Rhetoric Review Apr 2016

A Sociocultural Approach to Style

Andrea R. Olinger University of Louisville Hospital

Abstract

Common definitions of style have tended to treat it as an artifact controlled by the producer, overlooking two features afforded attention in sociocultural linguistics: dynamism and co-construction. Although some scholars have highlighted style’s interactivity, their accounts have not yielded a comprehensive theory. This essay advances and illustrates a more rigorous definition of style as a fluid activity in which meaning is often contested, continually negotiated, and necessarily informed by interlocutors’ beliefs. Ultimately, in integrating and expanding on theories of style’s interactivity and contingency, it provides guidance for style researchers and demonstrates the value of cross-disciplinary conversation around style.

Journal
Rhetoric Review
Published
2016-04-02
DOI
10.1080/07350198.2016.1142930
Open Access
Closed
Topics
voice and style

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

  1. Walker (2025)
    Machine Learning’s Unintended Curriculum: The Impact of Large Language Models o…
    College English
  2. Karsten (2024)
    Voices in Dialogue: Taking Polyphony in Academic Writing Seriously
    Written Communication
  3. Olinger (2020)
    Visual Embodied Actions in Interview-Based Writing Research: A Methodological A…
    Written Communication

Cites in this index (2)

  1. Olinger (2014)
    On the Instability of Disciplinary Style: Common and Conflicting Metaphors and …
    Research in the Teaching of English
  2. Davila (2012)
    Indexicality and “Standard” Edited American English
    Written Communication
Also cites 19 works outside this index ↓
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CrossRef global citation count: 8 View in citation network →

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