Cheatsheet: Stylistics
Stylistics
Syntactic Devices
| Point | Rule | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address | anywhere in the sentence, between commas | Прочита́йте, Ві́кторе, цю кни́жку. | Please, Viktor, read this book. |
| Ellipsis | an answer keeps only what is new | Щасли́вої доро́ги! — Дя́кую, і вам. | Have a good trip! — Thank you, you too. |
| Repetition | a doubled question word asks again | Окса́на ви́грала олімпіа́ду! — Хто-хто? | Oksana won the olympiad! — Who did you say? |
| Comparative | ніж, за or від | Окса́на моло́дша, ніж я. / Окса́на моло́дша за мене́. / Окса́на моло́дша від мене́. | Oksana is younger than I am. / Oksana is younger than me. / Oksana is younger than me. |
| Figurative comparison | як or мов and an image | Вода́ чи́ста, як сльоза́. | The water is clear as a tear. |
| Clarifying element | an apposition stands in the same case | Мій брат, лі́кар, живе́ в Оде́сі. | My brother, a doctor, lives in Odesa. |
| C1Rhetorical question | the answer is obvious, and nobody waits for it | Хто ж не лю́бить рі́дне мі́сто? | Who doesn't love their hometown? |
| C1Text | a question opens, repetition stresses | Що ми зна́ємо про рі́дне мі́сто? | What do we know about our hometown? |
| C2Address | the adjective is in the nominative, the noun in the vocative | Шано́вний па́не го́лово! | Dear Mr Chairman! |
| C2Confirmation question | чи не так after a statement | Ми всі хо́чемо ми́ру, чи не так?.. | We all want peace, don't we?.. |
| Trap | від takes the genitive | Окса́на моло́дша від мене́. | Oksana is younger than me. |
| C2Trap | a dash stands in place of the omitted verb | Я люблю́ я́блука, а Макси́м — гру́ші. | I like apples, and Maksym, pears. |
Styles of Language
| Point | Rule | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conversational | diminutive forms, ellipsis | Дай, бабу́сю, води́чки! | Grandma, give me a little water! |
| Official | formulas, nouns, infinitive as a command | Пода́ти докуме́нти до пе́ршого ве́ресня. | Submit the documents by 1 September. |
| Scientific | terms and passive participles | Отри́маний розчи́н нагрі́ли до со́рока гра́дусів. | The solution obtained was heated to forty degrees. |
| Journalistic | rhetorical questions, evaluative epithets | Чому́ мі́сто так до́вго мовчи́ть про цю пробле́му? | Why has the city been silent about this problem for so long? |
| Literary | tropes and inversion | Реве́ та стогне́ Дніпр широ́кий. | The broad Dnipro roars and groans. |
| Religious | vocative and old forms | Благослови́, Го́споди, на́шу зе́млю. | Bless our land, O Lord. |
| Epistolary | Ви capitalised, greeting and closing formulas | Сподіва́юся на Ва́шу ві́дповідь. | I look forward to your reply. |
| Text plan | introduction, main part, conclusion | Чи гото́ве мі́сто до зими́? | Is the city ready for winter? |
| C2Stylistically coloured vocabulary | neutral, obsolete, dialect and occupational words | говори́ти ≠ просторі́кувати | to speak ≠ to hold forth |
| C2Changing the style | the passive becomes active, formulas disappear | Ми нагрі́ли розчи́н до со́рока гра́дусів. | We heated the solution to forty degrees. |
| C2Abstract | set phrases about the content and the author's view | У статті́ йде́ться про вплив му́зики на на́стрій. | The article is about the influence of music on mood. |
| C2Trap | згі́дно з takes the instrumental | Згі́дно з нака́зом відпу́стка почина́ється в ли́пні. | According to the order, the leave begins in July. |