• • Identifying contentions • Use of tone • Style • Effects of persuasive techniques • Analysis and annotation of cartoons • How to structure a LANGUAGE ANALYSIS essay. • 3 main questions: – What is the writer saying? – How is the writer saying it? – How is it persuasive? Formal Informal Declarative Poetic Colloquial Polished Descriptive Rambling Casual Tightly structured NB: THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN THE RIGHT COLUMNS. DECIDE WHICH TERM SHOULD BE IN WHICH COLUMN. • Definition: A contention is a statement of the main idea being argued or debated in a text. It simultaneously pinpoints the issue being discussed and presents a line of argument with which the writer wants you to agree. • Read each of the following contentions and decide whether they are successful or unsuccessful by denoting them with either a tick or a cross: 1. “Education coupled with legislation is required to ensure the immunization of all the Australian children.” 2. “There are many aspects to euthanasia that we must consider and it is not a simple question. While some believe it is bad and takes away the value of human life others believe it is humane and sympathetic.” 3. “Those people who are against the Wilson’s Promontory development are just too eco-snobs who want to keep the place all to themselves.” 4. “Whilst cloning may signify scientific advancement, it also represents a perilous step into an ethical wilderness.” 5. “Police kill too many people in this country.” 6. “Commercially developing our National Parks will endanger their survival.” Re-define the poor contentions that you identified so that they are clear yet specific. The tone of a piece of writing shows the writer’s attitude to, or feelings about their subject matter. One way of identifying tone is to read the article aloud. If the tone is aggressive, you will find this quality becoming evident in your voice as you read; but if a piece of writing is composed and calm, then you should find that your voice also sounds calm and even. Tone is important because the writer will deliberately select particular words and phrases to encourage you to feel just as they do about the issue, or about certain individuals or viewpoints. Sometimes, the writer can shift the tone of their piece halfway through their article. For example, the writer may begin with a hopeful, optimistic tone but then finish in a serious or earnest way to emphasise the urgency of taking immediate action. Positive Negative Neutral Appreciative Aggressive Bland Approving Angry Arrogant Calm Assured Formal Bullying Forthright Conciliatory Disparaging Matter-of-fact Enthusiastic Hostile Exuberant Measured Pessimistic Business like Lively Bitter Optimistic Dispassionate • Yesterday’s mid year budget update marks the official start of the protected economic downturn the financial market meltdown has spawned. The update doesn’t undermine the argument Australia has better than average defences, but it makes it clear having better defences is not the same thing as being safe. • “As the death toll from Victoria’s darkest day kept climbing, survivors wondered how they lived while loved ones and friends died.” Key Words………………………………………………. Tone ………………………………………………………. • “Australia’s employment outlook has deteriorated, with job advertisements collapsing to a 36 month low and businesses reporting weaker employment expectations than at any time during the 1991 recession.” Key Words………………………………………………. Tone ………………………………………………………. Radio at its worst: rape revealed on air Posted by: Derryn Hinch for 3AW.com.au | 29 July, 2009 - 4:55 PM Tone Before I start talking about what I consider to be one of the most disgusting, appalling, even reprehensible, pieces of radio I have ever heard… let me say I usually resent the expression shock jock for radio presenters and commentators. I hate being described that way. But boy, it certainly applies to what happened to the Kyle and Jackie O breakfast show on Fox FM – known as 2Day FM – in Sydney. Apparently one of their stunts is to hook somebody up to a lie detector machine and get a partner or mother or sister or friend to ask them questions. Today they had a mother grilling her 14-year-old daughter about her sex life. And in that interview broadcast live the 14- year-old reveals she was raped when she was 12. Now, the mother has a lot to answer for too but Kyle Sandilands proves what an insensitive, Neanderthal boofhead he is. And I think you’ll agree when you hear his reaction. The obviously traumatized girl looks at her mother and says ‘don’t look at me and smile because it’s not funny’. The mother admits she knew about the rape and then lies and tries to justify the shock question by saying ‘the question was, have you had sex other than that?’ Which was not true. Jackie O at least apologises and tries to shut down the whole disaster but look at this ignoramus – Kyle Sandilands. A girl tells him she was raped as a 12-year-old. Any normal, semi-intelligent, sensitive, caring adult would have reacted by saying something like: ‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. This has got out of control. Turn off the microphone. Are you OK. Let’s get a counsellor in here.’ No, not meathead Sandilands. She says: I got raped when I was 12- years-old. And he says: ‘Right. And is that the only experience you’ve had? I mean, it was only a rape. In Sandi’s land. That doesn’t really count. Tell us some real juicy stuff. Even if you are under age and it’s against the law and your mother doesn’t care. This is truly vile. 1. “The father of the victim of a brutal nightclub attack has spoken of his family’s agony as his brain-dead son lies locked in a silent coma.” The tone of the piece is ________________________________________________ The reader’s main emotion is likely to be___________________________________ The emotive words include______________________________________________ and positions the reader to feel___________________________________________ 2. “Graffiti louts stick up city” The tone of the piece is ________________________________________________ The reader’s main emotion is likely to be___________________________________ Overstatement and exaggeration are used to encourage the reader to feel _____________________________________________________________________ 3. “Babies switched at birth meet 56 years later.” The tone of the piece is ________________________________________________ The reader’s main emotion is likely to be___________________________________ Telling a brief story has the effect of _______________________________________ 4. “Is it right that a poor person who steals a loaf of bread to feed the family is subject to stiffer penalties than someone who swindles billions of dollars from unsuspecting shareholders.” The tone of the piece is ________________________________________________ The reader’s main emotion is likely to be___________________________________ This rhetorical question has the effect of____________________________________ 5. “Bullies with bad attitudes: Melbourne’s ticket inspectors.” The tone of the piece is ________________________________________________ The reader’s main emotion is likely to be___________________________________ Using a generalisation about ticket inspectors positions the reader to feel ______________________________________________________________________ Identify whether the following persuasive techniques are appealing primarily logic (L) or emotion (E) Using facts and statistics L E Exaggeration L E Confronting or offensive language L E Sensationalism L E Emotional Appeals L E Appeals to reason L E Humour L E Presenting a balanced argument L E Attacking the opposition L E Drawing offering practical solutions L E • An attack works by denigrating (‘putting down’) an opponent or an idea. Attacks seek to humiliate, insult and embarrass. Moreover, attacks frequently target people rather than the people rather than the ideas they are associated with, suggesting unsatisfactory associations with undesirable groups or individuals. Attacks tend to draw attention away from reasoned argument because the process of attacking works by forceful assertion and insistent claims that are not usually supported with evidence . Attacks often sound dismissive as they discredit opponents, deeming them unreliable, dishonest and unqualified. • Clichés are overused expressions, often colloquial and easily recognizable by readers. Authors frequently use clichés as ‘comforters’, making their articles more ‘reader friendly’. Readers feel relaxed with expressions they are familiar with. Clichés are often called upon when writers want to convey meanings and emotions quickly. They offer convenient ‘shortcuts’ and are often used in headlines to grab attention. However, clichés have a tendency to adversely affect the overall quality of the writing, all too often boring readers and failing to alerts them to the seriousness of the issues being discussed. • Read the following attack. What is its aim? How is it typical? “________was a terrorist who killed policemen. I am disgusted that there is an exhibition for this criminal who sanctioned murder, theft and thuggery.” • To whom do you think it is referring? • Finish these clichés and write down their meanings 1. As fit as a _________ 2. Turn over a new ____________ 3. The___________ is on the wall 4. Take ____________ of the situation 5. An ____________ battle 6. Put one’s ______________ in order 7. Head in the ________________ 8. The _________________ calling the_________________ black 9. On the back________________ 10. ______________ the rewards