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Language Analysisusing the MacKillop College NEE pattern
Why a pattern?
• Easy to remember – easier to do
When will we use this technique?
• In the Reading-Viewing Task (HSC - Paper 1)
• In Module A, B and C responses (HSC - Paper 2)
The Reading-Viewing Task
Two sorts of questions:
• Content (what is the author communicating?)
• Style (how is the author communicating it?)
Most of the questions are style questions
We use the NEE technique for the style questions
Recent HSC questions - 1Text one ‑ Image
(a) Describe how the image depicts the idea of belonging or not belonging to a family. (2 marks)
Text two ‑ Nonfiction extract
(b) '. . . I was more aware of our difference.’
Explain the speaker's relationship with his brother. (2 marks)
Text three ‑ Nonfiction extract
(c) 'It is Beth, not May or Phoebe, who understands my exile.'
How does this text portray friendship as an alternative source of belonging? (3 marks)
Text four ‑ Poem
(d) This is the record of our desired life.'
Explore the speaker's attitude to the family photo album as a record of belonging. (3 marks)
Texts one, two, three and four ‑ Image, Nonfiction extracts and Poem
(e) Analyse the ways distinctive perspectives of family and belonging are conveyed in at least TWO of these texts. (5 marks)
“…how…” – a style question – use NEE
“Explain…” – a content question
“How…” – a style question – use NEE
“Explore…” – content and style – use NEE for the style part
“…the ways…” – a style question – use NEE
Recent HSC questions - 2Text one ‑ Visual Text
(a) Explain how ONE aspect of the visual text represents the concept of belonging. (2 marks)
Text two ‑ Poem
(b) Why does the speaker say 'we never belonged' (line 11)? (2 marks)
Text three ‑ Prose extract
(c) How does the narrator evoke the experience of being at home in the landscape? (3 marks)
Text four ‑ Nonfiction extract
(d) Analyse the ways this text communicates the relationship between home and belonging. (3 marks)
Texts one, two, three and four ‑ Visual text, Poem, Prose extract and Nonfiction extract
(e) In each of these texts, perceptions of belonging involve connections between people and places.
Select any TWO of these texts and compare their portrayal of the connections between people and places. (5 marks)
“…how…” – a style question – use NEE
“Why…” – a content question
“How…” – a style question – use NEE
“…the ways…” – a style question – use NEE
“…compare their portrayal…” – a style question – use NEE
The take-home message? Most marks come from analysing style.
NEE – The basic patternWhen we analyse language we try to:
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
For Example:The author’s use of the simile “looked like a lost scarecrow” indicates the poor state of Freddie’s clothes in order to emphasise his desperate financial circumstances.
For Example:The adjectives “sky-blue” and “loveliest sun-blessed” describe the woman’s eyes and hair and clearly communicate how stunningly attractive he finds her at their first meeting.
Sequencing NEEYou can sequence NEE in any order you wish:
Example – Nominate – Effect
Drusilla and her sisters are separated by a “floodplain of incomprehension” and this metaphor underscores the vast gap that separates them.
Effect – Nominate – Example
The author has gives a very personal account of his feelings and this is created by the frequent use of the first person pronoun “I” which begins five sentences in the third paragraph.
Example – Effect – Nominate
Sala describes his accent as “thick” and “stumbling”, emphasising the problems his language caused him with these two well chosen adjectives.
Ways of nominatingYou can nominate with nouns or other parts of speech:
Nominate using a NOUN
Drusilla and her sisters are separated by a “floodplain of incomprehension” and this metaphor underscores the vast gap that separates them.
Nominate using an ADVERB
Drusilla and her sisters are metaphorically separated by a “floodplain of incomprehension” underscoring the vast gap that separates them. Nominate using an ADJECTIVE
Drusilla and her sisters are separated by a metaphoric “floodplain of incomprehension” underscoring the vast gap that separates them. Nominate using VERB
Describing the Maths course as “Vegie” was intended to connote its simplicity.
Two tips1: Use correct language terms as often as possible
2: Integrate quotations wherever possible
Here’s what it can look like if you don’t follow these two tips:
At the start of the first part there is a description of the harbour bridge. “The iron monster arose from the shore like a beast, vast and primitive, and reared itself into the thin air over the water, astonishing the onlookers.” The author compares the bridge to a beast to make us see how large it is.
