C. My beloved parent has joined the heavenly choir

My dear father has passed away.

My father has died.

My old man has kicked the bucket.

D. The old man is dead.

The gentleman well advanced in years attained the termination of his terrestrial existence.

The old bean he kicked the bucket.

Старик умер.

Старец скончался.

Старый хрыч подох.

Старый хрыч сыграл в ящик.

[The assumption, however, that the idea expressed by two or more synonyms remains the same, is utterly wrong. Whenever the form changes, the content (and along with it its stylistic value) is bound to change, too]

The origin of the terms “style” and “stylistics”.

Stylistics, as the term implies, deals with style. The original meaning of “style” was a writing implement. It was a short stick used by the Romans for writing on wax tablets. But already in classical Latin the word acquired a terminological tint, it came to denote one’s way of expressing oneself. In French the word acquired an evaluative tint, it came to denote a good way of expressing oneself.

Today the word “style” has a very broad meaning. We speak of style in architecture, painting, clothes, behaviour, work and so on. In fact style can be applied to any kind of human activity that may be performed in more than one way, and also to the result of such activity.

It should be pointed out, however, that our choice of different ways to achieve a goal is limited: all kinds of human activities and behaviour represent a complex interrelation of freedom and restrictions.

E.g. in our choice of clothes: we do not think merely of keeping warm or cold but in doing so within the conventions of our society.

With our language habits also, then, we must always be sensitive to our environment and use the “accepted” forms of English (Russian) just as we eat and dress in the “accepted” ways.

The word “stylistics”, however, is a newcomer to the English vocabulary: acc. to the Oxford English Dictionary it was recorded for the first time only in 1882 meaning “the science of literary style, the study of stylistic features.”

Stylistics is the most direct heir of rhetoric, the art of composition and delivery of speeches.