Perswazja w prozie Jana Kochanowskiego

Persuasion in Jan Kochanowski’s proseIn this article we will review persuasive language devices used in Jan Kochanowski’s prose texts that vary in terms of text genres, forms, length and purpose of expression. All the discussed works of the poet belong to different text genres, such as: social and political journalism, moralist treatise, historical treatise, funeral speech, short witty anecdotes and stories. The text analysis proves that there are often conjunctions at the beginning of many sentences. These words not only link sentence components or complex sentences but they also determine the cohesion of larger units than sentences and mark a referential function. Kochanowski often incorporates parentheses, citing and rhetorical questions. As a result, a persuasive function is achieved due to the choice of an utterance form and a text genre, appropriate selection of stylistic devices enhancing persuasion and text construction forms and, last but not least, adequate lexical diversity. In his style Kochanowski followed the rules of rhetoric characteristic of the 16th century. The low/plain style had a didactic purpose, the middle style was chosen to praise or to reprimand others and the high/grand style was limited to texts referring to matters of great importance.