Microsoft Word Seminars on stylistics

Task 3. Point out antithesis. Characterize stylistic oppositions 
in antithesis. Define the function of antithesis in emotive prose:
 
1.
…something significant may come out at last, which may be criminal or 
heroic, may be madness or wisdom. (J. Conrad) 
2.
Mrs. Nork had a large home and a small husband. (S. Lewis) 
3.
It is safer to be married to the man you can be happy with than to the man 
you cannot be happy without. (Y. Esar) 
4.
In marriage the upkeep of woman is often than the downfall of man.
(Y. Esar) 
5.
A saint abroad, and a devil at home. (J. Bunyan) 
6.
… in that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts. 
Bring sad thoughts to the mind. (Wordswort) 
7.
The smells of life and richness, the death and digestion, of decay and 
birth, burden the air. (Steinbeck) 

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The stylistic functions of ellipsis 
To add emotional colouring 
To underline the most important information 
of the utterance 
To make the sentence laconic and prominent 
Ellipsis 
 
e.g.:
“I’ll see nobody for half an hour, Marcey”, - said the boss, 
“Understand? Nobody at all.” (Mansfield) 
 
Ellipsis
is the basis of the so-called 
telegraphic style, 
in which connectives 
and redundant words are left out. In the early twenties British railways had an 
inscription over luggage racks in the carriages: "The use of this rack for heavy and 
bulky packages involves risk of injury to passengers and is prohibited." Forty years 
later it was reduced to the elliptical: "For light articles only." The same progress 
from full completed messages to clipped phrases was made in drivers' directions: 
"Please drive slowly" "Drive slowly" "Slow".