EXPLORING LINGUISTIC DEVIATION IN TARIQ RAHMAN’S THE MISTAKE: A STYLISTIC STUDY

Abstract

ThisThis study explores the short story "The Mistake" by Tariq Rahman (2004) through the lens of Geoffrey Leech’s framework of linguistic deviation. The aim is to examine how the writer uses unusual language to express deep emotions, psychological tension, and inner conflict. The research is qualitative in nature, and the documentation method was used for data collection. The story was read multiple times to identify deviant language features. The analysis focused on different types of deviation, including lexical, syntactic, graphological, and semantic, as defined by Leech (1969). The findings show that the writer’s use of deviant language helps to reflect the emotional and mental state of the main character. The study concludes that stylistic deviation is a powerful literary tool that adds depth and meaning to a text.