ABSTRACT
Linguistic stylistic analysis of the language of poets investigates the
use of language in literature especially poetry and distinguishes it from other
genres of literature and non literary texts. It helps us to identify the
uniqueness and the peculiarities of the individual poet, under study, as
different from others.
The stylistic study of the language used by poets carried out in this
research has shown that the poets under study use language in a unique way
different from other users of language. It is found out that poetry is
stylistically different from other genres of literature. And that poetry is
unique from other kinds of writing because of the poetic license which enables poets
to use language in their own way which violates the conventions of language.
In sum, poets communicate political and moral messages which either
affects them personally or the society at large in a unique way.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgements iv
Abstract v
CHAPTER ONE
Background to study 1
Aim of study 5
Objectives of study 5
Statements of the problems 6
Research Hypotheses 6
Scope of study 7
Limitation of study 8
CHAPTER TWO
Review of Related Literature 9
Definition of Language 10
Origin of language 12
Sound of nature 13
Yo-he-ho-theory 14
The la-la theory 14
Glosso-Genetis theory 14
Characteristic of human language 15
Functions of language 18
The roles of language in communication 19
Style and stylistic 20
CHAPTER THREE:
Methodology
Introduction 24
Theoretical Framework 24
Methodology 27
Method of data collection 28
Method of data analysis 28
CHAPTER FOUR:
Data presentation And Analysis
Introduction 30
Wole Soyinka's Telephone
Conversation' 30
Oswald Mbutiseni Mtshali's Nightfall in Soweto 31
Data Presentation 31
Graph logical analysis 35
Lexicon – Semantic 43
CHAPTER FIVE:
Summary 48
Conclusion 49
Findings 50
Recommendations 51
REFERENCE
52
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE
STUDY
The link between
literary studies and linguistics is language. It is the process through Which
the thought and intension of a writer or a speaker is conveyed to the reader or
Listener. The beauty of any writing is the ability of the writer to effectively
employ Language to construct meaning. Linguistics is the study of language in
general and of a particular structure. It is also a scientific study of
language meanings.
Language
functions to express moods and emotions of the individual. Language is
inseparable from human beings; that is human beings cannot survive without language.
The reason is that in all our activities, we employ language overtly or
covertly. The transmission of shared knowledge; customs and beliefs, feelings,
ideals and attitude would be practically impossible without language. It is one
of the closest things to man and very fundamental to his self-fulfillment; that
is, it is the most important part of a total system of human behavior in
society.
On other hand, language
has been defined: fractionally as a means of communicating ideas; emotions, and
desire by means of a system of voluntarily produced symbols. It is a variety of
speech or body of words and a mode of expressing thought and feelings of the
society or an individual. Language is the most effective means of dissemination
of information .
Writers do not
just disseminate information any how but in an appropriate way based on the
genre of the discourse. A writer must use a language to communicate his view to
the society before his meaning can be deducted. And since there is no meaning without
communication, communication is a central and fundamental aspect of all human
interaction. Though communication is an individual dissemination of both
written and spoken information, every human being communicates with another in
a speech community. Literature mirrors life. It employs the imagination and the
resources of language to present important facts of life. It is the use of words
to create an illusion of life.
In sum, the use
of language provides the rules while literature expands the rules to produce
the best expressions in the language. It is the creative and stylistics way of
using language that makes it different from other discourses. Poetry as one of
the genres of literature explores language in unique way that differentiates it
from other genres such as prose and drama. It is a spontaneous overflow of
powerful feelings recollected in tranquility. Poetry uses elevated and
pleasurable language in a unique way. Webster's dictionary defines a poem as
"An
arrangement of words in verse, especially rhythmical composition of ideas,
emotions in a style more concentrated, imaginative' and powerful than
ordinary speech."
It springs from
deep human impulses and fulfill human needs (Warren, 1986: 2-3). Poetry is
deeply involved in the expression of emotion such as love, hate, pain, joy,
grief etc All these feelings and more can be communicated to the
reader/audience by proper choice of words - language which includes style and
stylistics.
The choice of
language use in poetry to convey the idea of the poet is of great importance.
The diction carries metaphorical meaning through the creative use of language.
The poet carefully selects his words that contain concrete meanings that needed
to be broken down to readers to understand. These words are syntactically
arranged to achieve stylistic effects. The stylistic effects of the poetic
language indicate the peculiarity of how they are used by poets. Poets enjoy
language immunity to do harm to normal grammatical structure so as to project
certain ideas, beautify language or generate new expressions that will jolt us
out of our mental stupor. This immunity is called "poetic license".
It enables them to use language in their own way - customized or specialized
manner.
