MENTORING PROGRAM ON WRITING SKILLS

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES PART 2

1

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WHAT, WHY AND HOW IN ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING

The WHAT, the WHY and the HOW in argumentative writing ( in capital letters to emphasize their importance) represent, respectively, the topic or subject of your argument, the reasons you think it is an issue or problem worth writing about, and the measures for solving the problem, that could at least be considered even if not immediately implementable.

The WHAT: State clearly what the problem is. Since it is the focus of your writing, you should give it some attention, and not simply state it in one sentence, and then move on to deal with other points. It should take at least a short paragraph , with clear examples and details. The reader should be convinced that it is a matter of serious concern worth reading about.Example: ‘In a modern, cosmopolitan city state like Singapore, there is very little place for tradition. Indeed, the values that had been passed down from generation to generation are now in sad retreat. One need only take a sample of young Singaporeans, clad in jeans, snacking on MacDonald’s hamburgers and chatting cheerfully in English ( or Singlish), to realise that they have little interest in their cultural heritage and even less desire to preserve it. ‘

The WHY: Explain clearly why you believe that abandoning one’s traditional values can have harmful effects on the society as a whole, especially in the long run. Give at least 2 different reasons, from different standpoints. For instance: i) from the moral standpoint - loss of sound, proven values such as self-discipline, hard work, perseverance ( a good illustration would be that admirable immigrant ancestor arriving in Singapore with only the shirt on his back)

ii) from the social perspective - weakening of traditional strong family ties as young people adopt the aggressive individualism and independence of the west ( a good example could be a personal one, where you write about an actual experience of witnessing disrespect for an elderly relative or neighbour, or the readily-made decision of a well-educated, highly successful couple to put their old parents in a nursing home)

iii)from the cultural viewpoint - the loss of Singapore’s rich, multi-cultural traditions , for instance, of ethnic costumes, music, dance, art, food, literature, in the relentless adoption of a modernised, westernised lifestyle, largely based on advanced technology. ( A good example of the right attitude to adopt, might be that shown by any one of our Asian neighbours, including Japan, Bhutan and Thailand, who have successfully held on to their cultural traditions despite globalisation)

Suggested exercise

Work out the WHAT, the WHY and the HOW for each of the following issues:1) a lack of volunteerism in Singapore2) the migrant crisis currently affecting Europe.

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2

‘WHAT BASIC FACTS OF SINGAPORE’S SOCIO-POLITICAL LANDSCAPE WOULD BE USEFUL BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE FOR MY WRITING?’

Obviously you would need fairly good background knowledge of Singapore to be able to write a proper social or political commentary on it, as the issue which you are writing about must be firmly placed in the context of this background. Hence, you would need to be familiar with at least the basic, general facts about Singapore’s past as well as the special features of her present socio-political landscape today, both in its positive and negative aspects, its achievements and shortcomings, the challenges it faces in the future. Research on your part in these areas would be necessary.

Here is a random list of interesting facts about Singapore today, which is already part of mainstream knowledge and which may provide useful background material for the topic you’re writing about. You will probably be able to come out with many more interesting observations of your own.

1) Singapore’s paradoxical position as a ‘little red dot’ on the world map but as a hugely successful economy on the world stage

2)Singapore’s political vulnerability, once described by a political scientist as a ‘small Chinese fish in a large Muslim sea.’

3)The famous 5 Cs of the good life ( Cash, Car, Condominium, Credit Card, Country Club Membership) that seem to be Singapore’s chief - and dubious?- claim to a distinctive national identity

4)Kiasuism - the fear of losing out - which has become an acknowledged national trait, perhaps with some embarrassment. ( The word has actually been included in the dictionary compiled by Macquarie University in Australia)

5)At their worst, Singaporeans show the NIMBY (Not in My Backyard) tendency, that is, they resist any government or business plan that will reduce the value of their property or inconvenience them in any way, for instance, a plan to build a columbarium, old folks’ home, foreign workers’ dormitory,etc near their housing estate.

6)Parents put such a high premium on the value of education that they will make great sacrifices to give their children any advantage in the educational system, such as providing them special tuition, higher education abroad, etc.

7) Singapore is by and large still a conservative, Confucianist society struggling to keep up with the times, for instance, in the social de-stigmatisation of gay behaviour ( which is still prohibited by law)

8)Like all the advanced societies, Singapore is facing the problem of a greying population, which some have described as a ‘silver tsunami’ and ‘a demographic ticking time bomb.’

9)There are signs that Singaporeans, especially the younger generation, are becoming a strong civic society, with increasing involvement in such concerns as protecting the environment, the cultural heritage, animal rights, rights of foreign workers,etc.

