On Some Stylistic Peculiarities of Science Fiction

Abstract

In examining SF it is essential to begin with the specifically stylistic dimension of it. Style is widely taken to be a privileged category in the analysis of any literary kind, a kind of touchstone of the literary itself and it is especially relevant to the study of SF – a modern, non-traditional language phenomenon. Viewed in the light of this attitude and the belief underlying this stance, it should be mentioned that SF style, conditioned by the ontological juxtaposition of factitiousness and fictitiousness, implies plentiful use of “real” and invented technical terms, a host of invented present or future scientific jargon, a whole series of neologisms and coinages, fantastic literalized or non-literalized metaphors, and many other linguistic and stylistic means. My assertion will be that science fictional style is largely self-contained as certain stylistic means tend to occur in no other discourse or genre.