AP English Language and Composition

9/4/2012 – 9/7/2012

Warm-Up

• Journal Entry #1 – “Jaywalking” • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/radley-balko/raquel-nelson-j

ail-for-jaywalking_b_905925.html• After reading the news article on Raquel Nelson, answer the

following questions in your journal:• What is your stance on the situation?• Does this article reflect the writer’s opinion on its topic, or is

it purely objective?• What is the purpose of this article? What does the author

intend to convey?• Does the way the article is written encourage you to take

sides on the issue? What makes him/her convincing? Explain.

Housekeeping

• Please be sure to purchase a copy of Blink.• Write your name in the Prose Models book

just in case you accidentally leave them in class.

Rhetorical Strategies & Techniques: “Matters of Style: Diction”

• Usage• Different situations call for different ways of putting words

together. The way we write in academic and scientific settings differs greatly from the way we write to a friend or close one.– Formal writing– Informal writing – Slang: Slang is the use of highly informal words and expressions that

are not considered standard in the speaker's language.– Jargon : Jargon is terminology that relates to a specific activity,

profession or group. Ex. And 1, juking, spiking– Connotation– Denotation– Colloquialisms: Colloquialisms denote a manner of speaking or writing

that is characteristic of familiar "common" conversation; informal colloquialisms can include words such as "y'all" or "gonna" or "wanna", and phrases such as "ain't nothin”.

Formal Writing

• In general, it is inappropriate simply to write as you would speak. In conversation, the listener can ask for clarification or elaboration easily, and thus the speaker can use imprecise language, ramble from topic to topic freely, and so on.

• Formal writing must instead stand on its own, conveying the author's thesis clearly through words alone.

• “This is to inform you that your book has been rejected by our publishing company as it was not up to the required standard. In case you would like us to reconsider it, we would suggest that you go over it and make some necessary changes.”

Informal Writing

• Closer to the patterns of everyday speech• Free writing, unconstrained by any need to

appear correctly in public• “You know that book I wrote? Well, the

publishing company rejected it. They thought it was awful. But hey, I did the best I could, and I think it was great. I’m not gonna redo it the way they said I should.”

Formal and Informal Writing

Formal WritingAvoid using colloquial words/expressions (substitute with children, man/boy, wonderful, many, etc.)

Avoid contractions (write out full words – cannot, will not, should not, etc.).

Write in third person (except in business letters where first person may be used).

Avoid clichés (use many, was absent, etc.)

Avoid addressing readers using second person pronouns (use one, one’s, the reader, the reader’s, etc.)

Informal WritingMay use colloquial words/expressions (kids, guy, awesome, a lot, etc.)

May use contractions (can’t, won’t, shouldn’t, etc.).

May use first, second, or third person.

May use clichés (loads of, conspicuous by absence, etc.)

May address readers using second person pronouns (you, your, etc)

Formal and Informal Writing

Formal WritingAvoid using abbreviated words (use full versions – like photograph, television, etc.)

Avoid imperative voice (use Please refer to.….)

Use passive voice (e.g. It has been noticed that….)

Longer and more complex sentences are preferred (short simple sentences reflects poorly on the writer)

State your points confidently and offer your argument firm support.

Informal Writing May use abbreviated words (photo, TV, etc)

May use imperative voice (e.g. Remember….)

May use active voice (e.g. We have notice that…..)

May use short and simple sentences.

Difficulty of subject may be acknowledged and empathy shown to the reader.

Denotation and Connotation

• Connotation is the emotional and imaginative association surrounding a word.

• Denotation is the strict dictionary meaning of a word.

• “You may live in a house, but we live in a home.”

• What do you think?

Rhetorical Strategies & Techniques: “Matters of Style: Diction”

• Tone• To the linguist (or speech therapist) 'tone' means the

quality of sound produced by the voice in uttering words.

• In a general sense, 'tone' is the attitude of the speaker or writer as revealed in the choice of vocabulary or the intonation of speech. (Intonation is the term by which we refer to the patterns of sound which are evident in every utterance. We sometimes use the term 'monotone' to imply an absence of intonation. This usually suggests some negative state of mind on the part of the speaker. )

Tone

• Written or spoken communication might be described as having a tone which is, for instance: – ironic– serious – threatening – light-hearted– pessimistic– happy – outraged

Tone & Sarcasm• We can express our attitude directly or indirectly

(see pg. #237 for examples)• Sarcasm: stating the opposite of an intended

meaning especially in order to sneeringly, slyly, jest or mock a person, situation or thing– “Sometimes I need what only you can provide: your

absence.”- Ashleigh Brilliant – “No, Groucho is not my real name. I am breaking it in

for a friend.”– “The trouble with her is that she lacks the power of

conversation but not the power of speech.”- George Bernard Shaw

Satire• Satire as defined is a technique of writing which

basically ridicules its subjects in a way that is supposed to be funny and witty.

• In satire, human or individual vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to censure by means of ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, or other methods, ideally with the intent to bring about improvement.

• http://www.satirewire.com/news/jan02/geography.shtml

• Although satire is usually meant to be funny, the purpose of satire is not primarily humor in itself so much as an attack on something of which the author strongly disapproves, using the weapon of wit.

Satire

• Examples of satire should be looked for, not only for comedic reaction but because they are often out to show you something, whether it is good, bad, or political.

Assignment

• Read “Dingbats, Dodos, and Doozies” by Rick Reilly. – How does Reilly use satire to comment on real life

situations? What situations are those? Was he effective in his delivery.

– Apply the rhetorical triangle begin your analysis of the article.

Irony• Irony is an implied discrepancy between what is

said and what is meant.• Three kinds of irony:– verbal irony is when an author says one thing and

means something else. • The simple comment, "Oh Great" after something rotten

happens is verbal irony.– dramatic irony is when an audience perceives

something that a character in the literature does not know.• For example, in Othello, Othello addresses Iago as "honest

Iago." Of course, Othello does not know that Iago is the conniving villain who leads him to believe through trickery and deception that Othello's wife, Desdemona has been unfaithful.

Irony

– irony of situation is a discrepancy between the expected result and actual results. • For example, if the president of Microsoft, Bill Gates,

were to win a contest whose grand prize was a computer system, the irony would be situational because such a circumstance would appear ridiculous or "funny" for a number of reasons.

Assignment

• Read “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin• Read “Ballad of Birmingham” by Dudley

Randall– What aspects of the poem make use of irony?

What types of irony are embedded in the poem? Does the poem achieve its purpose?

– Apply the rhetorical triangle in order to begin an analysis of the poem.

Humor

• The quality that makes something laughable or amusing; funniness

Homework!

• Purchase a copy of Blink if you have not already done so.

• Post to the Anticipation Guide forum on the website, which is due by midnight on Wednesday, September 5th.

• Complete the Journal Plus activity. You must type it! (Please see handout.) It is due September 10th and September 11th.