English- Persuasive Techniques Flashcards
what is an Anecdote?
A short account or story of an entertaining or interesting incident usually used to make the reader sympathetic and receptive to the point.
E: “in my experience” or “many years ago”
Rule of Three?
Rule of Three is a principle that suggests that things that come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things. and the reader or audience is more likely to remember.
Emotive language?
The deliberate use of strong emotive words to play on readers feelings, evoking strong emotional response in order to coerce agreement from reader.
E: That proposal is outrageous and disgusting, typical of a bigoted racist.
Inclusive Language?
Inclusive language is when you include the reader or audience by assuming, ‘we all agree or disagree’ to engage the reader and gains sympathy or persuades reader to reject an idea, or individual.
E: “we all know that” or “we all feel that”
Humour?
Readers are generally drawn to texts that make them laugh because they are enjoyable. Humour helps the reader or audience to warm up to the author and their arguments and can divert the reader’s attention away from negative thoughts.
E: I never wanted to believe that my dad was stealing from his job as a road worker. But when I got home, all the signs were there.
Repetition?
Repeated words, phrases, sentences, or ideas. which helps to give emphasis and prominence to a point or idea, reinforce the point, and helps the reader remember it.
E: Never, never, never, to be spoken of again.
Rhetorical Questions?
Questions that have the answer embedded in them, often using irony. Is used to manipulate the reader to agree because they assume the answer is obvious.
E: Are we going to accept these third-world hospital conditions in our country.
Colloquial Language?
Colloquial language is informal, everyday, conversational
language that includes down to earth views and can make the audience feel that the author is on the same wavelength as them.
E: “that totally grossed me out” vs “That disgusted me”
Statistics?
Statistics give a sense that there is research to confirm your argument. They can often make more impact if they are ‘translated’ in different ways.
E: Each minute 200 square metres of forest is chopped down in the Amazon - that’s an area the size of the MCG.
Call-To-Action?
A persuasive technique in which the writer calls audience to action or to behave a certain way at the end of their speech, or statement.
E: you might call on your audience to attend an event or fund a research initiative
