What is textual analysis?

What is a text?
When you think of a text, you might think of something written. However, in the context of
the Language and Literature course, a text is defined as anything from which information can be
extracted, and includes the widest range of oral, written and visual materials present in society. This
range will include single and multiple images with or without text, literary and non-literary written
texts and extracts, media texts (for example, films),

What is textual analysis?

It means to 'break down in order to bring out the essential elements or structure. To identify
parts and relationships, and to interpret information to reach conclusions.' Textual analysis is the
systematic examination of a text or aspect(s) of a text - a consideration of how the individual parts
contribute to the whole. Textual analysis is not just about identifying what stylistic devices a writer
uses; it is about exploring the effects of those devices. For example, does the use of a rhetorical
device target a specific audience or suggest a specific purpose? Does the choice of a particular
word evoke a certain mood or reflect the writer's or speaker's attitude? Textual analysis is about
moving beyond the surface level of a text and exploring different layers of meaning which are created
through language.

Engaging with texts

In order to write convincingly about texts, you need to fully engage with them. This means
actively reading, making notes, asking questions and developing a personal response to the text.
One of the best ways to engage with texts is to annotate as you read. Effective annotation is like
having a dialogue with the text. You are noting down first impressions, posing questions and
suggesting possible interpretations (which may or may not change as you read further - and as you
read again).

ANNOTATION TIPS

 Look for semantic fields and lexicalsets.

 Focus on style, especially diction.
 Colour code your markings according to word type. For example, you could highlight
persuasive language in blue, words that reflect tone in pink, words associated with a
particular theme in green and examples of figurative language in orange.

Critical thinking
Critical thinking is a kind of thinking in which you question, analyse, interpret, evaluate and
make a judgement about what you read, hear, say, or write

Creative thinking is the process of considering situations from innovative perspectives and
developing an open-minded mindset. Using creative thinking allows you to generate new ideas,
interpret situations, identify themes and design alternatives to existing modes of operating.

In short words Creative thinking tries to create something new, while critical thinking seeks to
assess worth or validity of something that already exists.
 Non-literary text

What we usually mean when we talk about a literary work is that it has intentionally been
created as a work of art. That usually means that the work is fiction; that is, it does not recount events
that happened in real life. Just because a work is fiction, however, does not mean that it contains no
truth. The truth you will encounter in any artwork is a truth about the artist's vision of human
experience and of the world around us. The facts and events in a work of literature are not literally
true; however, they reveal broader truths about the way in which we experience our lives.
A non-literary text is one that has an informative function, a specific purpose, has an objective
character and makes use of denotative language (what is written refers to reality , what is written in
it, generally, does not leave room for free interpretation ). This type of text does not make use of
rhetorical resources, which are used in literary texts to express the subjectivity of the author. The
transmission of the message is one of its most important objectives. What it communicates can be a
fact, a process, norms, description of an object or person, etc. This implies that the non-literary text
must be objective, so it is expected that it is not ambiguous and that it lacks the polysemic density of
the literary text. However, whoever produces a non-literary text can use elements of literary texts to
communicate a message or transmit information. For example, rhetorical devices can be used when
describing or narrating a news event in a newspaper. In this case, the reader may find a certain literary
character that leads him to feel empathy or react adversely to what is communicated.

The audience:
A non-literary text, is at the service of a specific purpose and designed for specific
audiences. The sender tries to fulfill a purpose with his production, while the receiver wants to obtain
information or knowledge about something specific. Depending on the type of text and its purpose, the
relationship between sender and receiver varies. The audience is defined from the moment it is going
to be produced. In academic or scientific texts, for example, the person who produces the text is a
person with some level of specialization in an area of knowledge. The receiver or audience of this type
of text is expected to be able to understand the technicalities of the text, in order to reduce any
ambiguity.
In other cases, if it is an expository text, the author may have the objective of informing the receiver
about some topic or event. In the case of normative texts, whoever issues them intends that the
audience not only be informed about a particular matter, but also act in a certain way.