Here’s what it can look like if you do:
The first sentence of the first paragraph vividly describes the bridge as a metaphoric “iron monster”. With the clever addition of the simile “like a beast” and the adjectives “vast and primitive”, the author generates a sense of awe that will “astonish the onlookers” as it is personified “rear(ing) itself into the air.”
Variations on NEEWe can name two language features in one example:
The swelling on his little toe is described with the hyperbolic adjective “gigantic” to ridicule his reaction to a relatively minor injury. We can look at two features which both contribute to the same effect:The smell of the room is illustrated with the adjectives “baked and dusty” and further developed with the simile “like warm peanut shells”.
We can have many features contributing to one effect:
Colloquial language of the 1950s and 1960s is frequently used to heighten the comic effect that James intends. The stacks of remaindered books are described as “ranks and banks of duds”, reminding older readers of the fireworks that failed on cracker night. Comic suggestions of death are carried with the hyperbolic phrase, “irreducible cairns / of complete stiffs”. “Sinkers, clinkers, dogs, and dregs” are all colloquialisms of the period that connote failure and the allusion to the “Edsel”, Ford’s most spectacular failure, comically suggest that the remaindered books have been failures.
NEE in actionA question might ask what the purpose of a passage is.
Here is how we could use NEE to answer the question.
There is one effect – to inspire – and lots of features.
The inspirational purpose of Henry V’s address to his troops on the eve of the battle of Agincourt is evident in the language he employs. In the face of the apparent pessimism articulated by Westmoreland, Henry seeks to win over his men with colloquial terms of endearment such as “coz” and the frequent use of the first person plural pronoun “we”. The rightness of his cause is highlighted by the deliberate and repeated use of religious language such as “God’s will”, “pray thee” and “covetous” as Henry subtly suggests that God is on his side. In the future, Henry hyperbolically asserts, they will be remembered “to the ending of the world.” The most memorable line in the speech is made so by the employment of the classic rhetorical device of the triplet. Beginning with the repetition of “We few”, on the second occasion qualified with the uplifting adjective “happy”, the triplet concludes with the alliterative “band of brothers”, a remarkable and inspiring label, especially for this medieval context as the King is suggesting that all those who fight with him, be they “ne’re so vile”, shall be his brothers.
Knowing the language terms
To “nominate” language terms, we need to know the right names.
Our English Handbook has sections on:
• Parts of Speech
• Punctuation
• Poetry Terms
• Language Terms
Study these sections – learn the terms – practise identifying them
Revision – key parts of speech
Noun – common, proper, abstract, collective
Pronoun – a word that can act as a replacement for a noun
Adjective – a word that describes a person or thing
Verb – “doing word”, a word that express an action
Adverb – a word that adds meaning to a verb
Preposition – words that make connections between nouns/pronouns and other words in a sentence
Conjunction – words that join sentences or parts of sentences
Revision – punctuationCapitals – beginning of sentence, pronoun “I”, names, titles
Full stops – end of sentence, some abbreviations
Commas – momentary pause
Colon – introduces a list
Semi-colon – separates wordy items in a list, separates coordinated clauses whose meaning is linked
Apostrophes – to show ownership (Marcia’s pen), to contract (don’t)
Inverted commas – direct speech, titles of parts of a published work
Question mark – indicates a question
Exclamation mark – indicates a heightened emotional state
Top 10 visual text featuresSize (dominant or salient part of image-visual weight)
Angle (high, low, frontal, side or oblique)
Framing (close-up, medium shot, long shot)
Placement (left, right, centre, off-centre, foreground, background)
Colour (helps to create the tone in an image)
Focus (sharp focus, soft focus, out of focus)
Facial expression (needs to be described)
Posture or bearing (needs to be described)
Lighting (bright, dim, front, side, rear-silhouette)
Vectors (visible or invisible lines connecting elements in an image)
NEE on visual texts - 1
The two sharply focussed faces are placed in the foreground in a tightly framed close-up shot. These oblique faces clearly carry the greatest visual weight of the image. Placed to the left of the image, the female face is the first to attract attention. The broadly smiling face suggests happiness and the eyes directed upward create a vector that carries the viewer’s gaze to the male’s face, placed above the female to suggest his greater authority. His face offers a mild contrast to that of the female as his eyes are almost closed and a more contented smile suggests a father’s love for what would appear to be his daughter. The background is well out of focus but is clearly a large crowd. The public setting of the photograph contrasts with and heightens the poignancy of the private father-daughter moment.
