Evgenia Nikitina

Updated: 2019.10.28

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Depending on which group of readers the text is addressed to, it may be different in style of presentation. The effect on the reader depends on the style of the text. Let's talk about the differences, how to choose the right narrative style, where and which one is appropriate to use.

Text style is a system of means of expressive language that is usually used in a certain communicative environment.

Its application depends on:

• the situation in which the text is used;
• audience of readers;
• storytelling purposes.

One and the same phenomenon can be written in completely different ways. Here is an example of describing rain in different styles:

1. The Ministry of Emergency Situations warns that heavy rains with hail and wind gusts of up to 20 m/s are expected in the next 24 hours.
2. The first autumn rain was pouring outside the window. The puddles reflected yellowing, and in some places still green, foliage. The wind exposed the dark branches of the trees and tore up the withered leaves. The sidewalks looked like raging rivers overflowing their banks.

In the first case, an official business style is used. It is intended for a wide audience. Its goal is to convey information dryly and concisely without using any means of expression, to warn the reader about bad weather.

The second example uses an artistic storytelling style. Means of expression are used: epithets, metaphor. Its goal is to describe the beauty of nature, to create a certain visual image in the reader. The audience is readers of fiction.

What styles exist in Russian?

There are 5 storytelling styles in Russian:

1. Official business.
2. Journalistic.
3. Colloquial.
4. Art.
5. Scientific.

Styles differ in the scope of use, purpose of presentation, lexical features and sentence construction.

Let's take a closer look at the characteristics of each type.

Scientific

Area of ​​use: educational literature, research, dissertations, theses, scientific articles.

The goal is an evidential presentation of scientific material, a description of the patterns of phenomena.

The scientific style is distinguished by preliminary consideration of the statement and strict selection of linguistic means. Vocabulary is characterized by:

• special terminology;
• complex sentences;
• long paragraphs;
• there are more nouns than verbs;
• impersonality - instead of “I”, “we” is used.

The scientific style is characterized by accuracy, strict logic, and clarity of presentation.

Types of scientific style

Official business

This style is used for writing documents, laws, official papers and letters, orders, resolutions, notifications, complaints, statements, reports, invoices. The goal is accurate communication of business information.

Lexical features:

• lack of emotionally charged vocabulary,
• standardized figures of speech - clericalisms;
• stable expressions - cliches.

The style is characterized by formulaic designs and a clear sequence of presentation.

Types of formal business style

Art

Used in works of art: novels, stories, poems, poems. This is the language of writers and poets.

The goal is to influence the reader’s imagination and feelings, as well as inform him about something. Each writer has his own individual style, which includes colloquial, high vocabulary, and neutral words.

Main features of the style:

• use of a large number of means of expression;
• using words in a figurative sense;
• allegory, metaphor;
• abundance of epithets and adjectives;
• imagery and emotionality.

In addition to information, the text has an aesthetic function.

Journalistic

This is the style of newspapers, magazines, news portals, that is, the media. The purpose of the text is to influence the reader’s emotions, to draw attention to a certain problem or phenomenon.

The journalistic style is characterized by:

• socio-political vocabulary;
• consistency;
• imagery;
• emotionality;
• evaluativeness;
• conscription.

It is distinguished by a variety of topics that are usually relevant at a given moment in time: political, moral, social, everyday. The text contains an appeal to the reader's mind and feelings. Designed for a wide audience.

Colloquial

Conversational style is used in everyday life. People share their thoughts and feelings with others, exchange information on everyday issues, and use colloquial and colloquial vocabulary.

It is a style that reflects the speech of people in writing. The vocabulary is taken from everyday life and contains an abundance of colloquial and colloquial words. This is a style of oral speech, in the text version it is used in a blog, in communication on forums. Used to create a relaxed atmosphere.

The purpose of the text is to convey an information message, exchange thoughts and feelings, and solve everyday issues.

