1. IS THERE A LITERARY LANGUAGE?
Stylisticians would say no- no language is inherently or exclusively literary.
But literature
Offers chance to study language at its out of the ordinary, an embodiment of the creative spirit
Specific forms eg sonnets, the novel, the alliterative style of the anglo-saxon poem
** are there merely representatives of specific codes and which are evolutionally?
Is the question of a literary language, necessary then?

2. THE LITERARY LANGUAGE ISSUE: THE OBJECTIONS
Paul Simpson’s arguments why literary language is not special
Language of literature is drawn from the same language people in ordinary every day experiences borrow from. Stylistics is about what writers do with and through language
To claim a literary language with special features would be to codify it and make it a register with its special characteristics- systematize it. Originality then would be lost. A writer has to “speak it” to qualify
If its special, then it would be taken away from stylistics- the objective tools of analysis would not apply. F.W Bateson’s remark “The mechanical procedure of the stylistician is no match for the sensitivity of the critic

3. Exercise Read the poem and answer the following questions:
How many speakers are there in the poem and how can we work this out from the poem?
What sort of vocabulary is used by the poet? That is, is it modern or archaic, formal or conversational?
Can you identify a ryhme scheme in the poem? If so what sort of scheme is it?
Can you spot any marked or unusual features of grammar in the poem?

4. ONE PERFECT ROSE One Perfect Rose
A single flow'r he sent me, since we met. All tenderly his messenger he chose; Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet - One perfect rose. I knew the language of the floweret; 'My fragile leaves,' it said, 'his heart enclose.' Love long has taken for his amulet One perfect rose. Why is it no one ever sent me yet One perfect limousine, do you suppose? Ah no, it's always just my luck to get One perfect rose.
Dorothy Parker

5. OBSERVATIONS One speaker- mainly Archaisms in flow’r, floweret
Inverted clause structures with subject at the end eg “all tenderly….he chose”
Abab ryhme pattern even with trisy-llabic words
Symbol of the rose etc
Shift in last stanza to modern English and also introduction of a sense of contradiction, reversal or message( from wow to ah?)- comic twist encoded in play with modern and old English
Introduction of an informal register of discourse
Subject restored to its formal positioning

6. LITERARY LANGUAGE?
Stylistics not amenable to the view that literary language is special
Stylistics see texts in the context of its other stylistic possibilities
Literary language is not outside the boundaries of the overall language system.
Better to think of literariness as a question of language in use as opposed to language in isolation- eg the rose assumes different meanings in this poem as opposed to the same in isolation.
Literariness then becomes not just a feature of literature but anywhere where language is used/ creatively/

7. STYLE, REGISTER AND DIALECT
Introduction:
When speakers switch between languages, that is known as code-switching.
When the switching takes place within the same language (intra-lingual variation) it encompasses the following:
Idiolect
Accents and dialects
Register
Antilanguage

8. IDIOLECT Individual linguistic mannerisms and stylisitc idiosyncracies
Individual’s special unique style
THINK: Compare P. Lumumba, Raila Odinga and Kibaki- supposed you told them to deliver a message on TV calling for Unity?
Task: Construct a sentence for each one of them

9. ACCENTS AND DIALECTS Influenced by the following:
Regional origins
Social economic background
Dialects are distinguished by patterns in grammar and vocabulary.
Eg Nyeri and Murang’a Kikuyu
Use of double negatives acceptable in Nyeri, not in murang’a
To hold a baby: kunyita vs kugwata
Greetings- hierarchized in Nyeri by age and gender, in Muranga “how are you” is ok for everyone!!
Yorkshire- “hi ya” for how are you? “A i t” for “alright”
Accents are distinguished through patterns of pronunciations- see wahome mutahi articles “ngoat” for goat, park and bark- ask a Luhyia to say the words, uncle- ankle-angle etc
See extract from Yvone Awuor.

10. REGISTER Determined by the use to which language is put to.
Usually discussed in terms of three features of context:
Field> setting and purpose of interaction
Tenor>Relationship between the participants in the interaction
Mode> medium of communication: written vs spoken

11. ANTILANGUAGE
Defined as semi-secretive languages born out of subcultures and alternative societies- does Sheng qualify?
Usually the language of ‘anti-societies’ or societies established as alternatives to mainstream society.
Relexicalisation characteristic of this language- words are given new meaning and new words invented to mean for alternative behaviour: drugs, sex, certain criminal activities, police, teachers etc

12. EXAMPLES Earthwire Neck tie Mathree, mat, jive, jav, buu Matatu
Punch, jirongo Five hundred shillings
Mbao, blue Twenty shillings
Pack Live (somewhere)