Types of language use: A notion relevant to the writing of literary history?

Abstract

The paper pursues a line of thought as to possible contributions of semiotics and linguistics to the writing of literary history. Independent of the present discussion, a distinction of five (or six) types of language use has been suggested: Conversation, narration, recitation, teaching of language (particularly in a classroom context), inscription (and, possibly, soliloquy). These types are briefly delineated and some arguments for distinguishing them are presented. Of the six types listed three types — narration, recitation and inscription — bear special relevance to the history of literature. Those three types intersect with literature each in different ways and the intersections are not identical with the ones between literature and the oral and written manifestations of language. After a basic pragmatic characterization of the various types some uses of recitation and narration are characterized with regard to specific linguistic properties. It is suggested that such differentiating linguistic properties play a role in historical developments of literature, particularly with regard to boundaries of literature and boundaries of types of language use. Drama and its modern development is singled out as a particular striking example. That trend in modern drama which most closely corresponds to conversation is viewed as a particular instance of developments in recitation as a mode of literature.