mass media carrier (newspaper, magazine, radio, TV, Internet) are included into newspaper style as a substyle. The aim of ads is not only to inform the consumer about the possibility to buy some goods or use some service. Ads are created so that to influence the choice of the consumer. So the information used in the ad layout is

• logical (informative)

• emotional

• action-wise

• codified (subconscious)

Information from the second point down is more impressive. Ads include different means of influence: words, graphics, music, actions. They correlate with what is known, close and dear to the consumer, they touch upon their stereotypes. Thus the choice of the carrier, lexis and graphics depends on the basic beliefs, values and interests of the target-group.

Lexical material used in the ads differs seriously from newspaper style lexis in general. Whole thematic fields of words are never to be found in ads. Those are groups dealing with unpleasant sides of life (death, illness, old age, accidents, poverty etc.). On the other hand words with pleasant meaning and connotations are abundant. Lexis belong mainly to the neutral layer, but words of bookish and colloquial character are sometimes to be found.

Brevity of expression is the demand of this substyle. Syntax is simple, quite often one-member sentences are to be found.

As for the choice of SD almost any can be found in the ads. The basic ones are parallelism, repetition, epithet, metaphor. Different allusions and word play as attracting the consumers’ attention are also welcome. Some stylistic devices acquire peculiar stylistic function in ads. Among them are paronymic attraction and different violations (of idioms and spelling).

Register switching is not uncommon in ads layouts (the form of a letter, an election-reel, a sports commentary, a cartoon, etc.)

THE STYLE OF OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS.

Likewise other styles it is not homogeneous. The main aim of this style is to state the conditions binding two parties in an undertaking. The function of this style is in other words to reach the agreement between two contracting parties. The most striking, though not the most essential feature, is a special system of cliches, terms and set expressions. Each of the subdivisions has its own peculiar terms, phrases and set expressions.

Another feature of the style is the use of words in their logical dictionary meaning. Words with emotive meaning are also not to be found. Almost every official document has its own compositional design and it is not an exaggeration to state that the form of the document is itself informative.

Amendment XXV

Section 4

Whenever the Vice-President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice-Presi­dent shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice-President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department(s) or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assem­bling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice-President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

• Lexical repetition (transmit, discharge; assume; written declaration)

• Repetition of the same legal phrase (powers and duties of his office; the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; may by law provide; such other body)

• Structural repetitions (of; if; if not in session)

• Archaic conjunctions (thereupon; thereafter)

• Modality (shall)