Lecture 5 Functional Styles of the English Language Plan

Scientific style
is employed in professional communication. Its most 
conspicuous feature is the abundance of terms denoting objects, phenomena and 
processes characteristic of some particular field of science and technique. Scientific 
style is also known for its precision, clarity and logical cohesion which is responsible 
for the repeated use of such clichés as: “Proceeding from...”; “As it was said 
above...”; “In connection with..” and other lexico-syntactical forms emphasizing the 
logical connection and interdependence of consecutive parts of the discourse. 
Characteristic features of the style: 
1 
The aim 
To create new concepts, disclose the international laws of 
existence and development. 
2 
Peculiar 
features 
Objectiveness 
Logical coherence
Impersonality
Unemotional character 
Exactness
3 
Grammatical
and 
morphological 
features 
Passive voice is predominant in exact sciences and in 
humanities more emotionally colored words, fewer 
passive constructions are employed.
4 
Syntactical 
features
The parallel arrangement of sentences contributes to 
emphasizing certain points in the utterance. Use of foot-
notes helps to preserve the logical coherence of ideas. 
5 
Vocabulary 
The use of terms and words used to express a specialized 
concept in a given branch of science. The scientific prose 
style consists mostly of ordinary words which tend to be 
used in their primary logical meaning. 
6
Substyles 
Humanitarian sciences 
Exact sciences 
Popular scientific prose 
 
Official style,
or the style of official documents, is the most conservative one. It 

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preserves cast-iron forms of structuring and uses syntactical constructions and words 
long known as archaic and not observed anywhere else. Addressing documents and 
official letters, signing them, expressing the reasons and considerations leading to 
the subject of the document (letter) — all this is strictly regulated both lexically and 
syntactically. All emotiveness and subjective modality are completely banned out of 
this style.