2) The problem of functional styles and their classification (existing classifications).

1. The problem of functional style. Existing classification and terminology.

2. Characterization of functional styles of the English language.

3. The bell letters style, the newspaper style, the scientific prostyle, the style of official documents, the publicist style.

1.The principal tasks of the stylistics can be divided into 2:

• To study linguistic means to produce the desirable effect. These means are called stylistic means: metaphors, rhetorical questions and so on.

• To study certain type of texts which are characterized by a specific choice and arrangement of linguistic means and which are distinguish by the practical purposes in different acts of the communication.

These types of the text they are called functional styles. A functional style of language is a system of interrelated language means which serves a definite aim of communication. (by Gal’perin)

There are a number of classifications of functional styles, but there doesn’t exist a unique accepted by all linguists classification. Classification of functional styles is a problematic issue.

One of the problems is the existence of the neutral style. Functional styles and the attention to the function was firstly studied by Prague school.

The classification of Prague school of linguistics denied the existence of the neutral style. Their classification:

1. Colloquial style.

2. The style of fiction.

3. Publicistic style.

4. The style of official documents and scientific papers.

The classification by I.V.Arnol’d. She differentiated the neutral style and stylistically colored:

1. Stylistically neutral.

2. Stylistically colored can be subdivided into: formal and informal.

The classification by Amosova. She differentiates:

1. Bookish styles or literary. There are sub styles:

• The style of poetry.

• The style of official documents.

• The style of scientific works.

2. Colloquial styles or everyday style. There are sub styles:

• Literary colloquial.

• Familiar colloquial.

• Jargon (professional or dialect for jargons).

The classification by Gal’perina. The main difference between the former classifications and present one is that he differentiates the style of fiction. But the existence of this style is argued by different linguists. There are 2 opposite points of view. The 1^st one (Golperin, Gvozdev) - Vinogradov, Stepanov attribute to the style a complex character. They treat it as the blend of functional and individual styles. The 2^nd – the scientist do not admit the style if fiction. They think that every writer has his individual manner of writing. This manner is characterized by the choice of linguistic means. They think that in literature writers use different functional styles.

The use of terminology is also a complicated issue in the theory of the functional stylistics. The phenomena of the functional style is called in different ways: speech style, language style, functional style, register, discourse, the language of poetry ( language Instead of style).

The terms bookish and colloquial are not quite exact. What is meant by bookish style is used not only in books or in written forms., but in oral forms as well. Ex: in public speeches, in lectures and so on. The term colloquial in its term is used not only in oral forms, but in written as well. Ex: in private letters.

Another problematic issue is the existing of dome styles in the particular language. For ex the existence of the newspaper style is the disputable issue, because newspapers nowadays contain a variety of different texts, not only news, but fictional stories, advertisements, some puzzles and so on.

The functional style is the historic category. It means that the system of functional styles, their number and their quality developed with the development of the society and the national language. In the 19^th century in England Publicistic style was very popular. But by now it has lost its flourish and acquired a new system.

2.Functional styles are distinguished mostly on the lexical and syntactical levels. That is mostly through the vocabulary and syntactical structure the functional styles are distinguished. Each style has its own lexical and syntactical features. Another important thing is the aim of the style.

The bell-letter style:

- The style of poetry.

- The style of a motive prose.

- The style of drama.

Each sub stile has its own peculiarity but the leading features are common. The aim is to inform and secondly to reveal certain feelings.

The leading linguistic features are the following:

1. The use of imaginary. The degree and character of imaginary varies in different sub styles. It can be created by various linguistic means:

• Lexical stylistic devices: metaphors, similes and so on. These figurative expressions make the reader see 2 things simultaneously creating in this way a palpable image.

• Words in their logical meaning may also be employed in such a way that the reader visualizes the picture created by the author.

• Stylistical syntactical meanings are also used to create images. For ex: syntactical repetition, it was favored by Hemingway.

• Phonetic means also help to create images, they make the reader hear what the author hears. The combination of rime, alliteration, assonance creates a certain acoustic image. Foe ex: in the novel Rag time.

2. The use of emotional language. The emotional element of this style is closely connected with the first feature the use of imaginary. And it actually results from this feature. The degree of emotional element varies in different subdivisions of the bell-letter style. The highest degree is in poetry where poets directly reveal their feelings and valuations. It is the lowest in grammar as the play rights emotions are revealed indirectly. That is through of shaking the characters of the play.

3. The use of colloquial language. Colloquial language is used to a full degree in plays and to a less degree in a motive prose, and the lowest degree if any use it in poems.

4. The use of words in contextual and very often in more than one dictionary meanings.

5. A peculiar individual selection of vocabulary and syntax. This means that the choice of linguistic means becomes characteristic only of the given writer. This style is highly individual in character. This feature becomes basic to text ology. The particular choice of linguistic means of the certain author gives textologists an opportunity to differentiate whether the text understudy belongs to this author or it doesn’t.