NEE on visual texts - 2
Though two figures appear in the image, the figure in the background immediately draws the viewer’s attention by its placement in the middle of the frame and because the face is visible, unlike the swimming in the foreground. The raised arms and the broad smile clearly suggest the swimmer has been victorious. From the number of feet in the upper left corner, one can infer the race was of some significance and the stillness of the water in the three rear lanes shows the swimmers in these lanes have yet to finish, further emphasising the scope of the victory the swimmer is celebrating. The apparent victor has even had time to lift her goggles, unlike the one other competitor visible, and this also hints that the victory was comprehensive.
NEE on visual texts - 3
Though many faces appear in this oblique medium shot of a group preparing for a formal photograph, the figure in the centre foreground clearly has the greatest visual weight in the image. In addition to placement, this girl is also the salient figure in the image as she is the only one in sharp focus and her posture contrasts with all the other figures. The slumped posture, head resting on one hand, the arm propped against her leg, suggests profound boredom, the exercise apparently taking far too long for this girl’s reserves of patience. This posture contrasts markedly with the upright position assumed by every other figure in shot. Her eyes gaze out of frame, probably towards the photographer who is preparing the shot, and the slightly furrowed brow also underscores her tedium.
Top 20 written text features
Let’s do an NEE for each of these with a typical effect for each feature
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
By alliteratively characterising Abraham Lincoln as “the man to meet the mortal need” the poet makes this one of the most memorable verses in the poem.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
The author’s use of the colloquialism “dumped” in reference to the ending of the relationship is clearly designed to target the text to a teenage audience for whom the term would be very familiar.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
By describing the band as an “ensemble”, with its connotations of sophistication and high quality music-making, the speaker sought to elevate the status of the group with whom he played.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
The two contrasting verbs “raced” and “stumbled” highlight the gulf in ages between the young energetic child and his aging grandfather.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Wodehouse relies on contrast when he comically claimed “It is never very difficult to distinguish between a Scotsman and a ray of sunshine.”
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
Jenn’s suppressed anger finally erupts when she screams, “Just leave me alone!”, the author’s use of direct speech giving the reader a much clearer idea of her emotional state and heightening the drama of the situation.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
The euphemistic reference to the detainees having been subjected to “enhanced interrogation techniques” is designed to obscure the fact that they had, in fact, been tortured.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
The boy’s assertion that “nobody is braver, nobody is bolder, nobody has done anything to equal it” is clearly hyperbolic but it indicates his success in conquering his childhood fears and the great sense of confidence he now feels.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
The irony that Mr Darcy’s first direct reference to Elizabeth, his future wife, was that she was “not handsome enough to tempt me” is wonderfully comic and typical of Jane Austen’s trademark literary technique.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
“Andante”, “vivace” and “largo” are all musical terms and the employment of this jargon obviously indicates that the passage was written for a limited audience of those familiar with these terms.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
In The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame juxtaposes the optimistic energy of Toad with the suspicious indolence of Rat in order to illuminate the marked contrast in their approaches to life.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
The cold and dismissive reaction of the butler to Bertie’s suggestion is highlighted by Wodehouse with the memorable metaphor, “Ice formed on the butler’s upper slopes.”
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
The sequence of short paragraphs, none containing more than two sentences, is a typical feature of tabloid newspapers and helps make the material easily accessible to a wide audience.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
Personification is deftly employed when the sun is described as “playing hide and seek amongst the clouds” thereby creating a most effective image of the sky during the picnic.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
Bryson’s repetition of “It’s the only sport” at the point of departure of five successive sentences is used to underline the many elements of cricket he, as an American, finds perplexing.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
The act concludes with a stunningly arresting and memorable rhyming couplet in which Hamlet declares, “The play’s the thing, wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King.”
