Umeå universitets logga

The autobiography by the priest Pehr Stenberg (1758–1824) was recently published in five parts. The hand-written manuscript consists of nearly 5,000 handwritten pages. The autobiography offers a good opportunity to study regional, but primarily social, linguistic variation. In this article we analyse how spoken language is represented in the autobiography with respect to sociolinguistic differentiation.

We have concentrated on representation in direct discourse and free direct discourse. One of the starting points is that Stenberg could not possibly remember exactly how things were said. It is therefore interesting to analyse the features of speech that have been chosen to give the impression of authenticity. This is seen in the use of demonstrative pronouns, choice of dialogue words and the custom of address as it appears in dialogue. An interesting stylistic trait is a sort of intensified dialogue, where speech appears without a leading verb in free direct discourse.

Stenberg's ambition with the autobiography is partly artistic, as testified by the fictionalized dialogue. Sometimes Stenberg is influenced by the subject at hand, as seen in the way he lets the interlocutors speak in a formal way that bears a resemblance to written language. This is seen where a religious or moral problem is discussed. It stands in sharp contrast to the fluent style that Stenberg strives for and puts to effect in the use of pronouns, dialogue words and forms of address.