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Connotative language:
We must help the freedom fighters, those brave and selfless pa-
triots who are willing to sacrifice their lives so that their children may
live free of bloody oppression.
Figurative language
Like connotative language, figurative language can be an effec-
tive persuasive tool. Although metaphor can't prove a case logically,
figurative language can be convincing in its power of suggestion.
Figurative language usually appeals to our senses, makes us see an
image or picture that illustrates meaning. According to the old saying,
"A picture is worth в thousand words," and though that may be an
exaggeration, language presenting a visual image can be especially
persuasive.
Description and narration
Description and narration can be effective methods of express-
ing experience and of conveying information. Well-written description
and narration use concrete language to evoke the texture of life, and,
because they depend on the writer's choice of detail, they can be
slanted for positive or negative effect.
Description and narration appeal directly to our sense of the
ways things are, or should be, and thus can be powerful means of
swaying opinion.
Tone and style
Finally, the way we use persuasive language reveals our attitude
toward our subject and our audience and will affect our results. Choos-
ing an appropriate style and tone means putting ourselves in our
reader's shoes, asking what the audience will or won't accept.
The tone may be serious and straightforward, the no-nonsense
approach, the author may be sarcastic or mocking, criticizing a posi-
tion with ridicule. He may employ an upbeat or optimistic voice, hop-
ing to instill confidence in the reader, or we may use a dark or menac-
ing tone, trying to arouse the audience's fear or concern.
76
Likewise, the style he chooses to achieve an appropriate tone or
mood may range from the simple, plain, and understated to the flowery
and ornate, though it is usually best to avoid overwriting.
TEXT CATEGORIES
*
Texts as information-carriers, able to transmit through time and
space, are vehicles of communication. The ability of the text to serve
as a means of communication is, to a great extent, accounted for by the
fact that it is an integral whole where all the elements are related in a
sense that serve the same purpose – to convey messages from the
writer to the reader.
The text is characterized by a certain set of categories among
which are the following ones:
Informativeness
Cohesion
Coherence
I. Informativeness is the content side of the text. The main func-
tion of the text is to convey information. Usually 3 types of informa-
tion are discussed:
1. factual information (содержательно-фактуальная) –
includes facts, figures, data, events, states, people, actions re-
flecting reality. This is the most important part of the infor-
mation. Factual information is easy to extract from the text.
It is usually (but not always) neutral, free of subjectivity.
2. conceptual information (содержательно-концептуаль-
ная) – is the information of the author’s vision of the world,
the author’s opinion and his understanding of the things de-
scribed. This is the meaning which results from our under-
standing of the text as a whole. Unlike factual information,
conceptual information must be interpreted and it can be done
differently by different readers.
*
The information and examples given in this part are based partly on the book by
prof. V.L. Naer (“Из лекций по теоретическим основам интерпретации текста”,
M., 2001) and on lectures by prof. E.G. Belyaevskaya.
Connotative language: Likewise, the style he chooses to achieve an appropriate tone or
We must help the freedom fighters, those brave and selfless pa- mood may range from the simple, plain, and understated to the flowery
triots who are willing to sacrifice their lives so that their children may and ornate, though it is usually best to avoid overwriting.
live free of bloody oppression.
TEXT CATEGORIES*
Figurative language
Like connotative language, figurative language can be an effec- Texts as information-carriers, able to transmit through time and
tive persuasive tool. Although metaphor can't prove a case logically, space, are vehicles of communication. The ability of the text to serve
figurative language can be convincing in its power of suggestion. as a means of communication is, to a great extent, accounted for by the
Figurative language usually appeals to our senses, makes us see an fact that it is an integral whole where all the elements are related in a
image or picture that illustrates meaning. According to the old saying, sense that serve the same purpose – to convey messages from the
"A picture is worth в thousand words," and though that may be an writer to the reader.
exaggeration, language presenting a visual image can be especially The text is characterized by a certain set of categories among
persuasive. which are the following ones:
Informativeness
Description and narration Cohesion
Description and narration can be effective methods of express- Coherence
ing experience and of conveying information. Well-written description I. Informativeness is the content side of the text. The main func-
and narration use concrete language to evoke the texture of life, and, tion of the text is to convey information. Usually 3 types of informa-
because they depend on the writer's choice of detail, they can be tion are discussed:
slanted for positive or negative effect. 1. factual information (содержательно-фактуальная) –
Description and narration appeal directly to our sense of the includes facts, figures, data, events, states, people, actions re-
ways things are, or should be, and thus can be powerful means of flecting reality. This is the most important part of the infor-
swaying opinion. mation. Factual information is easy to extract from the text.
It is usually (but not always) neutral, free of subjectivity.
Tone and style 2. conceptual information (содержательно-концептуаль-
Finally, the way we use persuasive language reveals our attitude ная) – is the information of the author’s vision of the world,
toward our subject and our audience and will affect our results. Choos- the author’s opinion and his understanding of the things de-
ing an appropriate style and tone means putting ourselves in our scribed. This is the meaning which results from our under-
reader's shoes, asking what the audience will or won't accept. standing of the text as a whole. Unlike factual information,
The tone may be serious and straightforward, the no-nonsense conceptual information must be interpreted and it can be done
approach, the author may be sarcastic or mocking, criticizing a posi- differently by different readers.
tion with ridicule. He may employ an upbeat or optimistic voice, hop-
ing to instill confidence in the reader, or we may use a dark or menac- *
The information and examples given in this part are based partly on the book by
ing tone, trying to arouse the audience's fear or concern. prof. V.L. Naer (“Из лекций по теоретическим основам интерпретации текста”,
M., 2001) and on lectures by prof. E.G. Belyaevskaya.
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