Style in Language

The study of literary style is often regarded as the exclusive province of the literary critic; yet, since verbal and literary expressions are types of "behavior" involving the use of linguistic forms in a cultural context, it is apparent that the linguist, the psychologist, and the anthropologist are also concerned with aspects of verbal and literary style. The question then Will interaction between these diverse disciplines result in a clearer understanding of the nature and characteristics of style and the literary process? Style in Language addresses itself to precisely this question.This is the first systematic attempt to bring the resources of six different disciplines – anthropology, folklore, linguistics, literary criticism, philosophy, and psychology – to bear on such elusive concepts as "style," "literature," and "poetic language."-excerpt from back cover of pp ed