10) With the demise, in March 2015, of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of modern Singapore, an era is over, and a new one has begun, with major implications for the future of Singapore.

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3

ANOTHER LIST OF WORDS THAT ARE OFTEN CONFUSED WITH EACH OTHER

Here’s another list of words that are often confused with each other because they have overlapping sounds, spellings and meanings.

1) stimulus, stimulant2) ambiguous, ambivalent3) luxurious, luxuriant4) hoard, horde5) criticism, critique6) divert, diverge7) adhere, cohere8) scholarly, scholastic9) equality, equity10) comment, commend11)opportunity, opportunism12)bravado, bravura13)urban, urbane14)final, finale15)distort, contort16)rigour, vigour17)essay, assay18)sensual, sensuous, sensory19)discreet, discrete20)assume, presume21)official, officious22)facilitate, felicitate23)reality, realism24)emotional, emotive25)spatial, spacious26)lusty, lustful27)adhere, cohere28)oppress, suppress29)contagious, contiguous30)extend, extant31)impel, compel32)possible, plausible

(On a lighter note: There is a humorous character named Mrs Malaprop in a play called ‘The Rivals’, who makes mistakes when using words that sound like each other. For instance : ‘Let’s dance the flamingo (for ‘flamenco’). People have created their own Malapropisms, some of which are quite risque and funny. For instance: i) ‘Sir Francis

Drake circumcised the world with a hundred-foot clipper’ ( for ‘circumnavigate’) ii) ‘There was a large abbess on his knee’ ( for ‘abscess’) iii) ‘My wife is unbearable, inconceivable and impregnable,’ ( by a man who explains why his marriage is childless)

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4

CAN YOU SPOT THE FOLLOWING GRAMMATICAL AND OTHER MISTAKES?

The following are some examples of mistakes in writing, taken randomly from newspapers and other printed sources. For each example, the mistake is highlighted , and its correction provided in italics.:

1) ‘He had made the headlines last month for taking younger brother Lam Seng to court, accusing him of copyright breach, defamation and passing off goods as those of another’s. (as those of another OR as another’s)

2) ‘Whoever buys the business will get all our recipes. We will leave it up to the new owner to decide what to do with the space…’ ( leave it to the new owner OR It is up to the new owner)

3) ‘The days where clubs field 16-year-olds seem long gone.’ ( when clubs fielded 16-year-olds)

4) ‘Lucasfilm and Disney did not approve, participate or condone this inappropriate use of their characters.’ ( approve of, participate in or condone this inappropriate use of their characters.)

5) ‘On Saturday he hugged us all and then he seemed at peace after that. My dad, as he always was, took his time.’ ( as he always did )

6) ‘Since 2010, the business was not profitable.’ ( has/had not been profitable OR For five years, the business was not profitable)

7)‘Scientific observations of Pluto have begun five months before the spacecraft’s closest approach to the planet.’ ( began five months before..OR have been made since the moment the spacecraft came closest to the planet five months ago’)

8) ‘It’s no secret that the S. League has not been able to fill stadiums like the early years.’ ( as in the early years)

9) ‘The return of the haze in Singapore has brought the usual round of complaints, but the problem never seems to improve.’ (the problem never seems to go away/to be solved/to decrease OR the situation never seems to improve)

10) ‘Knowing his wild spending habits, he’s going to squander that million dollar prize within a year.’ (Knowing his wild spending habits, I can predict/ one can guess/we know,etc,he’s going to squander..’)

11) ‘Saving the best tribute for the last, the University’s programmes are the most comprehensive and enlightened in the academic world.’ ( Saving the best tribute for the last, I must say /we acknowledge,etc that the University’s programmes……)

12)‘The old-school restaurant was known for its geriatric Hainanese waiters, some of whom could be curmudgeonly.’ ( pretentious use of adjectives, when very old and bad-tempered would have conveyed the meaning just as well)

13) ‘A couple in Malaysia is urging the Education Ministry to ban a teacher after she allegedly physically abused their nine-year-old daughter.’ ( awkward juxtaposition of two long adverbs. Sentence could be re-written thus: ‘A couple in Malaysia is urging the Education Ministry to ban a teacher after they alleged that she had physically abused their daughter’ OR ‘A couple in Malaysia is urging the Education Ministry to ban a teacher who allegedly subjected their nine-year-old daughter to physical abuse.’)

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5

‘AS AN ASPIRING SOCIAL AND POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND AN ISSUE FULLY BEFORE I TAKE A FIRM STAND ON IT. HOW DO I DO THIS?’

