Projects per year
Abstract
When patterned stylistic choices are indicative of a particular way of thinking, the effect is ‘mind style’ (Fowler 1977). A classic concept in stylistics, mind style is an effect – one that has been identified and interpreted by stylisticians (e.g. Leech and Short 2007; Semino 2007, 2014; Nuttall 2018) but not investigated empirically in real readers. In an extensive qualitative and quantitative analysis of a range of contemporary fiction, Lugea (forthcoming) identifies a wide range of features that work to construct dementia mind styles. The next step in this research was to investigate if real readers’ interpretations of these features tallies with the mind style analyses.
Reporting on preliminary findings, this paper describes real readers’ engagement with dementia mind styles, as found in a series of reading groups conducted with four different kinds of participants: people living with dementia, carers, trainee social workers and the general public. We outline the methodological considerations and challenges involved in the empirical study of mind style, including the use of fictional extracts in a naturalistic setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project applies stylistics by investigating the real-world effects of literary mind styles and their capacity to facilitate personal and societal understandings of dementia.
Reporting on preliminary findings, this paper describes real readers’ engagement with dementia mind styles, as found in a series of reading groups conducted with four different kinds of participants: people living with dementia, carers, trainee social workers and the general public. We outline the methodological considerations and challenges involved in the empirical study of mind style, including the use of fictional extracts in a naturalistic setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project applies stylistics by investigating the real-world effects of literary mind styles and their capacity to facilitate personal and societal understandings of dementia.
Original language | English |
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Publication status | Published - 06 May 2021 |
Event | Applied Stylistics Symposium - Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom Duration: 06 May 2021 → 07 May 2021 https://appliedstylistics.wordpress.com |
Conference
Conference | Applied Stylistics Symposium |
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Country/Territory | United Kingdom |
City | Birmingham |
Period | 06/05/2021 → 07/05/2021 |
Internet address |
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Applied mind styles: Readers’ engagement with dementia in fictional characters'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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R1023AEL: Dementia in the minds of characters and readers
Lugea, J. (PI) & Carney, G. (CoI)
19/02/2019 → 30/06/2022
Project: Research
Activities
- 1 Invited or keynote talk at national or international conference
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Dementia Fiction Festival
Carney, G. (Chair), Lugea, J. (Keynote speaker), Carson, J. (Organiser) & Devine, P. (Contributor)
15 Sept 2021 → 16 Sept 2021Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited or keynote talk at national or international conference