Language in Literature

<p>An activity-based introduction to stylistics this textbook explains some of the topics in literary linguistics and helps students in analysing written texts. How can you tell good writing - the excellent the brilliant and the ingenious - from bad writing - the weak the banal and the confusing? By looking at the technique and the craft of writing <em>Language in Literature</em> examines the ways in which language is organised to create particular meanings or effects. Covering a range of topics - naming patterns modality and evaluation the structure of simple narratives the recording of character speech and thought the dynamics of dialogue presuppositions and textual revision - the book presents the structuring principles within the English language. Activities and end-of-chapter commentaries encourage a 'learning by doing' approach and equips the reader with the main linguistic terms necessary for the analysis of literary and non-literary texts.</p>