Yes, the stand that you take on an issue must be supported by a full understanding of it, that is, it must be clear to the reader that you have considered it carefully, looked at it from all angles, and examined all its pros and cons. Obviously, if you believe that the pros outweigh the cons, you will argue for it; if it is the reverse, you will accordingly argue against it. For instance, on the controversy regarding the death penalty in the Singapore legal system, the pro argument that it is the most effective deterrent against

serious crime may be strong enough for you, in the final analysis, to refute all the con arguments ( no one can take away a human life except God; there have been cases of a miscarriage of justice; everyone deserves a second chance in society,etc, etc)

One way by which you can train your mind to take a comprehensive view of a contentious subject is to look at it from the following angles:

i) the economic angle, related to monetary concerns whether at the national or individual level. For instance, the issue of gambling has an economic pro - generating revenue for the state; the issue of euthanasia has an economic con - the huge financial burden of keeping a comatose member of the family alive, when there is no hope of his recovery.

ii)the political angle, related to matters of political stability, the relationship between the government and the people, human rights,etc. For instance, the issue of censorship of the media has a political con - depriving people of the freedom of expression. The same issue can have a political pro - preventing racist rumours, religious provocations and falsehoods that could destabilise a multi-racial society.

iii)the social angle, related to matters affecting the security, stability, well-being and progress of the community. For instance, the issue of special schools for gifted children has a social con - encouraging elitism and social snobbery; the issue of implementing laws to allow elderly,needy parents to sue their children for support has a social pro - bringing back the traditional value or respect for and duty towards one’s parents.

iv)the moral angle, related to matters of right and wrong. For instance, the matter of whether to have strict laws to protect maids and foreign workers from abuse has many moral pros, including the duty to protect the weak and vulnerable, to impart to the young, values of humane behaviour towards the less privileged.

v)the cultural angle, related to matters of protecting and promoting the cultural heritage, in its wide range of forms - unique architectural styles, historical sites, traditional dances, food, costumes, customs and beliefs reflecting pride in the past,etc.For instance, the issue of clearing land and tearing down old buildings to build new industrial complexes may have a strong economic pro but many cultural cons.

Suggested exercise

For each of the following topics, try to list down as many pros and cons as you can, looking at the issue from the 5 different angles listed above ( and others, if you can think of them)

i) ‘Gambling should be banned.’ii) ‘People should be able to use the social media freely.’iii) ‘Abortion should be made illegal.’iv) ‘The super-rich should be heavily taxed.’v) ‘The democratic system should be revised.’vi) ‘Smoking should be completely banned.’

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6

‘ARE THERE CLICHES AND OTHER STALE EXPRESSIONS THAT I SHOULD AVOID?’

Yes, you MUST avoid cliches which are often described as ‘overused’, ‘tired’, ‘trite’, ‘uninspired’, ‘unoriginal’,’hackneyed’, ‘commonplace’, ‘boring’. Cliches probably began as creative expressions worth copying, but through overuse, they have lost all their freshness and originality.

Here are two kinds of cliches that you should avoid:

1)Proverbs. Proverbs are so well-known that to use them to support an argument would not only be ineffective, but risk provoking a yawn in the reader. For instance: i)‘ In times of national crises, people must come together. After all, unity is strength/ United we stand, divided we fall.’ii) ‘No matter how bleak the picture is, we must maintain our optimism. As the saying goes, ‘ Every cloud has a silver lining.’ii) ‘In a truly just society, everyone should be treated equally, regardless of race, religion or creed.’

But you can use proverbs effectively,by alluding to them, rather than by stating them directly. For instance i) ‘The cult leader had been warning about the imminence of Doomsday so frequently that after a while, he was ignored, like the proverbial boy who cried wolf.’ii) ‘The less they understood, the louder they protested, like the proverbial empty vessel.’

2)Current cliched notions and their expressions

Here is a list of the currently overused expressions that I myself would assiduously avoid:

i)to think out of the boxii) a 20/20 visioniii) a helicopter visioniv) the light at the end of the tunnelv) half empty/ half full glassvi)linear thinkingvii) lateral thinkingviii)not a question of if but whenix) survival of the fittestx) the tip of the iceberg

( On a lighter note: I may have to eat my words regarding my rejection of cliches! For at the philosophical level , where we want to have some guiding principles in life, I have adopted certain well-known - and definitely overused- sayings. The reason is that I can’t find any substitutes for them, probably because they are so starkly simple, direct and minimal , being expressed entirely in monosyllables: ‘Live and let live’, ‘Let go,’ ‘To each his own’, ‘Life goes on’ and ‘Do your best’. )

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7

‘SUPPOSE I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT A CERTAIN NATIONAL OR WORLD PROBLEM, BUT HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA ABOUT HOW IT CAN BE SOLVED. CAN I STILL WRITE ABOUT IT?’