Characteristics of a non-literary text:

 They have a referential or informative function.

 Its content is not fictional.

 They are written seeking objectivity.

 They have a specific audience.

 They have a particular purpose.

 The message takes precedence over any poetic sense.

 The language used is denotative, which makes them unambiguous.

 Persuasive Language

Whether we are aware of it or not, our choices are not as free as they seem. So many of our decisions,
every single day, are guided by other people. Usually marketing executives. Sometimes journalists.
Occasionally politicians and activists. More frequently celebrities and social media ‘influencers’. Even
friends and family have the power to persuade us to change our behavior.
Use the acronym Persuade to remember eight of the most common techniques these techniques are:

 P-Power of Three
 E-Emotive Language
 R-Rhetorical Question
 S-Say it again
 U-Undermine the Opposition
 A-Anecdote
 D-Direct Address
 E-Exaggeration

Power of Three: It is a form of rhetoric in which three words or phrases, that are similar in structure
or length or rhythm are used in quick succession and combine to make a single powerful

Emotive language: are words and phrases purposefully used to evoke an emotional reaction from the
audience different words have connotations. Exp: if someone said this is my Mom, versus this is my
Mother both words have similar meanings, but you feel differently about the individual based on the
words i use. When one say mom, it sounds like they have a close relationship that she is nurturing and
she cares about them. However, when they say mother that makes the relationship sound cold and that
she's an authority figure. It is the deliberate choice of strong words and phrases, which position the
reader or the listener to react emotionally and to agree with the writer's point of view before reason.

Rhetorical question: is a question with an implied but unstated answer it suggests that the answer is
self-evident and therefore, the audience must agree. It can be used to highlight the inconsistencies or
sometimes the ridiculousness of the alternative.

Say it again: or repetition is when the same word phrase or idea is used several times for emphasis.
Repetition can also produce a more urgent and insistent tone encouraging the readers to agree.

Undermining the opposition: is an attack which makes the audience think badly of the person or
group, and therefore dismiss their ideas and viewpoints. By belittling or denigrating a person for
example calling them “selfish” or “pathetic” the audience is inclined to see them in a negative light
and subsequently also see their ideas in a negative light as well.
Anecdote: is a short story that gives the argument a human angle that engages the audience. the story
can be entertaining and can contextualize complex issues, in a way the audience can grasp by placing
the audience in the shoes of another, they can feel empathy for the subject and the position.

Direct Address: Directly addressing the audience and including them in the speech is a common
persuasive technique. it's also referred to as inclusive language by using words like: you , we, us ,our
and so on… listeners are positioned to agree with the speaker because it appeals to their desire to
belong to the group; it plays on their fears of being left out or regarded as an outsider.

Exaggeration: Exaggeration presents an extreme view of a situation for dramatic impact and to
provoke strong emotional responses hyperbole is an extravagant statement not meant to be taken
literally.

Ethos, Logos and Pathos:

Persuasion relies on appeals to the audience. There are three types of appeal:

 The ethical appeal (ethos)

 The logical appeal (logos)
 The emotional appeal (pathos)
-Ethos is an appeal to the authority of the writer or speaker. Ethos involves building a sense of trust
within the audience. This can be achieved in different ways by:
 sharing one's professional knowledge or personal experience
 relying on expert support
 adopting a formal, objective register (except, perhaps, when sharing personal experience)
 creating a bond with the audience (eg, by directly addressing the audience or making
imperative commands to the audience, using inclusive language and personal pronouns like
you and we).

-Logos is an appeal to logic and is achieved by using logical, evidence-based support for one's
argument. Evidence can include:
 Facts and figures

 Examples

 Expert testimony.

-Pathos is an appeal to emotion. Writers and speakers can stir emotions through diction and figurative
language. In particular, the use of words with strong connotative meanings can trigger a range of
emotions in an audience