This style is characterized by:

• emotionality;
• imagery;
• colloquial vocabulary;
• text without choice of words;
• colloquial words;
• slang.

This is a style of oral speech, in the text version it is used in a blog, in communication on forums. A striking example is dialogue.

How to Define Text Styles

If you carefully familiarize yourself with the features of each text style, you will be able to recognize it without much difficulty. To do this you need:

1. Understand where the text is written and to whom it is addressed. If you have a fiction book in front of you, then the style will be artistic. If the article is in a scientific journal or textbook, then most likely the text is written in a scientific style. The journalistic style can be seen on a news portal, in a popular magazine, or in a newspaper article. Only official business style can be used in official documentation and business papers.
2. Pay attention to the vocabulary. If you see slang or colloquial words, then the text style is conversational. Special terms are found in scientific texts, and clericalisms are found in official business texts.
3. Decide on the purpose of the text. The educational material is designed to logically convey knowledge to the reader. If the purpose of the text is to convey a certain idea, thought, or discuss a topical topic, then this is most likely journalism. A literary text aims to create in the reader an image, a picture of the phenomenon or event being described. The purpose of a business document is to convey information in a concise form, as specifically as possible.

Usually, at the third step, you can say with confidence what style of text is in front of the reader. This diagram will help you remember what questions you need to ask in order to correctly recognize a style:

Examples of texts in different styles

To better understand what the text of each style looks like, let’s give some visual examples.

Scientific

Here is a short text from a physics textbook:

Example of scientific style

Here we see special vocabulary:

• "electrical circuit";
• "voltage source";
• “current consumer”;
• "resistor";
• "conductor";

The sentences are complex. There is an introductory construction “by the way.”

Official business

An example of an official business style - instructions for filling out a car purchase and sale agreement:

Example of formal business style

The vocabulary of this text is dry, without epithets and bright emotional coloring. The audience is narrow - the participants in the transaction or the person who will fill out the document. The agreement is also drawn up in an official business style.

Art

The description of the oak tree in Leo Tolstoy's famous novel War and Peace is a striking example of artistic, or literary, style:

Example of artistic style

The text contains many epithets and adjectives, comparison, metaphor, allegory. The oak is compared to an old man, and the branches are compared to gnarled fingers.

Journalistic

An example of journalism - a description of a completed project on a news portal:

An example of journalistic style

The text is emotional, evaluative, inviting. The author's point of view is visible. Addressed to a wide audience of readers. Raises the topical topic of waste recycling. All these are signs of a journalistic style.

Colloquial

As an example of colloquial speech formatted into text, we give a description of the well-known keyboard simulator Stamina. The author made the instructions in the form of a blog, communicates with readers in simple colloquial language with humor, slang and a bright emotional coloring of speech:

Conversational style example

Types of speech

Type of speech is a way of presenting information, constructing words and sentences in a logical order.

There are three types of speech:

• narration;
• description;
• reasoning.

Let's look at the features of each type of speech.

Narration

A story about an event or phenomenon. Main features:

• associated with a period of time;
• has a certain sequence of actions;
• consistency of presentation;
• the text answers the questions “what”, “where”, “when”;
• a large number of verbs.

As a result of the narration, the reader becomes clear what happened, where and to whom. The narrative is characterized by the beginning, development and denouement of events. Used in letters, memoirs, memoirs, diary entries.

Description

The purpose of the description is to verbally convey the phenomenon, talk about the qualities of the object, signs, and create a visual or sensory image in the reader. You can describe people, animals, a certain place, event, phenomenon, the internal state of a person and any other phenomenon.

Comprises:

• general characteristics of the subject, general impression;
• signs, details;
• overall assessment of the subject.

Speech is dominated by adjectives, adverbs, and nouns. A minimum of verbs, unlike the narration, the text is static. Can be used in various styles of speech, most often in artistic and scientific ones. In the latter, accuracy and detail are important, in the artistic - the creation of a certain image in front of the reader, only the most striking moments are described.