Yes, of course. There are 2 reasons why you are justified in writing about a problem even if you can’t think of its solution:

1)Problems, especially those at the national or world level, are usually so complex that it’s not easy to come up with solutions for them. Sometimes, they baffle and defy all attempts even to define them. Yet they cannot be ignored. For instance: a conflict between two countries, in which each accuses the other of violating its territorial integrity ; the threat of a world pandemic of a disease which doctors don’t fully understand; deeply rooted racism in a plural society.

2)Even if you are unable to suggest solutions for a problem, you can raise awareness about it, and that is already an important first step.

But when you say that you ‘have absolutely no idea’ about how to solve a problem you are passionate about, you probably mean that you can’t come up with specific, concrete suggestions leading to useful outcomes. Well, you can, if you try to find answers using the following broad, general points, which are part of mainstream knowledge and have wide acceptance in all practising democracies. Once you flesh them out with specific details from your own situation, you are likely to arrive at a reasonable solution to the problem:

i) In all free societies, there are usually 3 major players in any problem-solving endeavour - the government, the media, and the society or community.The relative power of each varies from country to country: in Singapore the dominant player is clearly the government. No one player should be responsible for finding a lasting, satisfactory solution which can come only from a concerted effort by all three parties involved. For instance,the government has to show the necessary political will, the media have to raise awareness and educate the public, and the people, on their part, have to put national or community interests above their own.

ii) education is ultimately the best solution to a major problem, be it racism, poverty, crime or environmental pollution. It is also a long-term, lasting solution where other solutions may be just temporary or driven by special circumstances. This is because education deals with the problem at root, inculcating in the young, right from their early, impressionable years, values that are sound and universally accepted, such as responsibility, tolerance, self-discipline, respect for others, respect for the environment,etc. Hence education may be considered a preventive measure, nipping the problem in the bud.

There is also education beyond the formal school years, in the broadest sense of cradle-to-grave learning involving everybody at all stages of life. Indeed, the development of a strong, civic-minded, mature society is not possible without this kind of education.Its robustness creates a collective social conscience, making people work together towards solving even the most intractable problem, whether it be political, such as extensive corruption in government or the business world, or social, such as an increasing incidence of suicide among youth.

Suggested exercise

Consider the persistent Haze Problem in Singapore. Think of all the players involved, and write about what each should do to reach a truly effective solution to the problem.

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8

AN EXAMPLE OF WRITING THAT COULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVED

The following is a specimen of writing that is free from grammatical errors and may pass as generally acceptable writing because it gets its argument across. But it can be improved substantially. For instance, it contains loose sentence patterns and word repetition, that could be re-written to give it a clearer, smoother presentation.

‘People often dream of living in the past. But history lovers note it wasn’t all as romantic as it might seem.The past was often a brutal, violent place, where the slightest legal or social infraction could result in gruesome, unpleasant and painful death. Over the last few hundred years, most western nations did away with capital punishment altogether. But in the past, the goal was often to inflict as much pain as possible upon the person being executed. There were a variety of reasons for this: some of them political, some of them religious, some of them for purposes of intimidation. Whatever the reasons, the execution methods of the past were grisly, and fortunately, the free world has abolished them.’

Comments

1)Points are not presented systematically and smoothly. There are 3 main points - the violent nature of punishments in the past, the reasons for these punishments and the fact that the western world has done away with them. Instead of being presented separately in a distinct, focused way, they seem to be scattered ,one point being made in one place and then repeated in another. For instance, the repetition of the same point in ‘...most western nations did away with capital punishment altogether’ and in the last sentence, ‘..the free world has abolished them’.

2)There is tedious repetition of a key word. The central word ‘past’ appears 4 times, when its synonyms could have been used, such as, ‘in bygone days’, ‘back in an earlier age’, ‘decades/centuries ago,’ ‘well before our modern era’,etc.

3)There is also tedious, needless repetition of the phrase ‘some of them’: ‘There were a variety of reasons for this: some of them political, some of them religious, some of them for purposes of intimidation’.

4)Descriptive words follow each other haphazardly and are not strung together in a clear order, to indicate increasing degree of significance or intensity of tone. For instance: ‘...could result in gruesome, unpleasant or painful death’. ‘Unpleasant’ is much less emphatic than ‘painful’ and ‘painful’ less emphatic than ‘gruesome’. A proper ordering of these adjectives should have been ‘unpleasant, painful and (even)gruesome death’ in a clear ascending scale( just as you would write ‘small, minuscule, indeed undetectable’ in a descending scale)

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9

USE THE ANTITHESIS - A POWERFUL ARGUMENTATIVE DEVICE

The antithesis is a figure of speech in which two opposite ideas or images are deliberately placed side by side, for instance, ‘God proposes, man disposes,’ ‘Think global, act local.’ If you are able to use the antithesis at some point in your argumentative writing, you will achieve the following good effects:

i)you will present an effective summing up of your main argument to the reader in the briefest possible mannerii)your summing up is aesthetically pleasing to the reader because of the symmetrical balancing of contrasts. For instance: in ‘Think global, act local,’ the mental activity in ‘think’ is balanced against its behavioural manifestation in ‘act’, and the universality of ‘global’ is balanced against the specificity of ‘local’.iii) The use of antithesis grabs the reader’s attention, and may ensure that your argument remains in his mind for some time.

