ENGLISH

AREA OF STUDY TWO- ARGUMENT ANALYSIS

Form of Sources
EDITORIALS

GENERAL
- Often editorials will make an effort to retain a CALM, LOGICAL AND MEASURED TONE.
- They like to sound INTELLIGENT, KNOWLEDGEABLE AND REASONABLE.
- MOSTLY RETAIN THE SAME TONE throughout
 but some editors can falter into a more personal and emotional tone

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

GENERAL
- They are written by members of the public and are PUBLISHED AS PART OF AN OPEN, PUBLIC DEBATE on an issue.
- often INTENSELY PERSONAL.
- Letters to the editor may contain WILD, BITING ATTEMPTS TO INVOKE STRONG EMOTIONS.
 angry, sad, amused or shocked.

OPINION PIECES OR FEATURE ARTICLES [Like Morning Herald]

GENERAL
- Pieces written by PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS who usually have a regular column in the paper.
- Includes a COMBINATION OF RESEARCH AND OPINION.
- Often written in FIRST PERSON USING ANECDOTES
 to provide readers with a ‘personal’ angle
- But they attempt to seem REASONABLE AND POPULAR WITH THE PUBLIC
 in order to encourage regular readership of their column.
Tone
APPEALS
TONE MEANING EXAMPLE
Logos/Rational  persuading by the use of reasoning.  “History has shown time and again that absolute power
 Cite facts/statistics/historical corrupts absolutely”
analogies/authorities in subject  “Research compiled by analysts from NASA...”
 APPEAL TO LOGIC  "Doctors all over the world recommend this type of
treatment."
Pathos/Emotion  Persuading by appealing to reader’s  "If we don't move soon, we're all going to die! Can't you see
emotions/motivation how dangerous it would be to stay?"
 Developed by:  "If we don't move soon, we're all going to die! Can't you see
 Vivid/meaningful language how dangerous it would be to stay?"
 Sensory details  "If we don't move soon, we're all going to die! Can't you see
 Emotional events or stories how dangerous it would be to stay?"
 APPEALS TO EMOTION
Ethos/Ethical Appeal  Establishing authority/credibility  "As a doctor, I am qualified to tell you that this course of
 Making impression treatment will likely generate the best results."
 invoke the superior “character”  “If you're still unsure, please consider that my advanced
degree and fieldwork speak for themselves."
 Developed by
 choosing language that is appropriate  "You know me - I've taught Sunday School at your church -
so you know I can run your preschool."
 celebrity endorsement of
someone respected  Actor Jennifer Aniston promotes Smartwater
 Making yourself an
authority on the subject
 APPEAL TO ETHICS
Appeals to Tradition  is an argument in which a thesis is  “Church should begin at 11am because that's the time that
Appeal to Common Practice deemed correct we have always begun the church service.”
 on the basis that it is  “No one in this family has ever been divorced; therefore, you
correlated with some need to work out your marital problems. We don't get
past or present tradition. divorced!”
 "this is right because we've always  “Gay marriage is wrong because marriage has always been
done it this way." between a man and a woman.”
Appeals to family values  speak to how parents should not raise 
Focus on children their children
 invokes a readers’ sympathy and guilt.
 suggestions that children’s welfare is
under threat tend to carry more weight
with the reader than a general threat


PERSONALITY TYPES

PERSONALITY TYPES MEANING

Choleric/Irate/Peevish/Irascible  [Resembles a choleric approach]
 Showing or expressing anger quickly
 Involves being mean, cranky, worked up, lashing out
 Extremely irritable or easily angered
Melancholic/Dejected/Mournful  Deep or thoughtful sadness
Sanguine/Sanguinely  hopeful and confident in a cheerful way.
Phlegmatic/Phlegmatically  calm, sluggish, unemotional, and unenthusiastic, monotone