Reasoning

Reasoning is thinking, expressing thoughts and ideas, explaining phenomena and properties of an object. The text provides answers to the questions “why” and “why”.

Comprises:

• thesis - an idea that needs to be proven;
• substantiation of the thesis, supporting arguments with examples, evidence;
• summary - results, conclusions.

The purpose of the text is to convince, explain, prove. Reasoning is characterized by rhetorical questions, a sequence of thoughts - “firstly”, “secondly”, “thirdly”, introductory constructions - “meanwhile”, “thus”, “so”, “because”, “ hence".

Often found in scientific and fiction literature, philosophical treatises.

Comparative tables of styles and types of speech

To quickly determine the style and type of speech, use the tables.

Text styles:

Types of speech:

So, we looked at different styles and types of speech. Even if you have a small text in front of you, you need to think about who it is addressed to, what the author wants to express, and where it can be used. Pay attention to the vocabulary of the text. Words are “beacons”, clues that will help determine the style.

Style is the main element of speech. In essence, this is the “clothing” of the text, its design. And people's clothes speak volumes.

A man in a formal suit is probably a business worker, and a guy in sneakers and stretched sweatpants is either out to buy bread or is still an athlete.

Likewise, by the stylistic “clothing” of the text one can understand in what area it “works” - functions.

Tired of homework and essays?

Speaking scientifically, style is a system of various linguistic means and the ways in which they are organized, which has developed over the entire historical period of language development. The use of each of the existing systems is typical for a strictly defined sphere of communication between people: for example, the scientific sphere, official business, the sphere of media activity, fiction, or the sphere of communication in everyday life or on the Internet.

By the way, please note: in some sources text styles are called speech styles. Both phrases are the same thing.

Types of text (speech) styles

The Russian language has historically developed four functional styles. Later, the style of fiction emerged from the journalistic style.

Thus, there are currently five styles of speech:

How to distinguish one style from another? For example, a men's business suit is a combination of trousers, shirt, tie, jacket and shoes. And style is also a combination of certain “subjects” - elements: words, sentences (syntactic structures) and text structure.

Characteristics of speech styles

So, how can you recognize the scientific style by “clothes”?

Rich expressive and emotional vocabulary. Metaphors and comparisons at every step. “Colorful” words are slang, abusive, outdated. Sentence structures that are easy to understand (“It was getting dark”). Bright author's position.

How to identify?

First of all, this is a style for everyday live communication between people. In writing, it is used when the author wants to establish a closer, personal contact with his readers. Personal notes on a blog, selling texts, notes from social networks, etc. are often written in a conversational style. It is characterized by lively speech, pronounced expression, colloquial and colloquial words and phrases, colorfulness, high subjectivity and evaluativeness, repetitions, incomplete sentences . Sometimes obscene language is also used.

Thus, when working on a text, it is important to combine stylistic elements. Otherwise, you risk being left without a reader, and your manuscript being locked in the desk. Why? Are you going to apply for an office job in torn jeans and an elongated T-shirt? I think not.

So you shouldn’t write in a scientific style. However, in an artistic style you can use elements of each - scientific, conversational, journalistic... The main thing is to understand why you are doing this, for what purpose, what effect you want to achieve.

Therefore, in order not to look stupid, find out the features of different styles, their elements and - learn to work with them.

And don’t forget – you are greeted by your clothes. And not only people, but also texts.

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Functional speech styles

Each functional style of language is based on its inherent literary norms. There are five language genres:

• Scientific;
• Official business;
• Journalistic;
• Colloquial;
• Art.

Scientific style of speech

The scientific style of speech, called the style of scientific narration, has the following characteristics:

1. Scope of application - science and research articles;
2. Addressees are scientists, specialists and people competent in scientific terminology;
3. The purpose of style is to describe patterns, events and educate the readership;
4. The function of style is to communicate and prove the truth of information by citing established facts or statistical forecasts;
5. Genres of scientific style – monograph, essay, article, etc.;
6. Type of speech – written, monologue.