Here are some famous examples of the use of the antithesis:

i) ‘To err is human, to forgive divine.’ ( poet Alexander Pope)ii) ‘One small step for a man, but a giant leap for mankind.’ ( astronaut Neil Armstrong)iii) ‘Peace may be on everyone’s lips, but war is on everyone’s mind.’ (Winston Churchill)

You’re probably thinking: ‘Surely no political commentator is expected to show such a high level of linguistic skill!’

No, of course not. But you can still make use of the antithesis, in a less spectacular manner, to give that extra vivacity to argumentative writing (which can be very bland) You can do this because any major problem that is the topic of argument and debate is usually complex and difficult to solve, with a huge gap or contrast between the proposed solution and the existing realities. Noting the opposites on each side of the gap will give you the antithesis.For instance, for years now, world leaders have come up with all kinds of solutions to solve problems of poverty, disease, war, human trafficking,etc but the contrast between proposal and action is just too great. This contrast can be effectively expressed by the antithesis: ‘Theoretically sound, the proposals are in practice untenable,’ or ‘A huge gap separates the idealised solutions on the one hand and the hard, daunting realities, on the other.’

Suggested exercise

1)Complete each of the following antithetical statements and add one sentence of your own to elaborate on it. You can use as your topic any problem related to Singapore, the region or the world:

i)Ideally the idea is sound, but in practice………..ii)On paper the plan is flawless, but when it comes to implementation……iii)An economic miracle, it was nevertheless a social disaster because……………..iv)Potentially promising, the proposal in actuality turned out to be………v)On the one hand,there is material prosperity; on the other, we already see spiritual bankruptcy and moral ……vi)While the surface, public image is one of unity and harmony, the underground, private………………….

2) Elaborate, in 2 or 3 sentences, on the antithesis in each of the following statements:i)‘Man is technologically a giant, and morally a pygmy.’ii) ‘In pragmatic, materialistic Singapore, our dilemma may be summed up by the constant conflict of IQ vs EQ(Emotional Quotient), Head vs Heart, Hardware vs Heartware.’

( On a lighter note: Here is a playful poem on the popular topic of how men are different from women, in which the antithesis is made up of rhyming words: ‘ Roaming man, homing woman Straying man, staying woman

Questing man, nesting woman.’

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10

‘SHOULD I GIVE A TITLE TO MY ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY?’

Yes. The political or social commentary must have a title to give an indication of its contents to the reader. Sometimes it has a subtitle as well, especially if the title alone does not indicate the contents. For instance, in my first political commentary many years ago, the title was ‘The Great Affective Divide’ which on its own would not be clear enough to tell the reader what the article was about, so I added the subtitle: ‘The Relationship Between the PAP Government and the People.’

In order to get the reader’s attention, writers often like to make the article titles colourful, provocative, even teasing. There are different ways of doing this:

1) By using the alliteration, that is, making all the key words in the title begin with the same letter or sound.For instance:i) ‘Promises, Perils, Paradoxes: The Issue of political freedom in Singapore.’ ii) ‘ God, Guns and Gold: How religion, greed and violence work together.’

2) By using the Rhetorical Question which is strictly not a question, because it is asked to make an impact, not to seek an answer. For instance: i)‘Is the Sky the Limit?: the rapid advancement of technology today’ ii) ‘Are Scientists Playing God?: the perils of human cloning.’

3) By using a well-known quotation or part of it: i)‘Hell Hath no Greater Fury: the psychology of rejection and revenge.’ii) ‘Go Forth and Multiply: an alarming decline in birth rate in advanced societies.’

4) By using a symbol or image:i) ‘The Shrimp with Teeth: A small nation’s growing military might.’ ii) ‘Squaring the Circle: how the problem of managing refugees remains unsolvable.’

(On a lighter note: Many years ago, when I was a teacher of English, I became obsessed about making my students write well enough to score at least a credit in the English Language paper in the Cambridge exams. I bullied and overworked them. In my preoccupation with examination grades, I had forgotten about the human needs of my students, some of whom came from poor environments and difficult home backgrounds.One day I read an article in an educational journal for teachers. It was about teachers like myself, and it had a scathing title I would never forget for the rest of

my life: ‘The geranium on the window sill died, but Teacher, you went right on talking!’ I actually cut out the article and pasted it above my writing desk, as a grim warning to me to get my priorities right!)

