Comparison and other “Modes of Order” in the plays of Bernard Shaw

Authors

  • Gustavo A. Rodríguez Martín
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/ijes/2012/2/161801
Keywords: Bernard Shaw, drama, stylistics, corpus stylistics, syntax

Abstract

Bernard Shaw is widely regarded as one of the most important playwrights in the English language, ranking often second only to Shakespeare. This literary prominence, however, is not matched by a significant number of stylistic analyses, much more so in the case of linguistically-oriented ones. One of the few studies in Shaviana with a clear stylistic approach is Ohmann’s (1962) monograph. However, it focuses on Shaw’s non-dramatic writings and, due to its publication date, it does not utilize software tools for corpus stylistics. The purpose of this paper is to analyze Bernard Shaw’s use of certain comparative structures in his dramatic writings (what Ohmann calls ‘Modes of Order’ in his book) with the aid of the technical and methodological advances of computer-based stylistics, thus utilizing an innovative outlook because of the combination of stylistics and corpora research.

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Author Biography

Gustavo A. Rodríguez Martín

Gustavo A. Rodríguez Martín holds a PhD in English from the Universidad de Extremadura, where he collaborates in a research group. He has lectured English language and literature extensively both at secondary school and high school levels. He is the author of a number of essays in journals such as Paremia or The Annual of Bernard Shaw Studies, and he frequently delivers papers at different national and international conferences. His research interests include phraseology, stylistics, and translation. He is a member of the International Association of Paremiology and the International Shaw Society.
Published
01-12-2012
How to Cite
Rodríguez Martín, G. A. (2012). Comparison and other “Modes of Order” in the plays of Bernard Shaw. International Journal of English Studies, 12(2), 151–169. https://doi.org/10.6018/ijes/2012/2/161801