The scientific style of speech is characterized by the use of abstract vocabulary, real and small terms, mainly nouns, evidence and unambiguity.

Formal business style

The official business style of speech has the following characteristics:

1. Scope of application – law, storytelling in an official environment (legislation, office work). Using a business style, official documents are drawn up - a law, a resolution, a protocol, a certificate;
2. Addressees – lawyers, diplomats, citizens, state;
3. Type of speech – reasoning (written, oral) in the form of a monologue;
4. A type of interaction is public communication;
5. Style features - imperativeness, standardization and accuracy, lack of emotional overtones;
6. The function of style is to convey information.

The official business style of speech is characterized by the presence of speech cliches, abbreviations, and complex irreducible words.

Journalistic style

The journalistic style of speech, narrating through the media, has the following characteristics:

1. Scope of application – articles, essays, interviews;
2. Addressees – specialists, society;
3. Style features - emotionality, vocabulary used, logic, nationality, publicity, appeal, imagery;
4. The function of style is to narrate events taking place in the country and the world, influence the masses and form a certain opinion regarding what is being announced;
5. Type of speech – written, oral;
6. Direction – feelings of opponents.

Journalistic style is characterized by the use of socially widespread and political vocabulary.

Conversational style

Conversational style is used in the process of normal interaction and communication. The author conveys to the addressee his own subjective thoughts and perception of reality in an informal environment. Characteristic features of the style:

The artistic style is widespread exclusively in the literary genre, influencing the recipients - readers through sensory perception and a wealth of lexical devices. A preliminary selection of linguistic means is made in the style. Characteristic features of the style:

1. The type of vocabulary used is descriptive (artistic) narration;
2. Style features - emotionality, coloration, fantasy;
3. Form of style – written, monologue;
4. Linguistic means – all types of linguistic means are used when creating book images;
5. Addressees - society, possibly divided by gender and age composition;
6. Direction – feelings of opponents;
7. Genre type - novel, story, short story, fable, comedy, etc.

Stylistics(the word “style” comes from the name of the needle, or stiletto with which the ancient Greeks wrote on waxed tablets) - this is a branch of the science of language that studies the styles of literary language (functional styles of speech), the patterns of language functioning in different spheres of use, the peculiarities of the use of linguistic means in depending on the situation, content and purpose of the statement, the sphere and condition of communication. Stylistics introduces the stylistic system of the literary language at all its levels and the stylistic organization of correct (in compliance with the norms of the literary language), accurate, logical and expressive speech.

Stylistics teaches the conscious and purposeful use of the laws of language and the use of linguistic means in speech.

There are two directions in linguistic stylistics: stylistics of language and stylistics of speech (functional stylistics). Language stylistics examines the stylistic structure of language, describes the stylistic means of vocabulary, phraseology and grammar.

Functional stylistics studies, first of all, different types of speech and their dependence on different purposes of utterance. M. N. Kozhina gives the following definition: “Functional stylistics is a linguistic science that studies the features and patterns of language functioning in various types of speech corresponding to certain spheres of human activity and communication, as well as the speech structure of the resulting functional styles and “norms.” “selection and combination of linguistic means.”

At its core, stylistics must be consistently functional. It should reveal the connection between different types of speech with the topic, the purpose of the statement, with the conditions of communication, the addressee of the speech, and the attitude of the author to the subject of speech. The most important category of stylistics is functional styles- varieties of literary speech (literary language) serving various aspects of public life. Styles are different ways of using language when communicating.

Each style of speech is characterized by the originality of the selection of linguistic means and their unique combination with each other.

Thus, five styles of the Russian literary language are distinguished:

Colloquial;

Official business;

Scientific;

Journalistic;

Art.

Colloquial speech serves for direct communication, when we share our thoughts or feelings with others, exchange information on everyday issues. It often uses colloquial and colloquial vocabulary. The conversational style is characterized by emotion, imagery, concreteness, and simplicity of speech.

