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LanguageLanguage

Chapter 12Chapter 12

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LanguageLanguage

System of verbal or System of verbal or gestural symbols a gestural symbols a community uses to community uses to communicate with one communicate with one anotheranother

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Semantic triangleSemantic triangle

Symbol

Thought

Referent

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Language ChoicesLanguage Choices

Concrete WordsConcrete Words – Refers to tangible object, Refers to tangible object,

person, place or thingperson, place or thing Abstract WordsAbstract Words

– Refers to ideas or Refers to ideas or concepts but not to concepts but not to specific objectsspecific objects

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Abstract vs. Concrete Abstract vs. Concrete LanguageLanguage

Physical activityPhysical activity AbstractAbstract

SportsSports

GolfGolf

Professional golfProfessional golf

Tiger WoodsTiger Woods ConcreteConcrete

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Idiom Idiom

Fixed, distinctive expression Fixed, distinctive expression whose meaning is not whose meaning is not indicated by its individual indicated by its individual wordswords

Examples:Examples:– Horsing aroundHorsing around– Busy as a beaverBusy as a beaver– Face the musicFace the music– Give the cold shoulderGive the cold shoulder

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Improve Accuracy of Improve Accuracy of LanguageLanguage

Check definitions of Check definitions of words being usedwords being used

Work with someone Work with someone who has strong who has strong language skillslanguage skills

Study the languageStudy the language Learn Learn pronunciationpronunciation

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Oral StyleOral Style

Reflects the spoken Reflects the spoken rather than the written rather than the written wordword

Oral style is moreOral style is more– InteractiveInteractive– CasualCasual– RepetitiveRepetitive

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Spoken LanguageSpoken Language

Is interactiveIs interactive– speakers make speakers make

adjustments adjustments as they as they speakspeak

– speakers monitor speakers monitor interest & interest & understandingunderstanding

– speakers ask or speakers ask or respond to respond to questionsquestions

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Spoken LanguageSpoken Language

Is casualIs casual– writing more rule writing more rule

governedgoverned– speakers use speakers use

contractions contractions & & colloquialismscolloquialisms

– speakers run words speakers run words togethertogether

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Spoken LanguageSpoken Language

Is repetitiveIs repetitive– speakers repeat speakers repeat

main ideas main ideas & arguments& arguments– speakers summarize speakers summarize

main main pointspoints– speakers restate speakers restate

important important argumentsarguments

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SimilesSimiles

An explicit comparison of An explicit comparison of two things that uses the two things that uses the word word like like or or asas

““Air pollution is eating away at the Air pollution is eating away at the monuments in Washington, D.C., monuments in Washington, D.C., like a giant Alka-Seltzer tablet.”like a giant Alka-Seltzer tablet.”

-- from the original radio broadcast of War of the Worlds

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MetaphorMetaphor

Comparison between two Comparison between two things not using like or asthings not using like or as

Emphasizes similaritiesEmphasizes similarities “ “America’s cities are the windows through America’s cities are the windows through

which the world looks at American society.” which the world looks at American society.” ~ Henry Cisneros~ Henry Cisneros

-- Mario Cuomo, 1984 DNC Address

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Student Video Student Video ExampleExampleTara Flanagan;Descriptive Language(20 sec.)

Click image to play video; “alt” & “enter” keys for full screen.Windows Media Player required

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Mixed Metaphor Mixed Metaphor

Makes illogical comparisons Makes illogical comparisons

between two or more thingsbetween two or more things ExampleExample

– "He stepped up to the plate and "He stepped up to the plate and

grabbed the bull by the horns“grabbed the bull by the horns“

– "People who skate on thin ice are "People who skate on thin ice are

likely to find themselves in hot likely to find themselves in hot

water" water"

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PersonificationPersonification

Attribute human Attribute human characteristics to characteristics to animals, objects, or animals, objects, or conceptsconcepts

-- Bruce Sutter, Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Address

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Rhythm Rhythm

Arrangement of words Arrangement of words into patterns so sounds into patterns so sounds of words together of words together enhance meaning of enhance meaning of phrasephrase

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ParallelismParallelism

Arrange related words Arrange related words so they are balancedso they are balanced

Arrange related Arrange related sentences so they have sentences so they have identical structuresidentical structures

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Parallelism exampleParallelism example

““The denial of human rights The denial of human rights anywhere is a threat to human anywhere is a threat to human rights everywhere. Injustice rights everywhere. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”everywhere.” ~Jesse Jackson ~Jesse Jackson

-- John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address

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RepetitionRepetition

Repeat keywords or Repeat keywords or phrases at the beginnings phrases at the beginnings or endings of sentences or endings of sentences or clausesor clauses““We will not tire, we will not falter, We will not tire, we will not falter,

and we will not fail.” ~ G.W. Bushand we will not fail.” ~ G.W. Bush

Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address (delivered by Jeff Daniels)

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Robert F. Kennedy, Announcing the death of Martin Luther King

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Student Video Student Video ExampleExampleOgena Agbim;Repetition & Contrast(1 min.)

Click image to play video; “alt” & “enter” keys for full screen.Windows Media Player required

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AlliterationAlliteration

Repetition of a particular Repetition of a particular sound in a sentence or sound in a sentence or phrasephrase

- Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

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Alliteration exampleAlliteration example

““We should not demean our We should not demean our democracy with the politics of democracy with the politics of distraction, denial, and despair.”distraction, denial, and despair.”

~Al Gore ~Al Gore

- Bill Clinton, 1992 Democratic National Convention

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Mnemonic DeviceMnemonic Device

Rhyme, phrase, or Rhyme, phrase, or other verbal device that other verbal device that makes information makes information easier to remembereasier to remember

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AntithesisAntithesis

Place words & phrases Place words & phrases in contrast or in contrast or opposition to one opposition to one anotheranother

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Antithesis exampleAntithesis example

““Your success as a family, our success Your success as a family, our success as a society, depends not on what as a society, depends not on what happens at the White House but on what happens at the White House but on what happens inside your house”happens inside your house”

~ Barbara Bush~ Barbara Bush

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-- John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address