Stylistic
analysis aims at giving objective account of how language is used in a literacy
piece. It provides a close analysis for the purpose of understanding the
possible meanings in a work of art. Stylistics is the bridge between language
and literature (Leech. 1969). It is s systematic way of exploring literary
texts. It looks at the language of texts and tries to explain how that language
gives meaning, style and effects to the texts. It is the study of the variation
in language style that is dependent on the situation in which the language is
used, and also on the effect the writer or speaker wishes to create on the
readers or hearers. On the other hand, stylistic sometimes include
investigations of spoken language in a literary work and choice that are
available to a writer. Stylistics is the study of style. Style is a manner of
language used by poet. Style in a work of art therefore is the choice of
dictions or words. The style is simply identified as the peculiar way an
individual uses language to covey meaning.
Poets, can use
language in different ways which include praises, poetry (that show attributes
and appellation), epic (which narrates historical events)" ode (which appreciates
nature and natural objects), dirge (which laments the death of beloved one in
mourning), elegy (which expresses complaints about love) and satire (which is a
sarcastic poem that ridicules people or institutions and vices going on in the
society). Each of these forms of poetry
uses language in their peculiar ways that enables it pass the message across
effectively.
This study is
the stylistic variation of the language use by Wole Soyinka and Oswald
Mbuyiseni Mtshali carry out this study on the stylistic variation of the
language use in expressing their feelings to the society. Wole Soyinka's
variation of language to express how disappointed he was by the racial
prejudice of the whites in Britain where he has gone in search of the Golden
Fleece. Also, Oswald Mtshali expresses the opposition of the African to the
white man's expressions.
Language may
refer either specifically to human capacity for acquiring and using complex
system of communication or to a specific instance of such a complex system of
signs for encoding and decoding information. The human language faculty is
thought to be fundamentally different and of much higher complexity from those
of other creatures. Human language is highly complex in that it is based on a
set of rules relating to symbols for their meanings.
Graghological
effect of language which is the physical features that shows strangeness in the
use of language and the features such as capitalization, spelling, punctuation
and arrangement of verses and stanzas, italicization, indentation and other
relevant features are studied in this research. The aim of this study therefore
is to find out how language use in literature with particular reference to
poetry helps in conveying meaning/creating effect.
AIM
OF THE STUDY
The aim of this
study is to investigate how poets to communicate ideas, emotions and feelings
to the reader or listener use language.
OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
(1) The primary objective of the
study is to find out the relationship between "language and how it is used
as it relates to poetry.
(2) The study also seeks to know
how the graghological and lexical analysis of language used by poets has
significant role to play in the communication of meaning.
(3) It is also set to establish
that language is extremely important in all human endeavors based on how it is
used.
(4) The study will take a close
look at how poetry uses language in a specialized way to convey meaning.
(5) It will determine the link between language
and poetry.
STATEMENT
OF PROBLEMS
Literature is
divided into three major genres namely drama, poetry and prose. Each of the
three genres bas its peculiar features. While drama and prose can be said to be
written in simple language that can be easily understood, poetry is not. It is
rather written in an elevated/embellished language. This makes it more
difficult for ordinary minded person to fully grasp or comprehend the message
of the poet at first reading.
This study therefore aims at analyzing
the styles of the language used by poets under study as guide in making poetic
works more comprehensible to reader especially the ordinary minded one.
RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
Research
hypothetical statements made in this study stand as our assumptions. These
assumptions are in agreement with our objectives .
Is there any
specific ways in which poets use language?
To what extent
do poets communicate their message and meanings in a unique way?
To what extent
is poetry unique from other literary genres?
To what extent
does a poet explore his own style?
To what extent
do poets use language to differentiate their writings from other forms of
literature?
SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The purpose of
the study is to expose readers particularly the young ones to the nitty gritty
of reading, understanding and actually enjoying poetry.
This study also
aims at disabusing the minds of literature students of the age long belief that
poetry is "acidic" and thus a no go area.
It is also aimed
at equipping students with the knowledge of style and stylistics which will
show them the hidden joys that poetry can give.
SCOPE
OF STUDY
The research
will cover the study of stylistic use of language, which is carried out on the
selected poems from Wole Soyinka's Telephone Conversation and Oswald
Mbuyiseni Mtshali's Nightfall in Soweto. The study will cover the
graphological and lexical analysis alone on the selected poems to show the
physical features of the lexical items in the poems.
LIMITATIONS
OF STUDY
The study would
have taken a broader dimension if not for time limit. I would have loved to
travel to places of domain of the poets to meet them one on one and get exactly
their feelings as they write the poems. But this is impossible because of
financial constraints. And also being a first degree project, I am not allowed
to bite more that I can chew so as to be able to do a thorough job.
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