In colloquial speech, the emotionality of a statement, unlike artistic speech, is not the result of creative work or artistic mastery. She is a living reaction to events, to the actions of people around her.

Unforced communication leads to greater freedom in the choice of emotional words and expressions: colloquial words (stupid, rotozey, talking shop, giggle, cackle), colloquial words (neigh, rokhlya, aho-vy, klutz), slang words (ancestors - parents) are more widely used ).

In colloquial speech, words with evaluation suffixes, especially diminutives, are often used: candle, candle (neutral candle), window, window (neutral window), etc.

The conversational style is characterized by simple sentences, a dialogical form of speech, and addresses. The content of colloquial speech heard during direct communication is supplemented by the context of the speech. Therefore, the conversational style is characterized by incomplete sentences: they express only what complements the interlocutor’s remarks with new information that develops the topic of speech.

Example of colloquial speech: A month before leaving Moscow, we ran out of money - it was dad who was preparing for fishing... And then the fishing began. The father sat down on the shore, laid out all his belongings, lowered the fishpond into the water, threw out the fishing rods - there were no fish.

Scientific style is the style of scientific communication. Its genres are scientific articles and educational literature.

The scientific style of speech is characterized by the use of terms and abstract words; emotional vocabulary of a colloquial nature, phraseological units, etc. are completely excluded; widespread use of verbal nouns, participles and gerunds, the predominance of the genitive and nominative case of the name, verbal forms of the present tense of the 3rd person, etc.; the use of complex sentences, including multi-component ones, etc.

The main purpose of a scientific text is to describe phenomena, objects, name them and explain them. Common features of scientific style vocabulary are: the use of words in their literal meaning; lack of figurative means (epithets, metaphors, artistic comparisons, hyperboles, etc.)? extensive use of abstract vocabulary and terms. For example: The most important economic and biological characteristics of varieties are: resistance to growing conditions (climate, soil, pests and diseases), durability, transportability and storage time. (G. Fetisov)

Formal business style used for reporting, informing in an official setting (the sphere of legislation, office work, administrative and legal activities). Within the framework of this style, various documents are drawn up: laws, orders, regulations, specifications, protocols, receipts, certificates.

In an official business style there is no room for the manifestation of the author's individuality, therefore its main stylistic feature is formality and precision. Business style is characterized by special vocabulary (decree, protocol, resolution, etc.) and stable combinations (make a decision, consider invalid, should be indicated, should be kept in mind, etc.).

An example of a formal business style of speech:

SYSTEM MENU

The system menu is called up by the button located in the upper left corner of the window. The commands in this menu are standardized for all applications in the Windows environment. The system menu is available in each document window. It can be called even if the window is minimized to an icon by clicking on the icon once with the mouse button. There is also a way to open the system menu using the keyboard - using the key combination.

System menu commands are selected using the mouse, cursor keys, or by entering the underlined letters in the command name along with . (V. Pasko)

Journalistic style- this is the style of newspapers, magazines, literary critical books and articles, speeches on socio-political topics in any audience in direct contact with the addressees of the speech, as well as speeches on radio, television, etc.

The main task is to influence the listener or reader in order to motivate him (them) to action, reflection, etc. The main topics are socio-political and moral-ethical problems.

In speeches on socio-political topics there is a lot of specific vocabulary and phraseological units: society, debates, parliament, tough measures, social explosion, stand on guard, etc.

In order to influence the listener or reader in journalism, words and expressions are widely used that have a positive evaluative (valiant, wonderful, etc.) and negative evaluative connotation (false humanity, thugs, yellow press, and etc.).

The journalistic style is more free in the choice of linguistic means than the scientific and business style. In journalism, proverbs, catchphrases, phraseological units, artistic and visual means (comparisons, metaphors, etc.), colloquial vocabulary are appropriate; Interrogative (often rhetorical questions) and exclamatory sentences, appeals and other techniques are widely used.

