The formalist definition is that the history of "literature" foregrounds poetic effects; it is the "literariness" or "poeticity" of literature that distinguishes it from ordinary speech or other kinds of writing (e.g., journalism). Jim Meyer considers this a useful characteristic in explaining the use of the term to mean published material in a particular field (e.g., "scientific literature"), as such writing must use language according to particular standards. The problem with the formalist definition is that in order to say that literature deviates from ordinary uses of language, those uses must first be identified; this is difficult because "ordinary language" is an unstable category, differing according to social categories and across history. COUNT 5
QSN1 A definition of literature that incorporates style and the poetic nature of prose is what? ANS1 formalist QSN2 What is one example of writing that the formalist definition distinguishes literature from? ANS2 journalism QSN3 What element of the formalist definition makes it difficult to apply? ANS3 "ordinary language" QSN4 What part of ordinary language makes it difficult to apply the formalist definition? ANS4 an unstable category, differing according to social categories and across history QSN5 The formalist definition when applied to industry writing allows it to be called literature when it does what? ANS5 must use language according to particular standards