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11

GIVE YOUR WRITING A LITTLE PLAYFUL TOUCH!

Argumentative writing, unlike fictional writing, can be bland and boring, but you can liven and perk it up by making use of certain stylistic devices which create pleasing sound effects. They are not, of course, an essential part of serious writing, but can have a pleasant, playful effect on the reader.

Here are three of these ‘sound’ devices:

1)Alliteration: Alliterated words begin with the same letter, thus drawing attention to themselves. (Note that cartoon characters have alliterated names - Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Porky Pig). You might want to use this device if you wish to highlight a certain general fact by giving specific , alliterated examples of it: For instance: i) ‘ You can shop for almost anything online - from bagels to bicycles to brides!’ ii) ‘Death is the greatest democracy, visiting pope, prince and pauper alike.’ iii) ‘The MacDonald’s culture appeals to youth from Botswana to Beirut to Beijing.’

2)Twin Words that sound alike:The English language has a whole range of quirky twin words , called Reduplicates which have a pleasant lilting effect - ‘hurly-burly’, ‘helter-skelter’, willy-nilly,‘higgledy-piggledy’, ‘pell-mell’, ‘hanky-panky’, ‘riff-raff’,’nitty-gritty’, etc. etc. Though many of these sound words are used colloquially, you can use some to invest your sentence with a little extra appeal. For instance:i) ‘Will elitism create a cultural gulf , with the hoity-toity crowd on one side, and the hoi polloi on the other?’ii) ‘In the hurly-burly of modern day living, we have little time to reflect and look into our inner selves.’ iii) ‘Under the guise of Science, there is a lot of hocus-pocus about new cures for cancer.’

3)Phrases with rhyming words: A pleasing sound effect can also be achieved by using phrases that contain words that rhyme - ‘rant and rage’, ‘wheeling and dealing’, ‘womb-to-tomb’, ‘nature-nurture’, gloom and doom’,etc. Use these attention-grabbing words occasionally in your writing. For instance:i) ‘People in authority know they can no longer hector and lecture the young, well-educated and articulate Internet generation

today.’ ii) ‘The leaders caution against complacency, lack of self-discipline and constant search for pleasure, all of which would turn us into a fiesta and siesta society.’

Suggested ExerciseUsing each of the above 3 stylistic devices, create your own sentences on any topic you like.

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12

‘CAN I USE FOREIGN EXPRESSIONS IN MY WRITING?’

Yes, indeed. We’re probably using more foreign expressions in our writing than we’re aware of. For instance, we liberally lace our writing ( and also our speech) with expressions such as ‘en bloc’, ‘ad hoc’, ‘angst’, ‘persona non grata’, ‘incognito’, ‘bon voyage,’ ‘bon appetit’, etc

Foreign expressions in the English language are mainly of Latin and French origin. They are useful in argumentative writing when they serve the following purposes:

1) they act as functional shorthand, expressing an idea with the minimum of words, for instance, ‘ad hoc’, instead of ‘ done for a particular purpose only’ , and ‘carte blanche’ instead of ‘having complete freedom to act as one wishes’

2) they express an idea very precisely, and usually have no exact English equivalents, for instance ‘angst’, ‘deja vu’, ‘zeitgeist’, ‘sui generis’ ( Look up the meanings of each of these words)

3) they come in as useful synonyms for words that you don’t wish to repeat. For instance, if you’re writing about the need for a strong communal ties, and have already used the words ‘harmony’ and ‘solidarity’, you may want to use ‘camaraderie’ or ‘esprit de corps’ in subsequent sentences or paragraphs.

4) Some of them express a philosophy or way of life that resonates with most people, for instance ‘Carpe diem’ ( ‘Seize the day’), and ‘Joie de vivre’ ( ‘an exuberant, celebratory enjoyment of life’)

5) There are some that are particularly useful for describing the social and political situation in Singapore:

i) glasnost and perestroika: Two terms in wide use during the opening up of the Soviet Union more than 20 years ago, the first referring to a loosening of political controls, allowing people greater freedom, and the second referring to the necessary establishment of a proper infrastructure before this opening can take place.

ii) nouveau riche : the newly rich; a society that has achieved a higher standard of living in a fairly short time. iii)terra firma and terra incognita: firm ground and unknown territory iv) sine qua non: absolutely necessary condition v) vox populi: the voice of the common people; the ground

Suggested ExerciseThis exercise is based on the five foreign expressions listed above:

i) It is often argued that in Singapore we should concentrate on the perestroika rather the glastnost, for the stability of the society. What are your views?ii) Would you agree that our famous trait of ‘kiasuism’ is the result of our being a nouveau riche society, or are there other causes?iii)In your opinion, what is the core of political beliefs in Singapore that form the people’s terra firma, giving them confidence, and what is the core of doubts and misgivings, forming their terra incognita and causing them some anxiety?iv)What do you think is the sine qua non for political stability, without which it is utterly impossible to achieve?v) How has the Internet strengthened the vox populi?

