Introduction

Question 1

Literary Theories
Definition of ‘literature’

Answer 1

• broad vs. narrow
• normative vs. descriptive
• extrinsic vs. intrinsic

Question 2

literary communication system

Answer 2

Sender/Author -> Message/Code/Literary
Text-> Receiver/Reader

Question 3

the 6 functions of language

Answer 3

• emotive (addresser) - state something “wow!”
• conative (addressee) - motivate to do something “go away!”
• phatic (medium of contact) - establishing communication “Hello? Can your hear me?”
• poetic (message) - focus on the message “Black and white”
• metalingual (code) - language can be (non-) verbal expressive “An apple is a fruit”
• referential (context/subject) “the earth is round”

Question 4

Literal vs. Figurative

Answer 4

literal: actual example

figurative: metaphorical example to show your meaning

Question 5

Denotative vs. Connotative

Answer 5

denotation: actual meaning of the word
connotation: the association made with the word

Example: snake
denotation: snake (meaning of the word)
connotation: devil/poisonous

Question 6

Intertextuality

Answer 6

interconnectiveness of texts
- complex

Question 7

Literary Periods according to Nünning (11)

Answer 7

500-1150 Old English Period
1150-1500 Middle English Period
1500-1649 Renaissance
1649-1660 Commonwealth
1660- 1700 Restoration
1700-1780 Neo-Classicism and Enlightenment
1780-1837 Romantic Period
1837-1901 Victorian Period
1901-1914 Edwardian Period
1914-1945 Modernism
since 1945 Post-War and Postmodernism

Question 8

(Literary) History
43, 1066, 1215, 1558, 1588

Answer 8

43 - Roman Conquest
1066 - Norman Conquest
1215 - First Constitution
1558 - Elizabethan Age begins
1588 - Defeat of the Spanish

Question 9

(Literary) History
1603, 1620, 1642, 1688, 1707

Answer 9

1603 - James I becomes King
1620 - Mayflower arrives in America
1642 - First English Civil War
1688 - Glorious Revolution
1707 - England & Scotland united

Question 10

(Literary) History
1745, 1776, 1805, 1812, 1815, 1832

Answer 10

1745 > Second Jacobite rebellion
1776 > Declaration of the Independence
1805 > Battle of Trafalgar
1812 > British-american war (over power of North American continent)
1815 > Battle of Waterloo (Victory over Napoleon)
1832 > Reform Act

Question 11

(Literary) History
1837, 1851, 1901, 1917, 1947

Answer 11

1837 > Victorian Age begins
1851 > Great Exhibition
1901 > Queen Victoria dies
1917 > US joins WW1
1947 > Indian Independence Act

Question 12

Discourse vs. story

Answer 12

Discourse: How is the story told?
Story: What is told in the story?

Question 13

Taxonomy

Answer 13

Science of classification
- Literary History and Periodization
- Genres
- Stylistic Devices
- Languages
- Nationality
- Gender

Question 14

Genre

Answer 14

three main genres:
- Drama (comedy, tragedy, history play,…)
- Narrative (short story, novel, fairytale,…)
- Poetry (sonnet, ballad, ode,…)

Question 15

Paradigmatic/Syntagmatic
(Dichotomie)

Answer 15

• paradigmatic: exchangeability of (linguistic) elements
• syntagmatic: compability of elements

Question 16

Roman Jacobson’s Communication Model

Answer 16

• a communicative situation can be analyzed into: -> six functions of language
• can be applied to literature: Literature IS communication
• addresser and addressee need to share a code (precondition)

Question 17

emotive function

Answer 17

(addresser) - state something, like an emotion “he makes me so nervous.”

Question 18

conative function

Answer 18

(addressee) - motivate to do something “Leave me alone!”

Question 19

phatic function

Answer 19

(medium of contact) - establishing communication “Hello, can you hear me?”

Question 20

poetic function

Answer 20

(message) - focus on the message and its meaning “Fridays For Future”

Question 21

metalingual function

Answer 21

(code) - language can be (non-) verbal expressive “Do you know what I mean?”

Question 22

referential function

Answer 22

(context/subject) - stating facts “The famous Harry Potter book series consists of seven books in total.”

Question 23

Ferdinand de Saussure: semiotics (study of the sign)

Answer 23

• signifier (sketch of a tree) oben im Kreis
  orthographic version of tree = signified

-> connection = arbitrary conventionally

Question 24

What is the broad definition of literature?
A) All poetic and imaginary texts
B) All written communication
C) Literature in the English language

Answer 24

all written communication

Question 25

Which of the following definitions is normative definition of literature?
A) Literature should only be concerned with socially important topics.
B) Literature is concerned with all walks of life.

Answer 25

Literature should only be concerned with socially important topics.

Question 26

When looking at literature as communication, what is the ‘code’?
A) Shared language and convention
B) The material basis

Answer 26

Shared language and convention

Question 27

Who is part of the production in the literary system? (2)
A) The author
B) The work itself
C) Production companies
D) The reader

Answer 27

The author, production companies

Question 28

The term “intratextual” refers to…
… nothing inside an outside text.
… everything inside a text.
… everything outside a text.
… everything in between texts.

Answer 28

everything inside a text.

Question 29

What CAN subgenres be based on?
Nationality
Form and style
Theme
Cover design
Literary period
Gender

Answer 29

Form and style, gender, literary period, theme, nationality

Question 30

What is the ‘code’ of the text in the question “Who is the author of the following text (text)”?

Answer 30

The English language

Question 31

Which of the following concepts should students of English literature be familiar with (acc. to Mildorf)

Answer 31

Literary Theory, Literary History, Poetics

Question 32

What does the pragmatic function of language refer to (acc. to Mildorf)?

Answer 32

The mere transmission of information, one of Roman Jacobson’s six functions

Question 33

Why do you think there are multiple approaches to[unfinished]