The Department of English at the College of Education – Ibn Rushd for Human Sciences, University of Baghdad, held a Master’s thesis defense on Thursday, June 12, 2025, for the student Tayba Mohammed Farhan, specializing in English language. The thesis is titled: “A Critical Stylistic Study of Understatement in Selected English Novels.”
The examination committee included:
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Prof. Dr. Sarab Khalil (Chair)
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Prof. Dr. Manal Jasem (Member and Supervisor)
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Asst. Prof. Dr. Huda Abd Ali (Member)
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Asst. Prof. Dr. Imad Haif Sameer from the College of Education – University of Anbar (External Member)
The study aimed to explore the role of critical stylistic tools in literary texts, particularly in expressing understatement, and how such tools affect the overall meaning. It focused on identifying the most prominent stylistic devices used and the underlying ideologies motivating authors in their use.
The thesis offers a comparative analysis of understatement in the novels Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, examining techniques such as litotes (understatement by negation) and downtoning, and how these contribute to shaping each novel’s narrative style.
Key Findings:
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Understatement is clearly present in both novels and is often conveyed through indirect linguistic strategies.
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Presupposition and implicature were found to be the most frequently used stylistic tools, due to understatement’s inherent reliance on indirectness.
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Litotes and downtoning expressions appeared more prominently in Jane Eyre than in Pride and Prejudice.
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The study highlights that irony and deliberate avoidance of exaggerated expressions reflect the author’s style and speaker’s intentions, serving as effective forms of understatement.