Style: the sphere of appropriate language usage and readability Stylistics and classical rhetoric, fiom which stylistics developed, have a common aim: that communication must be effective, i.e. persuasive. Whereas the grammar of a language determines the way it is organised, stylistics exploits the possibilities of making choices @om a range of options. The principles in terms of which the choices are made include comprehensibility (clarity), appropriateness of tone, conciseness and appeal (e.g. interest, vitality, originality). In theJields of language research and teaching, stylistics does not enjoy the status accorded to semantics, syntax or lexicography; yet it deserves revaluation on the basis of its direct relationship to language usage. In the Netherlanth the revaluation of stylistics is related to recent developments in the independent field of study, language usage (taalbeheersing). In South Afiica Afiikaans, for instance has a series of publications fiom the Centre for Afiikaans Usage at Stellenbosch University, which also includes a commissioned guide on style. Important research Jielth in stylistics include: I. the role of cultural and stylistic conventions in determining what constitutes the appropriate language for a particular text type, taking into account the immediate situation, context and readers for whom the text is intended; and 2. the constants and variables in different text types. Die stilistiek en die klassieke retorika, waaruit die stilistiek ontwikkel het, het 'n bepaalde doe1 gemeen: dat kommunikasie effektief moet wees, moet oortuig. Waar die grammatika van 'n taal die reelmatigheid bepaal, ontgin die stilistiek die moontlikhede, die maak van keuses uit opsies. Die beginsels by hierdie keuses is verstaanbaarheid fielderheid), 'n gepaste toon, bondigheid en aantreklikheid (interessantheid, Iewendigheid, oorspronklikheid; vir tekstipes waar dit relevant is). In taalnavorsing en -0nderrig het die stilistiek nie die status van die semantiek, die sintaksis of die 1eksikograJie nie. Dit verdien we1 'n herwaardering op grond van 'n direkte verband met taalgebruik op alle vlakke. In Nederland hang die herwaardering van die stilistiek saam met die opkoms van die seystandige studiegebied taalbeheersing in die qfgeIoDe drie dekades. In Ah-ikaans is daar onder meer die VubIikasiereeks v& die Sentrum vir Aj?;kaanse Gebruikskunde aan die hiversiteit van S. A@. Tydskr. Taalk., Suppl.35 77