English persuasive Flashcards
Evidence
EVIDENCE IS VERY PERSUAISIVE AS IT MAKES THE READER SEE THE AUTHOR AS KNOWLEDGEABLE AND THE ARGUMENT AS MORE LOGICAL OR RELIABLE.
EXAMPLE: STATISTICS, EXPERT OPINIONS, RESEARCH FINDINGS, AND ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE
Attacks
ATTACKS ON OPPOSING VIEWS, OR THE PEOPLE WHO HOLD THEM CAN PERSUADE THE AUDIENCE BY PORTRAYING VIEWS AND BELIEFS WHICH ARE CONTRARY TO THE AUTHOR’S CONTENTION AS FOOLISH, DANGEROUS, UNCARING, OR DECEITFUL. USING HUMOUR TO MAKE FUN OF THESE VIEWS CAN BE PARTICULARLY PERSUASIVE.
EXAMPLE: TOWN HALL? M0RE LIKE CLOWN HALL IF WE CONSIDER THE MAYOR’S LATEST COMMENTS!
Inclusive and Exclusive langauege
INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE SUCH AS “WE”, “OUR”, “US” AND EXCLUSIVE LANGUAGE SUCH AS “THEM” CAN PERSUADE BY INCLUDING THE READER, OR BY CREATING A SENSE OF SOLIDARITY OR A SESNE OF RESPONSIBILITY.
EXAMPLE: PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME DON’T WANT TO SEE THIS HAPPEN.
Rhetorical question
ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO CONSIDER THE ISSUE AND ACCEPT THE AUTHOR’S ANSWER, OR IMPLY THAT THE ANSWER IS SO OBVIOUS THAT ANYONE WHO DISAGREES IS FOOLISH.
EXAMPLE: DO WE WANT OUR CHILDREN GROWING UP IN A WORLD WHERE THEY ARE THREATENED WITH VIOLENCE ON EVERY STREET CORNER?
Cause and effect
ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO CONSIDER THE ISSUE AND ACCEPT THE AUTHOR’S ANSWER, OR IMPLY THAT THE ANSWER IS SO OBVIOUS THAT ANYONE WHO DISAGREES IS FOOLISH.
EXAMPLE: DO WE WANT OUR CHILDREN GROWING UP IN A WORLD WHERE THEY ARE THREATENED WITH VIOLENCE ON EVERY STREET CORNER?
Connotations
THE EMOTIONAL MEANING ASSOCIATED WITH THE WORD. PERSUASIVE AUTHORS OFTEN CHOOSE THEIR WORDS CAREFULLY SO THAT THE CONNOTATION SUITS THEIR PURPOSE.
EXAMPLE: “KILL” AND “SLAUGHTER” BOTH MEAN THE SAME THING, BUT THE WORD “SLAUGHTER” HAS A DIFFERENT CONNOTATION TO “KILL”, AS IT CAUSES THE AUDIENCE TO IMAGINE THAT THE ACT WAS PARTICULARLY HORRIFIC.
Analogy
A FORM OF REASONING WHICH COMPARES ONE THING WITH ANOTHER IN ORDER TO MAKE A PARTICULAR POINT.
EXAMPLE: SCHOOL IS LIKE A PRISON AND STUDENTS ARE LIKE PRISONERS.
Generalisations
STATEMENTS ABOUT A WHOLE GROUP, BASED ON ONLY ONE OR TO MEMBERS OF THAT GROUP. THESE CAN BE PERSUASIVE IF THE AUDIENCE BELIEVES THE GENERALISATION IS APPROPRIATE, BUT CAN UNDERMINE ARGUMENT IF THEY DO NOT.
EXAMPLE: A STORE MANAGER MIGHT SEE ONE OR TWO TEENAGERS SHOPLIFTING, AND WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR CLAIMING ALL TEENAGERS STEAL AND CAN’T BE TRUSTED
Humour
HUMOUR, SUCH AS PUNS, IRONY, SARCASM, SATIRE, AND JOKES CAN BE PERSUASIVE BY DISMISSING OPPOSING VIEWS, PROVIDING A MORE ENGAGING AND FRIENDLY TONE, AND SWAY AN AUDIENCE BY HAVING THEM ENTER INTO THE JOKE.
EXAMPLE: TOTALLY ARTRAGED AS A PUN ON TOTALLY OUTRAGED WHEN TALKING ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL ART
Jargon
BY USING SPECIALISED TERMS, THE AUTHOR CAN PERSUADE THE AUDIENCE THAT THEY ARE AN EXPERT.
EXAMPLE: WHEN ANNOUNCING A RECESSION WHILST TRYING TO SAVE FACE POLITICAN MAY CALL IT “PERIOD OF ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT” OR “INTERRUPTION OF ECONOMIC EXPANSION
Formal langauge
FORMAL LANGUAGE CAN MAKE THE AUTHOR SOUND KNOWLEDGEABLE WHILE REMOVING EMOTION FROM THE ISSUE. THIS CAN MAKE THE ARGUMENT SOUND REASONABLE AND RATIONAL, AND THE CONTENTION SEEM BALANCED.
EXAMPLE: IF WE CONSIDER THE SITUATION IN EMERGENCY WARDS, WITH INCREASINGLY LOW STAFF RETENTION RATES, THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT THE CAPACITY OF HOSPITALS TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE DOCTOR TO PATIENT RATIOS.