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13

‘I ENJOY READING AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY WHERE IDEAS, NO MATTER HOW ABSTRACT, ARE PRESENTED IN CONCRETE IMAGES TO GIVE A VISUAL IMPACT. I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT IN MY OWN WRITING’

It is natural - and pleasurable - for us to have images in our heads, and so the visual aspect of even the most intellectual piece of writing is very important to secure the reader’s attention and approval. Notice that scientific writing targeted at the ordinary, lay reader makes extensive use of the analogy , where a scientific concept is presented through a comparison with something that the reader is familiar with, and hence becomes so much clearer. For instance, the impossibly huge number of stars in the universe is conveyed through the following comparison: its number is greater than the total number of sand grains in all the beaches in the world!

One of the most effective forms of comparison is the metaphor, a figure of speech that compares two things by representing them as one image : for instance,i) ‘the spectre of famine ( the two images, firstly of hunger, starvation and suffering and secondly of a fearsome, pale, disembodied form are merged into one image) ii) a firestorm of protest, iii) the voyage of life iv) the seeds of discontent v) an unbridgeable chasm of distrust vi) the cocoon of ignorance

There are certain popular metaphors used for social and political writing, which are deliberately chosen for their lofty, powerful images, to match the seriousness of the subject. Three distinct types may be identified:1) Metaphors derived from strong, destructive forces in nature . For instance:

i)An avalanche of protests in parliament meant that the bill could not be passed. ii) The tide of change built up into a political tsunami that swept away the past. iii)The shifting tectonic plates of change have carved up the social landscape.

2) Metaphors derived from warfare and weaponry . For instance:

i) The leaders knew that in openly dealing with the controversial subjects of race and religion, they were walking through a minefield of ticking time bombs.ii) In preparation for the election campaigning, both sides sharpened the weapons in their arsenal. iii) With greed, corruption and lust for power running rampant, is society heading for a moral meltdown?

3) Metaphors derived from medicine and disease . For instance:

i)Was it a case of collective political amnesia that the events of the past year were quickly forgotten?ii) In a dominant, one party system, where alternative views are not allowed, political sclerosis soon sets in.iii) The inability to reach a decision even after years of deliberations was no less than moral paralysis.

4) Metaphors derived from literature and mythology . For instance:

i)The Holy Grail of Science is to achieve immortality and do away with death altogether. ii)To eradicate poverty in the country is a Sisyphean task that cannot be achieved in a lifetime.

iii)Surviving the most destructive war in its history, the Asian phoenix rose from its ashes to amaze everybody.

Suggested exercise

The next time you read any social or political commentary, look out for metaphors derived from other sources, for instance, sports, the plant and animal world, the planets, agriculture, transportation, the human body,metals and minerals,etc.

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14

‘CAN I USE THE PERSONAL ANECDOTE IN AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY?’

Yes, but sparingly, and only when it serves the purpose of advancing or illustrating your argument. While the personal pronoun ‘I’ appears extensively in personal and fictional writing, it is suppressed in favour of the impersonal ‘one’ in serious writing, as in ‘One can see clearly that…’ or dispensed with altogether through the use of the Passive Voice, where the doer or agent is not mentioned, as in ‘It can be clearly seen that..’

But the personal anecdote can be suitably used for the following purposes:

1) As a brief introduction, quickly leading to the main topic of your essay: For instance, in an essay where you want to emphasize the economic and political achievements of the PAP leadership:‘In July of 1997,I was on a visit to a country that had suffered decades of war and was then struggling to get back on its feet. I confess I was appalled by the poverty and squalor I saw everywhere - rundown buildings, broken roads, ragged, pot-bellied children begging for coins, maimed beggars pushing themselves along on small carts.

When I returned to Singapore, my first overwhelming feeling was one of gratitude…’

2) As a quick illustration of a point just made. For instance: ‘In Singapore, the lack of natural resources has meant the vital importance of developing human resources, which in turn has meant equal opportunities in education for girls, and indeed in higher education and professional development.This is a far cry from the past when the woman’s place was in the home, and her role was limited to being wife, mother and

homemaker(My grandmother had ten children and never left the confines of her small village all her life).’ Notice the use of the parenthesis, marked off by brackets, to indicate that it is only a secondary point , an afterthought.

