Persuasive Language Flashcards
Active and Passive Voice
Provides subjective or objective tone
- Active: direct, clear
- Passive: indirect, detached
Examples:
- Active: they released the report
- Passive: the report was released
Adjectives
Describing words or phrases
- adds detail to make text more interesting/provides a description
- can imply something positive
Examples:
- A stirring speech
- Her preplexing approach
Alliteration and Assonance
Repetition of initial consonant sounds (alliteration) and vowel sounds (assonance)
- adds emphasis, reinforces meaning
- draws attention to key words or ideas
- can create an emotive image
- memorable
Examples:
- Sydney’s slippery slide (alliteration)
- The elite meet-and-greet (assonance)
Appeals
attempt to persuade through emotional manipulation; targeting of particular interest or concerns
- triggers an emotional response
- evokes feelings of;
- fear
- justice
- compassion
- a sense of guilt/responsibility
- a sense of (in)security
- tradition
- national pride
- group loyalty
- hip-pocket nerve (financial concerns)
- self-interest
Attack
Means of criticizing or opposing an individual or idea
- belittles opponent’s arguments, may lend weight to those of author
- can help to argue from a position of authority
- can offend or alienate audience if overdone
Bias
Overt preference or sympathy for a particular point of view
- can strengthen argument if bias seems relevant and within context, and if author has some authority.
- can undermine argument if disproportionate to context
Cliché
Overused phrase or opinion that shows a lack of original thought
- can sway audience by appealing to something with which they are familiar
- may make audience feel informed
- may alienate sophisticated audience
Colourful Language
Vulgar or rude language; particularly unusual or distinctive expressions
- can provide humor
- may offend a conservative audience
- establishes informal register
Connotation
Positive/negative implication, pejorative phrases; ‘loaded’ language that evokes an idea or feeling, either positive of negative
- encourages audience (either subtly or overtly) to accept an implication
- seeks to persuade audience to share particular view of person or event
Design, Structure
The appearance and layout of a text, including colour, font selection and page presentation
- persuades through association
- establishes genre and context
- can manipulate audience emotions
Evidence
Material used in support of an argument can add weight to argument and author credibility if employed responsibly:
- facts and statistics
- expert testimony
- research findings
- anecdotal evidence
Formal and Informal Language
Formal:
- creates sophisticated, often authoritative style, can lend weight to argument and command respect; can sound pretentious out of context
Informal:
- conversational, establishes a rapport with audience, humorous, appeals to sense of identity; can alienate if overused or out of context
Generalisation
Broad statements inferred from specific cases
- seeks to validate a theory or contention, sometimes dubiously
- can be inferred to be evidence by a naive audience
- can detract from or undermine an argument if unrealistic or intimidated
Gesture
Use of body and face to communicate meaning and positive or negative sentiments
- helps to convey arguments and moods
- can influence a subject by making them feel either welcomed or intimidated
Humour
The quality of being amusing, through the use of puns, irony, sarcasm, satire, wit…
- Often denigrates the subject
- can provide a more engaging and friendly tone
- can sway an audience by having them enter into a joke
Hyperbole and Exaggeration
Exaggeration or overstatement used to imply something is better, worse, more/less important…
- Creates dramatic effect, often through imagery
- argues through employment of ‘shock tactics’; appeals to fear
- can undermine argument if taken too far
Imagery and figurative language
Use of images and metaphorical (non-literal) language to illustrate points and make comparisons: similes, metaphors…
- paints ‘word picture’ for audience; helps to illustrate point visually and by comparison
- author may appear sophisticated and well-spoken
- can have an emotional impact
Irony
Humour found in contradictory situations, often highlighted through the use of sarcasm
- can engender support through the use of humour
- can evoke an emotional response
- encourages audience to see flimsy logic in situation or statement
Logic
Reason; the use of justifiable and valid arguments to sway an audience
- appeals to reason rather than emotions; therefore lends credibility
- sound logic is hard to refute
- often offers proof and solutions
Nouns
Naming words or phrases
- adds detail to make a text more specific - provides a label or name
- can imply something positive or negative
Repetition
Reuse of words or phrases for effect
- memorable; enables a word or phrase to be held and recalled
- highlights main ideas
- creates a hypnotic rhythm
Rhetorical Questions
A question that does not require an answer
- encourages audience to consider an issue and accept author’s answer
- can imply that answer is obvious and that anyone who disagrees is foolish
- can evoke an emotional response
Sarcasm
Use of irony to mock or to show contempt, by implying the opposite of what is actually said
- can provide humour
- serves to mock or question the logic of a situation; undermines its validity
- can backfire fi used excessively or in the wrong context
Satire
Use of either exaggeration or caricature to expose, criticise or ridicule
- makes a point in a humorous fashion
- serves to mock or question a situation
- can engender hostility in a sensitive audience
Sensationalism
Use of provocative language and images, and exaggeration
- appeals to an audience’s curiosity and prejudices
- reinforces stereotypes
- can offend or alienate critical audiences
Sound and sound effects
Use of music, effects and other audio to enhance a multimodal text
- manipulates audience’s emotions
- persuades through association
- sound effects can make a text seem either more ‘realistic’ or more exciting
Verbs
Doing words or phrases
- Adds detail to make a text more specific - provides action
- can imply something positive or negative
Vocabulary Choices
Careful selection of particular words (nouns, verbs and adjectives) with positive and negative connotations
- paints a subject in a flattering or unflattering light
- subtly or overtly supports a particular point of view
Metaphor
Saying something is something else, usually describing a less common concept/phenomena as a more common phenomena
Definition: a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