COMMON TYPES

COMMON TYPES MEANING

Diplomatic  dealing with people in a sensitive and tactful way
doesn’t cause offense
Vitriolic/acrimonious/rancorous/caustic  bitter criticism or malice
Incredulous/doubtful/unconvinced  hesitant/doubtful/unwilling/unable to accept something
Vehement/Vehemently/Impetuous/Impetuously  Lot of force/emotion behind it
 Forcibly expressed
 Forceful, passionate, very intense
Patriotic/Patriotically  Devotion and vigorous support/proud of country
Cynical  Only concerned with/motivated by self interest
 Distrust/lack of faith of others
Embittered/Embitter  [Embittered by a jealousy]
 [embittered reflections and prejudices of contemporary society]
 angry or resentful at having been treated unfairly
Jocular/Jocund  [jocular remarks about opera]
 fond of or characterized by joking; humorous or playful
Frivolous  Carefree/superficial/jokey/light-hearted
Controlled
Indignant/aggrieved/resentful/affronted
Disgruntled/dissatisfied/discontented
Dogmatic/opinionated/peremptory
Pragmatic/Realistic/Sensible/Down to earth
Antagonistic/Antagonise/Inimical
Vilify/Vilification/Vilified/Revile/Berate
Disparage/Disparaging/denigrate/deprecate
Solemn/Solemnly/Sincere/Sincerely
Wistful/Plaintive
Disconsolate/Disconsolate/Dejected
Pessimistic/Negative
Appalled
Ardent/Passionate/Avid/Fervid/Fervent
Pensive
Servile/Obsequious/Sycophantic/Flattering/Subservient/Submissive
Recalcitrant/Refractory
Pleads/Pleading/Implore/Imploring
Didactic/instructional/Educative/Informative
Pedantic/overscrupulous/scrupulous
Chauvinistic
Patronizing/Supercilious/Scornful/Haughty
Bombastic/Bluster/Blustering/Pompous/Verbose/Turgid
Inflated/Pretentious/Conspicuous/Obtrusive
Condemning/Condemnatory Statements
Censure/Castigate/Deplore/chastise
Impartial/unbiased/neutral but equal/objective
 Having ones feelings under control
 Not showing excessive or strong emotion
 Seems reasonable and calm
 feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as
unfair treatment
 Angry and dissatisfied
 feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as
unfair treatment
 Angry and dissatisfied
 Expressing opinions very strongly as if they were facts
 Characterized by an authoritative, arrogant assertion of unproved
or unprovable principles
 Not open to appeal or challenge
 [peremptory and therefore considered conclusive statements]
 [a peremptory order of the court]
 dealing with things sensibly and realistically
 based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.
 Flexible, suits current conditions
 [pragmatic approach]
 Showing HOSTILE opposition
 [inimical politeness]
 Speak or write in disparaging manner
 [vilified in the press]
 Regard or represent something as little worth
 [disparage his competitors]
 Deep sincerity/genuine/committed/earnest
 Having or showing a feeling of vague, painful or regretful longing
 Very unhappy, unable to be comforted
 tending to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst
will happen
 Shock or disapproval
 [appalled by/at the state of our cities]
 Enthusiastic or passionate
 Strong feelings or beliefs
 Vigorous pursuit
 [fervent supporter]
 [enthusiastic avid readers]
 Deep serious thought
 Excessive willingness to obey or please others
 Obedient and attentive in appealing to audience in order to gain
advantage
 Resisting authority or system
 NOT obsequious, obedient or compliant
 Emotional or earnest appeal to readers
 Want something urgently
 [I implore you to…]
 Intending to teach
 Usually in a manner of a teacher
 [didactic intent]
 Excessively concerned with minor details
 Obsessed with formalism or perfectionist
 Aggressive, excessive or prejudiced support for their own cause,
group, or sex
 kind or helpful but betraying a feeling of superiority
 Often in authority
 Thinking they are superior/have better opinion
 [bombastic rhetoric]
 High sounding, loud but little meaning
 Exaggerated importance by artificial or empty means
 Blown out of proportion, exaggerated
 Pretentious or bombastic language
 Noticeable or prominent in an unwelcome way
 Showy disposition; designed to impress
 Express severe disapproval
 Express severe disapproval
 Give impression that they treat everyone equal
 Unbiased and unprejudiced to ideas
 No preferences, so they state facts but don’t choose 1 side
 Allows audience to evaluate for themselves
 Comes off as FAIR
Assertive/Asserts  Confident or forceful expression
Slanted/Biased  presented or viewed from a particular angle, especially in a
biased or unfair way
 Selective evidence
Extravagant  Excessive, loud, bold
Ironic/Wry/Sardonic/Satirical  Mocking
 Criticising something through humour
 Bitterly or disdainfully ironic or amusing
Ambiguous/Equivocation/Equivocating/Equivocal/Evasive  Open to interpretation
 [Equivocal nature of her remarks]
Respected/Dignified/Responsible/Noble/Elevated/Lofty  Showing a composed or serious manner that is worthy of respect.
Abashed  Ashamed
 Embarrassing
 disconcerted/confused/unsettled
Abhor/Abhorring/Detest/  Regard with disgust or hatred
Loathe/Abominate/Execrating/Execrate  Regard with disgust or hatred
Abstruse/Obscure/Esoteric/Recondite  [esoteric philosophical debates]
 [abstruse inquiry]
 Only understood by a small number of people with specialised
knowledge
 Difficult to understand
Accusatory  A tone of accusation (no way crazy)
Acerbic/Acidulated/Acidulate  Tone of harshness or severity
 Sour and bitter
 Slightly acidic
Admonish/Admonishing  [Admonished him for being unshaven]
 Warn or reprimand someone

