Stylistics of the author and of the reader (The notions of encoding and decoding)

Decoding = as a process of explaining the information that is hidden from immediate view in specific allusions, cultural and political parallels, peculiar use of irony or euphemy.

“decoding stylistics” (M.Riffatrre, R. Jacobson, P.Guiraud, Y.Lotman, I.Arnold).

That creative process may be presented as a simplified version:

- the writer receives diverse information from the outside world;

- some of it becomes a source for his creative work;

- he processes this information and recreates it in his own esthetic images that become a vehicle to pass his vision to the addressee (the reader);

- the process of internalizing of the outside information and translating it into his imagery is called “encoding”. To encode certain information the author resorts to certain means – meaningful units that are organized acc. to definite rules. The salient feature of that information encoded by the author is called “message”.

- the reader (addressee) is to decode the information contained in the text of literary work.

!historical epoches, social conventions, religious and political views, cultural and national traditions the message encoded and sent may differ from the message received after decoding.

M.Tsvetaeva: “Reading is co-creative work on the part of the reader…”

Stylistics of the author and stylistics of the reader.

II. Decoding stylistic analyses

EM provided by each level not as isolated devices that demonstrate some stylistic function but as a part of a general pattern

Foregrounding (N.S.Trubetskoy, R.Jacobson, V.Matezius, V.Skalichka) = a specific role that some language items play in a certain context when the reader’s attention cannot be drawn to them.

- convergence of expressive means;

- irradiation;

- defeated expectancy;

- coupling;

- semantic field;

- semi-marked structures.

Convergence is a combination or accumulation of SD promoting the same idea, emotion or motive.

Defeated expectancy

The linear organization of the text mentally prepares the reader for the consequential and logical development of ideas and unfolding of the events. The normal arrangement of the text both in form and content is based on its predictability which means that the appearance of any element is prepared by the preceding arrangement and choice of element.

Coupling

deals with the arrangement of textual elements that provide the unity and cohesion of the whole structure.

That method of text analysis helps to decode ideas, their interaction, inner semantic and structural links and ensures compositional integrity.

Coupling is based on the affinity of elements that occupy similar positions throughout the text. It provides not only general cohesion, but also consistency and unity of the text form and content.

Semantic field is a method of decoding stylistics closely connected with coupling. It identifies lexical elements in text segments and the whole work that provide its thematic and compositional cohesion.

!semantic affinity = connotations and associations, thematic pertinence of seemingly unrelated words.

Semi-marked structures are a variety of defeated expectancy associated with the deviation from the grammatical and lexical norm. The unpredictable element is used contrary to the norm so it produces a very strong emphatic impact.

7. Grammatical transposition:

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