An example of a journalistic style of speech:

Needless to say, Russia is rich in natural resources and mineral reserves—everyone knows about it. But its real wealth is people, their intelligence, knowledge and experience. Outside Russia they have long understood what the truly inexhaustible source of our wealth is. Many young scientists are still trying to go to the West. And the reason for this is not always money. Laboratories often lack the necessary equipment and working conditions. How to fix the situation? First of all, you need to learn how to correctly evaluate knowledge - as they do in all developed countries (according to V. A. Makarov)

Artistic speech- speech of fiction (prose and poetry). Artistic speech, influencing the imagination and feelings of readers, conveys the thoughts and feelings of the author, uses all the wealth of vocabulary, the possibilities of different styles, and is characterized by imagery and emotionality.

The emotionality of artistic speech differs significantly from the emotionality of colloquial and journalistic styles, primarily in that it performs an aesthetic function.

Elements of other styles easily penetrate into artistic speech if they are necessary to achieve certain goals and objectives, therefore it is distinguished by its diversity and stylistic multicolor. Thus, to recreate a historical era, writers use historicisms (or archaisms), to describe the life of people of a particular locality - dialectisms, etc.

An example of artistic speech:

“Everything you meet on Nevsky Prospekt is full of decency: men in long frock coats, with their hands in their pockets, ladies in hats. Here you will meet the only sideburns, worn with extraordinary and amazing art under a tie, sideburns velvet, satin, black, like sable or coal, but, alas, belonging only to one foreign college...

Here you will meet a wonderful mustache, not depicted by any pen, by any brush; a mustache, to which the best half of life is dedicated, is the subject of long vigils during the day and night, a mustache on which the most delicious perfumes and aromas are poured out... Thousands of varieties of hats, dresses, scarves - colorful, light, ... - will even dazzle someone on Nevsky Prospekt. (N. Gogol)

Text style is the design and purpose of speech.

There are 5 text styles in Russian:

1. scientific
2. business
3. journalistic
4. art
5. colloquial

Each style has its own canons and features and, accordingly, scope of use.

Scientific text style

You can become familiar with the scientific style by reading articles that describe phenomena, identify patterns, and make discoveries. This is the style of scientific conferences and seminars, monographs and dissertations. It is characterized by the use of precise terminology, a logical presentation of facts and conclusions that follow from research results, and the use of impersonal pronouns. Scientific style is also used in textbooks.

Business text style

Business style is used to inform. Most often used in the field of legislation, administrative and legal activities. This is the style of official documents: laws, orders, regulations, protocols. Each of the listed documents is compiled according to a specific and generally accepted cliche. The common man also uses this style more than once in his life when drawing up statements, characteristics, and submitting certificates. This style is characterized by direct word order and strict adherence to established clichés.

These two styles are not emotionally charged. Characterized by precision and dryness.

Journalistic text style

Journalistic style is the language of the media. It is used when creating a report or interview. This style is characterized by logic, emotionality and appeal. Its goal is to convey information, arouse interest in an existing problem, and influence people’s attitudes towards pressing problems of society. Indirectly, the journalistic style participates in the formation of the worldview of a large number of people.

Conversational text style

The purpose of the conversational style is direct communication. They use it to discuss pressing needs, share their feelings and thoughts in an informal setting. He is characterized by emotionality. It often contains colloquial and vernacular vocabulary. Moreover, each region has its own typical folk speech, called dialects.

Artistic style of the text

Artistic style influences us through literature. This is a style of works of art. It is characterized by richness of vocabulary, its emotionality, and the use of various artistic techniques to enhance the perception and imagination of readers (allegorical images, metaphors, hyperboles, etc.). This style is easy to understand, there are often deviations from speech norms, and foreign, outdated words are used. When reading texts of artistic style, one gets the impression of the constant presence of the author, his worries about the fate of the heroes of the work.