stylistics joanna thornborrow and shan wareing , patterns in language an introduction to language and literary style patterns in language addresses the real needs of students who may not have an extensive background either in traditional literature or in linguistic theory . this student-friendly textbook uses the principles of linguistic analysis to investigate the aesthetic use of language in literary ( and non-literary ) texts . written in straightforward , accessible language with imaginative examples and a humorous tone , it shows how linguistic knowledge can enhance and enrich the analysis of texts . the authors borrow from traditional stylistics , but focus primarily on the recurring linguistic patterns which are used by writers of poetry , fiction and drama . the authors draw on a wide variety of textual sources to illustrate their observations , making reference to both canonical literature and modern literary texts , as well as to popular fiction , television and the language of advertising . exercises designed to develop the students ' understanding of the material are provided at every stage , and sample answers are also included . interface routledge : 1998 : 280 pp cl : 0 415 14063 3 : # d5081 : $ 65 . 00 pb : 0 415 14064 1 : # d5085 : $ 20 . 99 jonathan culpepper , peter verdonk , and mick short , eds . , exploring the language of drama from text to context focusing on the characterization of speech as a form of action , exploring the language of drama introduces students to the stylistic analysis of drama . here , some of the world 's leading scholars demonstrate the importance of analyzing the text of drama rather than focusing on performance , presenting their approaches in an engaging and accessible style . the essays employ techniques from language analysis ( specifically discourse analysis , cognitive linguistics and pragmatic ) to explore the language of plays , looking at how different theories and approaches can be used to help us understand characterization in dialogue , the cognitive patterns that support the narrative and discourse of drama , and the basic mechanisms of conversation in dramatic dialogue . each chapter ends in a summary with follow-up exercises , and offers practical advice on how to analyze a play extract and write it up as an assignment . interface routledge : 1998 : 192 pp cl : 0 415 13794 2 : # d5353 : $ 65 . 00 pb : 0 415 13795 0 : # d5357 : $ 20 . 99