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Language
strategies
By
Debbie Harris, Contributor
MOST
IF not at all times when you hear
some form of verbal communication
or read some form of prose the words,
graphs, pictures and symbols which
are selected and arranged by the writer/speaker
have an impression on you.
LINGUISTIC
FEATURES
These
are linguistic features and they convey
something about his/her purpose and
context of the work. In the process
of conveying this overall purpose
he/she employs various punctuation,
grammatical and linguistic arrangements;
these may be called language strategies
and they are imperative in the assessment
or the devising of written or spoken
communication; you are required to
not only identify and analyse such
strategies but also create work which
utilises them. The linguistic features
focus on the grammar, syntax and diction
of the message that the writer chooses
to send to his/her intended audience.
STRATEGIES
Repeatedly
candidates are asked to analyse and
comment on strategies during the examination.
The following are some of those strategies:
1)
Lay-out of the page: portrait/landscape,
newspaper (column)/broadsheet, advertising-copy
or verse lay-out and use of banner
headlines
2)
Typographical features: bold face,
spacing , capitals, use of font size,
indentation and italic/roman type
3)
Use of graphics and pictures: these
help to stimulate interest for younger
readers, make written concepts clear
and plain and reinforces them as well
4)
The type of language used: spoken
or written, formal or informal, personal
or impersonal and standard or Creole
(non-standard)
5)
The phrasing and sentence construction:
simple or complex, economical or verbose
and direct or circumlocutory
6)
The vocabulary used: prosaic or florid,
simple or stilted, slang or formal
and repetition of key words/phrases
7)
Denotative and connotative use of
language: words used emotively to
convey or arouse feelings, to suggest;
words used referentially to emphasise
or state factual content; words which
seem to be primarily about conveying
facts but which are really intended
to arouse emotions.
8)
Use of punctuation marks which stand-out
as being significant: suspension marks,
exclamation marks, full stops and
question marks.
ANALYSING
PUNCTUATION MARKS
Each
of the abovementioned strategies is
functional within specific contexts.
This means that you may, for example,
recognise the use of punctuation marks
in a particular passage and this use
conveys a meaning which you believe
to be significant because of the distinct
impression it had on you. However,
the opposite may occur by the use
of these same punctuation marks in
another passage. Therefore you must
read and analyse each case separately.
In
May 2000 the following question appeared
on Paper 01 Section 2. Read the instructions
and then apply what you learned about
language strategies.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Read the following extract from a
local newspaper and identify FOUR
language strategies at work in the
above extract.
FOILED
AGAIN!
Local
lawmen were left puzzled again when
a foiled-wrapped felon was found at
the scene of what appeared to be an
attempted robbery. This is the second
time in two days that a villain has
been gift wrapped for the local constabulary.
What will they think of next?
Until
next week, walk good!
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