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
The length of the sentences, many of which are compound or complex, creates significant demands upon the reader and this feature effectively limits the accessibility of this text to those with a relatively high level of literacy.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
Simile is the feature of language most characteristic of PG Wodehouse and one of his most memorable and most comic examples referred to the “tubby little chap who looked as if he had been poured into his clothes and forgotten to say ‘When’!”
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
The novel finishes with “the sun” symbolically “dawning through clouds in the east” and this symbol carries with it a sense of optimism for the future and the promise of a better life for the citizens of Brabant.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
The tone of the poem takes an abrupt turn from the optimism of the opening two stanzas to the ominous and threatening mood created by the personification at the beginning of the third stanza when the “night swallowed him.”
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
Alliteration
Colloquialism
Connotations
Contrast
Direct Speech
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Irony
Jargon
Juxtaposition
Metaphor
Paragraph
Personification
Repetition
Rhyme
Sentences
Simile
Symbolism
Tone
Triplet
Top 20 written text features
The description of Darwin as “a city of booze, blow and blasphemy” is made unforgettable by the author’s ingenious use of this alliterative triplet.
NOMINATE – name a specific feature of language
EXAMPLE – provide the example of that feature
EFFECT – explain what effect that feature has
The most common effects - 1Adjectives – provide a rich description of thingsAdverbs – provide a rich description of actions Alliteration – makes the section striking and more memorableAllusion – limits the target audience to those familiar with the allusionAmbiguity – creates uncertainty or confusionCliché – shows writer’s lack of originality and creativityColloquialisms – create a relaxed, casual, informal toneConjunctions – allow more information to be communicatedContractions – create a relaxed, casual, informal toneContrast – highlights differencesDialogue – allows the characters to speak for themselvesDirect speech – adds authenticity, allows audience to better understand characters Euphemism – reduces the harshness of the informationHyperbole – exaggerates and dramatisesIrony – generates comedy or tragedy Jargon – limits the target audience
The most common effects - 2Juxtaposition – highlights differences or enables comparisonsMetaphor – enriches description by way of comparisonOnomatopoeia – creates an aural imagePronouns (first person) – personalise text, heightens subjectivityPronouns (second person) – attempt to engage audiencePronouns (third person) – increase objectivityPersonification – brings something to life and makes it more memorable Point of departure – prioritises whatever is placed at the start of a sentencePuns – generates humourRhyme – makes the section striking and memorableRepetition – adds emphasisRhetorical question – adds emphasisSentences (long/complex sentences) – limits the target audience, provides detailSentences (short/simple sentences) – broadens the target audienceSimile – enriches description by way of comparisonTriplet – adds emphasis and makes a section memorable
Synonyms for “uses” and “emphasises”
The boring standard NEE sentence goes something like: The author uses the adjectives “bright and lively” to emphasise the positive elements of the character.Let’s look at some adverbs we can use and some synonyms for “uses” and “emphasises” that will help enrich our expression …
Uses … or …EmploysIntegratesInsertsUtilisesManipulatesHandlesExploitsDevelopsWeavesIncorporatesAddsDraws uponIntroduces
Emphasise … or …HighlightUnderlineStressHeightenExtendAugmentElevatePlay upSpotlightMagnifyBoostEnhanceReinforce
Adverbs to describe useCleverlySubtlySkilfullyDeftlyConfidentlyElegantlyShrewdlyComicallyAmusinglyIngeniouslyClumsilyAwkwardlyConfusingly
Inse
rt f
eatu
re o
f la
ng
uage h
ere
Final hint – differentiate and criticise
In the last Reading/Viewing Task question you compare two texts.I would advise you to argue that one is BETTER than the other.
In the text you think is better or more effective:• Try to find more features about which you can be positive• Try to be very complimentary in dealing with effects of language features
In the text you think is not as effective:• Find features about which you can be positive … but also• Find features that you argue are not as effective
The take-home message? Have the courage to occasionally be critical.It will show your marker you can think, judge and argue … all good things!
Good luck in all your future Reading/Viewing Tasks!