(On a lighter note: The absorption with self is sometimes called narcissism, after the mythological character Narcissus who admired his own beauty so much that he never missed the opportunity to stop by the bank of a stream , to peer into the water and admire his reflection. One day he fell in and drowned. A beautiful flower arose where he fell, and was named after him. The most narcissistic pronouncements in history are those by conquerors and are replete with the personal pronoun ; for instance: ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’ (Julius Caesar)and ‘Able was I,ere I saw Elba’ ( Napoleon)

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15

‘IS IT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SOCIAL/POLITICAL COMMENTATOR TO CONVEY SOUND ETHICAL VALUES, EVEN IF ONLY INDIRECTLY, THROUGH HIS WRITING?’

The political/social commentator does not set out to directly convey the values he espouses, whether social, moral, ethical ,spiritual, religious or aesthetic. Indeed, to do so would give his commentary a didactic, ‘preachy’ tone that tells of an ulterior motive. This would most certainly turn off the reader. The commentator’s top priority when he sets out to write about a topic should be to present that topic as logically, reasonably and clearly as he can.

But every comment made about an issue is invariably underlain by a disposition, assumption, belief, conviction or principle held by the commentator; otherwise he would not take the trouble to write about it and try to convince others to share his view. In this way, the commentator is revealing to the reader his overall attitude or philosophy in life, even if he may not be aware of it.For instance, if , in the emotional debate over abortion, he takes the pro-choice stand and argues passionately that it should be legalised, he is indirectly showing that he is probably a liberal. If he takes the opposite pro-life stand, he is indirectly showing that he is probably a conservative.

If the social or political commentator is consistent in his views through the entire body of work he produces over a period of time, he will reveal a whole personal scheme of values that he has adopted or constructed on his own. Readers following his work will be able to know, at some point, whether he goes along with mainstream values or is a radical; whether he is suspicious of change, or welcomes it; whether he is an optimist or pessimist, an idealist or pragmatist, a rebel or a conformist; whether passionate by nature or restrained and controlled in his emotions; whether deeply religious and moral, or atheistic and amoral; whether abrasive and confrontational or gentle and accommodating,etc etc.

If you work at being a serious social/political commentator, your writing will bear all these marks of your personality, temperament, mindset and value systems. This is as it should be.

I am sometimes asked: what is the underlying philosophy in all your commentaries?

I am hard put to give a satisfactory answer, because I suspect this underlying philosophy has not stabilised yet, but is still evolving. But for sometime now, I am able to say that my philosophical standpoint can be summed up by three words: Humanism, Humanitarianism and Humanity.

Humanism - I would like to see myself as espousing the primary concern of humanism , that is, the use of reason. The humanist’s approach to an issue is marked by logical, rational and balanced thinking.This is where the Head dominates.Humanitarianism - Reason is certainly not enough for what philosophers call the good life; it has to be supported by humanitarian feelings towards one’s fellow men, in particular the feelings of empathy, understanding and compassion. This is the domain of the Heart.Humanity - This means an understanding of the human nature that one shares with all fellow human beings, with its strengths and weaknesses, its capacities for good and bad, for folly and wisdom, truth and falsehood, heroism and cowardice. This understanding in turn leads to acceptance and tolerance. When people say of someone who’s made a mistake or committed a wrong, ‘He’s only human’, they mean precisely this. This is the domain of the Spirit.

I like to think that my philosophy based on the 3 H’s is a dynamic, not static one, constantly adjusting itself to fit with changing needs of myself and others - in my family, community, nation, and the world outside, in a widening circle of a shared humanity.

Over the years, I have taken note of quotations by wise human beings, to remind me of each of the H’s, and the need to engage Head, Heart and Spirit holistically. Here are some of my favourite quotations:

i) ‘It seemed to me a superlative thing - the explanation for everything, why it comes to be, why it perishes, why it is.’ Socrates ( an example of Humanism and commitment to Reason, represented by Head)ii) ‘Kindness, kindness, and beyond that, even more kindness.’ E.M Forster, novelist ( an example of Humanitarianism, and practice of Compassion, represented by Heart)iii) ‘If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I?’ Rabbi Hillel ( an example of Humanity, awareness of one’s natural self-centredness on the one hand, and the need to reach out to others, on the other)

Suggested exercise

Look up the famous model of human needs by the psychologist Abraham Maslow which he published almost 70 years ago, but which remains hugely popular. The needs are arranged in a hierarchy. It is sometimes pictured as a pyramid,beginning at the most fundamental level of food and shelter, moving upwards through social and emotional needs and culminating, at the peak, with the highest intellectual, emotional and spiritual need called ‘self-actualisation’. Place yourself in this model and decide what your ultimate or peak need is, that is, the one that gives you greatest satisfaction and best defines you as a person.

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