Stylistics of language and speech

One of the fundamental concepts of linguistics is the dichotomy of "language and speech" introduced by Ferdinand de Saussure. According to it language is a system of phonemes, morphemes, words, word combinations, utterances and combinations of utterances. Language is a mentally organized system (it exists in human mind only) of linguistic units which can be systematised into paradigms. When we use these units we mix them in acts of speech. Speech is a process of combining these linguistic elements into linear linguistic units called syntagmatic units. “Syntagmatic” means a coherent (связный) sequence of words.

Stylistics is a branch of linguistics that deals with texts. Within these texts elements stylistically relevant are studied both syntagmatically and paradigmatically.

The Stylistics of language analyses permanent properties of language elements.

The Stylistics of speech studies stylistic properties which appear in a context.

So Stylistics of language describes and classifies the inherentstylistic colouring of language units. Stylistics of speech studies the arrangement, selection and distribution of different words and their adherent qualities.

For example: толмач, штудировать, соизволять, prevaricate (увиливать), comprehend, lass are bookish or archaic. These are their inherent properties. The unexpected use of any of these words in a modern context gives them an adherent stylistic property.