Colloquial question
COLLOQUIAL LANGUAGE IS INFORMAL, EVERYDAY, CONVERSATIONAL LANGUAGE THAT INCLUDES DOWN TO EARTH VIEWS AND IS SEDUCTIVE BECAUSE IT APPEARS FRIENDLY, AND CAN MAKE THE AUDIENCE FEEL THAT THE AUTHOR IS ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH AS THEM
EXAMPLE: THAT TOTALLY GROSSED ME OUT.
Repetition
Writing / saying the same word or phrase multiple times. E.g. ‘I am disgusted by the treatment I have been shown. I am disgusted by your attitude towards me. I am disgusted by your lack of understanding.’
Polysyndeton
The repetition of a conjunction (FANBOYS = For / And / Nor / But / Or / Yet / So) E.g. ‘Kids today are so spoilt. They have iPods and iPads and iMacs and Airpods!’
Anaphora
Repetition of the start of a clause. E.g. ‘Alexandra will do well because she works so hard. Alexandra will do well because she does all her homework. Alexandra will do well because she is always on time to class.’
Parallelism
The structure of two clauses is mirrored. E.g.
One small step for man,
One giant leap for mankind.
Epistrophe
Repetition of the end of a clause. E.g. ‘Because she does her homework, Alexandra will do well. Because she works hard, Alexandra will do well. Because she is on time to class, Alexandra will do well.’
Hypophora
When the speaker / writer answers their own question. E.g. ‘What do we need to do to make a difference? Work together.’
Alliteration
“Fighting fat at just five”
Repetition of consonant sounds, particularly at the beginning of words, often used in headlines
Depending on if it is a plosive sound (p’s, d’s, b’s) can create tension and reflect, adds emphasis to the writers point and draw attention to key words
Anecdotes
(a brief personal account or story)
A friend visiting from
interstate was baffled by our train ticketing system. Rather than be helped, she received a fine for not having the correct ticket.
Often entertaining or humorous from personal angle to engage the reader as ‘true stories’ they carry weight with readers
Appeal to emotion (Pathos)
trying to make the reader feel a certain emotion about a certain situation
EXAMPLE: These four defenceless puppies have been left abandoned by their mother.
- Encourages the reader to feel a certain emotion and react accordingly (sympathetic, angry, happy etc)
Appeal to a sense of justice (ethos)
speaks to people’s belief that everyone deserves fair treatment
EXAMPLE:Mandatory detention of refugees is punishment for a crime they didn’t commit, and an attack on the most vulnerable group in our society.
- Positions the reader to agree that punishment should fit the crime
- Arouses anger at a perceived injustice
Appeal to logic (Logos)
appeals to a reader’s reason
EXAMPLE: If all of your friends jumped off of a bridge would you do it too?
- Encourages a reader to agree with the writer’s point based on a logical argument.
Appeal to authority (ethos)
appeals to a reader’s understanding of the authority of the speaker
EXAMPLE: 9 out of 10 dentists use this toothpaste.
- Encourages a reader to agree with the point based on the expertise and experience of the speaker
Cliches
A familiar but overused expression that carries a range of associations
EXAMPLE: If Jo Blow had been found with that amount of cocaine it would have been a jail sentence for sure. But it seems our sportspeople these days get away with murder.
- Convey meaning in an economical way
- Can help readers feel more comfortable with an idea
Emotive Language
Deliberately strong words used to provoke emotion in the reader
EXAMPLE: I am absolutely disgruntled at the travesty of justice apparent in the pathetic sentence give to such a vicious killer.
- Positions the reader to react emotionally, rather than rationality
- Leads the reader to share the writer’s feelings on the subject
Metaphors
Comparisons that describe one thing in terms of another
EXAMPLE: Love of money is a cancer that is eating away at our society.
- Capitalise on associations with a vivid image
- Evoke emotion in the reader which matches that of the writer
Exaggeration/Hyberbole
Using dramatic, forceful language to exaggerate the true situation
EXAMPLE: It’s a fight to the death between arch-enemies Collingwood and Carlton.
- Arouses emotion in the reader
- Can be humorous
- ‘Worst-case scenarios’ play on reader’s fears
Reason and logic
Involves and clearly stated main contention and an argument supported by evidence or deduction, that is, by drawing a conclusion from something generally known or assumed to be ‘true’
EXAMPLE: If you choose to forfeit your right to participate in the democratic process by voting, you forfeit all right to complain about the result.
- Gives writer’s viewpoint credibility for being apparently objective
- Can consider opposing viewpoints and argue logically against them
Puns
Play on words that gives one word or phrase multiple meanings
EXAMPLE: “Two-drink limit hard to swallow”
- Often humorous
- Gain the reader’s attention and emphasise the writer’s point
- Use connotations of words to convey writer’s point of view
Appeal to group loyalty
Uses the desire of people to belong to a group to persuade them to agree with a viewpoint or take action
EXAMPLE: It was heartwarming to see so many in our community joining forces to prevent the new freeway from destroying our town.
* Can play on people’s guilt, sense of obligation, fear, and sentimentality
* Convinces people that the interests of the group require their support