Ambivalent/Equivocal/Unsure/Uncertain  having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or
someone
Baffled/Perplex  confuse, bewilder, perplex
Bemused/Puzzled/Confused  [he is bemused by the situation]
 bewildered, confused, lost in thought; preoccupied
Biting/Sarcastic  Having a biting or sarcastic tone
Blithe/Careless/Indifferent/Heedless/Nonchalant  Casual or cheerful indifference
Blithe/Happy/Cheerful/Jolly/Joyous/Sunny/Jocund  joyous, merry in disposition; glad; cheerful.
Brusque/Urgent/Abrupt/Blunt/Short/Forthright  Straightforward
 Brief to the point of rudeness
 Direct and outspoken
Candid/Frank/Outspoken/Honest  Open and sincere
 Straightforward
Capricious/Fickle/Mercurial  Sudden changes in mood or behaviour
 Flighty, led by whims, erratic
Churlish  [Seems churlish to complain]
 Mean spirited and ungracious
 Seems ill-mannered
Colloquial/conversational  characteristic of conversation rather than formal speech or
writing; also informal.
Authoritarian/Commanding  Imposing
 Exercising authority or superiority
 Peremptory and dictatorial
Ebullient  Overflowing with enthusiasm/Enthusiastic
 Excited
 High spirited
Elated/Jubilant  Very happy and proud
 Expressing triumph
Elegiac  Expressing sorrow or lamentation
Erudite  Showing knowledge, scholarly
Exculpatory  [Exculpatory evidence]
 Acting to clear blame or guilt
Exhortatory  [exhorting voters to do the right thing]
 Advising and urging
 Warning or earnest appeals
Expectant  [helps build an expectant audience]
 Showing excitement or anticipation
Farcical/Farce  Showing ludicrous, absurd, humorous and improbably language
 Ridiculous or laughable
 Therefore uses humour to present the ridiculous of an opposing
idea or contention
 Fatalistic  Acceptance of a situation or event as inevitable
Forebodes/Foreboding  [imbues a sense of foreboding]
 A feeling that something bad will happen
Histrionic  Over the top, dramatic
Impudent/Impertinence/effrontery/Insolent  Lack of respect, rude
 Insolence
Inflammatory  Tends to arouse anger or hostility
Laudatory  Containing or expressing praise
Obdurate  [despite the defendant’s apology the judge was obdurate]
 stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action
Sophomoric  intellectually pretentious, overconfident, conceited; immature
Amiable/Amiably/Affable/Affably/Jovial  Friendly and pleasant
Derides  [Morricone derides Hailey’s advertorial as ‘dishonest’]
 express contempt for; ridicule.
Exasperated  [The use of exasperated, colloquial language]
 [he exasperated]
 intensely irritated and frustrated.

Inimically

Abhorrence

Impetuously

PHRASES TO ANALYSE LANGUAGE

PHRASES MEANING/INTENTION
Asserted/Asserting
Present someone as ignoramus
Politicises
Evoke/Evocative/Evocative statements
Equivocation/Equivocating
Sustained
Insinuates
Implies
Loaded Language/Negative Connotations
Uses Shock Tactics
Disparaging Language
Uses Selective Evidence
Rationalises
Disputes
Ruminates
Ameliorates
Discredits
Utilises
Generates
Inspires
Evokes
Interlaces
Compels
Titillates
Elicits
Juxtaposes
Conjures
Reiterates
Imbues
Emphasises/Emphasis
Decries
Rebuke/Scold
Repudiate  To refuse to accept; reject
Proffer  Hold out or put forward to someone for acceptance
 offer
WHAT CREATES TONE

Adjectives

Adverbs

Sarcasm/irony

Connotations

Connotations vs loaded language

What is the argument

How is the language function – significant language

Why – intended impact on reader – think, feel, do

Statistic mfs– EMOTIONAL NOT APPLICABLE

BANNED VOCAB

States

Informs/proves

Shows/makes

Gets the reader thinking/grabs attention

Talks about

Writes

Considering the/in terms of the situational context

INTRODUCTION

1. Context/Issue
2. Author, publication, title, audience
3. Shift in tone/contention
4. Image/comment/opposing article – Language of comparison

TOPIC

1. Topic – What – Argument – “the author argues…”

2. How – Significant Language/image
 Quotes/Reference to the image
3. Why – SPECIFIC effect on the reader/audience
 What does it make the reader:
 Think
 Feel
 Do
 Link to the topic sentence/argument

Cats, as hunters and animals being allowed to roam freely, have been causing damage to both private properties and local wildlife
in Avonlea. In her post on the Avonlea Community hub entitled “Some Words From the Mayor”, Counsellor Deva Patel addresses
her constituents regarding the issue of free-range cats. In a tone that shifts from warm and light-hearted one that is more
concerned, Patel contends that the solution to the “complaints: regarding free-roaming cats causing damage to properties and
wildlife is “the introduction of 24 hour introduction” as it is the best solution for both “cats and native species”. Accompanying the
article is an image of a solitary cat. Additionally, Simon Waterford’s comment rebukes in an aggressively critical tone that not only is
the lockdown financially untenable but it is ultimately unnecessary

She is making a tiktok there