Text interpretation / and linguo-stylistic analysis
A possible concept of text interpretation consists in approaching a literary text from the standpoint of stylistics of the addresser and from that of stylistics of the addressee.
1. The first type of stylistics aims to give an in-depth analysis of the historical and political situation in the country where the work has been created, philosophical and aesthetic views of the author, facts of the author’s biography which influenced his/her creative work in the given period, etc. It helps establish the reason for the author’s choice of events described, his/her attitude towards different personages, to reveal the way historical events are transformed in a literary text, etc. This approach prevails in historical and literary analysis of a literary text and also in the literary criticism analysis conducted by critics.
2. The second kind of analysis focuses on the very text, its rational and emotional influences on the reader. The addressee of the text (or its interpreter) pays attention not only to the way the text influences his/her but also seeks to reveal the elements of the text, which contribute to creating a certain impression, to identify the means of achieving the logical and emotional influence on the reader. Text analysis from the standpoint of the addressee has linguistic character and is widely used in text interpretation.
These two trends in analysing text interrelate and supplement each other.
Text interpretation is an open-ended reading, potentially unlimited elucidation of a text. Different readers stress different points in a literary text offering his/her interpretation. Similarity or difference in ideological, aesthetic, psychological, emotional properties/qualities of the author and the reader leads to the possibility of different interpretation of one and the same literary work by different stage directors and actors.
Consequently text interpretation may be viewed upon as a general humanitarian discipline which gives vent to creative potential of the reader
Analysis means breaking down the subject to see how each part functions in relation to the whole. Rather than killing one’s enthusiasm or spontaneous enjoyment, analysis has – or should have – the opposite effect, to increase your understanding. The more you understand how the story works, the more likely you are to enjoy the experience of it. A car buff, e.g., who has a detailed knowledge and understanding of the various internals workings of a car derives much more pleasure from it than the sort of driver who merely knows how to make the thing go.
Drawing on different patterns of comprehensive linguo-stylistic analysis the following interpretation procedures are suggested:
1. Analysis of the traditional aspect of the text (according to Morokhovsky, the so-called “Broad literary norm”).
It should include the information about the author with the aim to provide a deeper insight into the message and style of the text under analysis. The student is supposed to be able to characterise briefly the literary trend or tradition the author of the text belongs to; the established traditions of the given genre of the text; social, cultural and historical background of the author and the text under consideration. The material of the English literature course should be resorted to.
2. The theme and message of the text
- the definition of the main idea(s)
- the key thematic lines (the reflection of the theme in the choice of vocabulary)
3. The content and composition of the text (content-grasping stage according to Galperin) presupposes the penetration into the general content and a deeper understanding of the content-factual and content-subtextual information the text:
the composition of the text and breaking it into its discrete logical parts:
- exposition
- plot complications/conflicts
- climax /culmination
- denouement
- closing/concluding part (ending)
4. The general character of the text
The aim is to ascertain the kind of text being dealt with, first of all the functional style the text belongs to (according to Galperin the taxonomic stage of analysis). It also includes the definition of:
1.1. its slant/tone and means of achieving it
1.2. type of narrative and narrator:
a. the manner of presentation:
- subjective (type of narrator)
- objective (type of narrator)
b. the form of presentation:
- the author’s narrative: narration / expository speech ( meditations)/ description (panoramic, general view, close-up) / argumentation
- direct speech: conversation, monologue, dialogue, inner speech of characters
- represented/ reported speech (inner/unuttered or outer/ uttered)
c. the choice of the point of view: the author’s, the character’s, the onlooker’s
5. characters and type of characterisation:
- direct (through description by the author or another character)
- indirect (through action and speech characteristics)
6. stylistic effect of the EM and SD employed by the author:
- finding out what additional information might be imparted by the author’s use of various EM and SD and by juxtaposition of sentences within SPUs
- the explanation of the author’s choice of the vocabulary, phonetic/graphic,
syntactical, semasiological EM and SD used in the light of the message of the text
7. Summing up / synthesis of the text presupposes
- capitalising on the previously acquired data to formulate the concept / main idea of the text
- to show the relation between the concept of the text with its content and the linguistic form which is a part of the content.
In the stylistic analysis of the texts belonging to other functional styles the emphasis should be shifted to other important dimensions. In the following examples the most conspicuous features and key elements of the stylistic analysis of texts belonging to publicistic/newspaper and scientific styles are presented.
Publicistic/media style
1. The definition of the text
- the definition of the genre of the text
2. The theme and message of the text
- the main idea(s)
- the key thematic lines
- the reflection of the theme in the choice of vocabulary
3. Compositional features
- text arrangement - precision, logic and expressive power
- argumentative power
- logical segmentation into paragraphs
- headlines:
titles and subtitles
the reflection of the theme
structural compression, graphical, lexical means
4. Lexical features
- newspaper cliches and set phrases
- terminological variety
- abbreviations and acronyms
- numerous proper names, toponyms
- international words, dates and figures
5. Syntactical / morphological features
6. Stylistic effect of EM and SD
Scientific/academic style
1. The definition of the text
- the definition of the given genre of the text (monograph, article, presentation, thesis, dissertation)
2. The theme and message of the text
- the main idea(s)
- the key thematic lines
- the reflection of the theme in the choice of vocabulary
3. Compositional features
a hierarchical structural arrangement: introduction, chapters, paragraphs, conclusion
- in technical texts: highly formalised text presentation, the use of formulae, tables, diagrams supplied with concise commentary phrases
- in humanitarian texts: descriptive narration, supplied with argumentation and interpretation
- logical and consistent expository compositional speech form
- extensive use of citation, references and foot-notes
4. Lexical features
- bookish words (presume, infer, preconception)
-scientific terminology
- conventional set phrases (as we have seen, in conclusion, finally, as mentioned above)
- restricted use of connotative contextual meanings
- restricted use of EM and SD
- connective phrases and words to sustain coherence and logic (consequently, on the contrary, likewise)
5. Syntactical / morphological features
- use of impersonal forms and sentences (as mention should be made, it can be inferred, assuming that, etc.)
- syntactical precision (the logical sequence of thought and argumentation)
- direct word order
- extensive use of participial, gerundial and infinitive complexes
- avoidance of ellipsis
- passive voice and non-finite verb forms (objectivity and impersonality)
6. EM and SD
Restricted use of emotive colouring, tropes, such as metaphor, hyperbole, simile and other expressive means and stylistic devices.