The Power of Persuasive Language

RDG 101Module 5Dr. C. Novins

What is persuasive language?

Persuasive language intends to convince the reader of a stated opinion or belief.

Persuasive writing has two main genres:

1. Argument2. Discussion

Persuasive Argument

Persuasive Arguments attempt to persuade the reader to agree with a certain viewpoint and sometimes they also want action to be taken – they exhort people to take action.

Persuasive Discussion

Persuasive Discussions present two or more perspectives on an issue and can conclude with a recommendation or prediction.

Connotations & Denotations The relationship between words and meanings is

extremely complicated, and belongs to the field of semantics. For now, though, what you need to know is that words do not have single, simple meanings.

Traditionally, grammarians have referred to the meanings of words in two parts:

Denotation: a literal meaning of the word

Connotation: an association (emotional or otherwise) which the word evokes

Connotations & Denotations

Example #1: Both "woman" and "chick" have the

denotation "adult female" in North American society, but "chick" has somewhat negative connotations, while "woman" is neutral.

Connotations & Denotations Example #2:

Negative There are over 2,000 vagrants in the city.Neutral There are over 2,000 people with no fixed address in the city.Positive There are over 2,000 homeless in the city.

All three of these expressions refer to exactly the same people, but they will invoke different associations in the reader's mind: a "vagrant" is a public nuisance while a "homeless" person is a worthy object of pity and charity. Presumably, someone writing an editorial in support of a new shelter would use the positive form, while someone writing an editorial in support of anti-loitering laws would use the negative form.

Connotations & Denotations In this case, the dry legal expression "with no fixed address"

quite deliberately avoids most of the positive or negative associations of the other two terms -- a legal specialist will try to avoid connotative language altogether when writing legislation, often resorting to archaic Latin or French terms which are not a part of ordinary spoken English, and thus, relatively free of strong emotional associations.

Many of the most obvious changes in the English language over the past few decades have had to do with the connotations of words which refer to groups of people. Since the 1950's, words like "Negro" and "crippled" have acquired strong negative connotations, and have been replaced either by words with neutral connotations (ie "black," "handicapped") or by words with deliberately positive connotations (ie "African-Canadian," "differently-abled").

Connotations & Denotations

In this case, the dry legal expression "with no fixed address" quite deliberately avoids most of the positive or negative associations of the other two terms -- a legal specialist will try to avoid connotative language altogether when writing legislation, often resorting to archaic Latin or French terms which are not a part of ordinary spoken English, and thus, relatively free of strong emotional associations.

Bias

Bias — not all opinion is clearly labeled. Persuasive writing whether in a book, magazine article, or on the web may have an unstated point of view that the reader must detect based on language used and information used and left out. The more the reader knows about a topic, the easier it is to detect bias.

The Definition of Bias

Definition of Bias: Prejudice in favor of or against one

thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.

Use of Bias

Many authors use BIAS in their writing to sway their reader.

It is imperative that as a critical reader, you are able to recognize when authors do not reveal both sides of a story.

Often authors want their readers to think a certain way and see the world the way they see it. To achieve this goal, an author will use bias.

Forms of Bias

Detecting Bias in Text

1. Persuasive (“loaded”) language — using words and sentences that solicit a positive or negative response from the reader or that lead the reader to the specific conclusion.

Detecting Bias in Text

2. Misquoting a source— this often happens in the news media when reporters reword, paraphrase or manipulate a statement or source’s information

Detecting Bias in Text

3. Selective facts—taking information out of context or selective use of data—picking only information that supports the argument and leaving the rest out.

Detecting Bias in Text

4. Distortion or stretching the facts—making issues more extreme by using misinformation or exaggeration

Detecting Bias in Text

5. Flawed research—basing a claim on too small a sample, manipulating statistics, using “fuzzy science” or “bad math,” failing to report contrary conclusions from other scientists.

As you critically read…

Be sure to read into the language the author uses to convey his/her point.

Does the author use specific language to make you feel sympathy? Anger? Frustration?

Does the author try to change your opinion regarding a group of people or a situation/event?

As you critically read…

Remember to pay close attention to the words the author uses and the way the author frames ideas and concepts.

Do not accept that everyone is as fair and balanced as you would like them to be in their writing!

Pay attention to how the author is trying to sway the reader! Do not let the author trick you into believing certain information!