Over stijl.

Abstract

n this paper we explore the possibility of analysing style in literature in a scientifically sound manner, one that may justifiably claim more than subjective validity for the analyses produced. In our view, it is especially the combination of literary and linguistic expertise that holds good prospects in this regard. After a discussion of the reasons why such a combined effort, despite an apparently promising attempt, never really got off the ground in 20th century "Netherlandic Studies", we give a demonstration of viable literary stylistics as we see it, inspired by an approach (developed by Leech and Short) that did achieve a status as a tradition in the English-speaking world. We analyse the style of two fragments from Dutch novelists (Van der Heijden and Voskuil), as well as a pastiche of Voskuil, in a contrastive manner. Finally, we sketch a few ways - some connected directly to the demonstration, some more programmatically - in which the disciplines of literary and linguistic studies may both profit from cooperation in the area of literary stylistics.