PROBLEMS OF DESCRIPTION OF STYLE OF TEXTS BY NIGERIAN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF ENGLISH AND LITERATURE  

• Adegoke, T,J, Ph.D

  Adeyemi Federal University of Education Ondo

  Author

• Akamo O. Princewill, Ph.D

  Author

This study examines the problems of description of style of texts by Nigerian undergraduate students. Responses of students to stylistics questions over the years have revealed that the students very often substitute literary appreciation for stylistic analysis. Among the problems identified are: (1) lack of exposure to linguistic and stylistic categories used in style description/interpretation (ii) gross incompetence in the use of English (iii) poor knowledge of Grammar of English. The study therefore concludes that for any meaningful stylistic analysis to be carried out by the Nigerian undergraduates, the students must learn the linguistic and stylistic categories used is stylistic analysis. The students must also be well-groomed in English grammar. The students must be exposed to the fundamentals of stylistics at the upper secondary schools.

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