The ability to determine the style of the text is the first level of mastering the style, the initial stage of mastering the concept of style.
Style is a speech concept, but it can only be correctly defined if you go beyond the border of the language system, taking into account circumstances such as speech problems, the sphere of communication. Given these factors, certain functional styles of the Russian language are formed.
Each of us in his life uses various functional types of speech. As a result of this, the principles of selecting language tools are formed in the minds of people in accordance with the conditions and tasks of communication, leading style trends and internal attitudes towards the use of certain language units are emerging .
Style stratification of speech begins with a distinction between the most contrasting types. Such, without a doubt, are the conversational type of speech, the core of which is the conversational style, and the opposing literary type of speech, combining all the other functional styles of the Russian language (artistic, scientific, journalistic, official-business). This distinction is based on several factors, of which the main one is communication. The sphere of individual consciousness forms a conversational style, and the sphere of public consciousness forms the functional styles of the Russian literary language.
The differences between colloquial and literary speech are largely determined by its form, oral or written. Although all functional styles of the Russian language can be implemented in one form or another of speech, the probability of these implementations in different forms is different. For all literary styles, written language is more often used, for conversational - oral. The usual form of communication leaves its mark on the structure of style. For a better understanding of the specifics, a system of functional styles of the Russian language has been developed.
1. Conversational - used in an informal atmosphere, one on one for the purpose of communication (talk). Key features: vagueness, ease.
2. Scientific - used in an official setting, assumes a large audience. The purpose of speech is communication (explain). Key features: consistency, accuracy, abstractness.
3. Formal business - used in a formal setting, assumes a large audience. The purpose of the speech is a message (instruct). Key features: dispassion, accuracy, formality.
4. Journalistic - used in an official setting, assumes the presence of a large audience. The purpose of speech is impact (persuade). Key features: emotionality, appeal.
5. Artistic - used in an official setting, it implies the presence of a large audience. The purpose of speech is the impact (portray). Key features: emotionality, imagery, logic.
Some features of the communication situation are common to formal business, artistic, journalistic styles: these functional styles of the Russian language are used when addressing many people at once, usually in an official setting and mainly in writing. Therefore, these four styles make up the literary (book) type of speech. He is opposed to the colloquial type (colloquial style), which is used in communication with one or more familiar people, in a relaxed, informal atmosphere and mainly in oral form.
The system reveals the dependence of the type and functional style of speech on the characteristics of the speech situation; it helps to understand why the functional styles of the literary Russian language have these or those features. On its basis, it is easy to write a description of the functional style of speech (model of style), including four main features in it: the scope of the utterance, the task of speech, language tools, style features.