Persuasive devices Flashcards
(29 cards)
ad hominem attack
an attack on a person rather than on their opinion or reasoning
> creates strong negative depiction of a person or group through the use of emotive language
undermines oppositions credibility
alliteration
repetition of a sound at the beginning of words; often used in headlines
> captures attention
adds emphasis to point
draws attention to key words
analogy
comparison between two things; helps the audience to draw conclusions about their similarities
> explains a complex point in more familiar terms
can help to make the contention look simple and obvious by linking it to something the audience knows well
anecdote
a brief personal account or story
› often entertaining, dramatic or humorous
› personal angle engages the reader
› carries weight with readers as a ‘true
appeal to a sense of justice
engages with people’s belief that everyone deserves fair treatment
› arouses anger at a perceived injustice
› positions the audience to agree that action needs to be taken to restore equity
appeal to being modern and up to date
engages with people’s desire to be progressive and part of the in-crowd
› suggests that the new is always better than the old
› appeals to the desire to be thought of as “ahead of the pack” or “on trend”
appeal to family values
based on the belief that families are at the centre of society and that children should always be protected
› leads the reader to view family as integral to the fabric
of society
› positions readers to feel negatively about people and ideas that threaten families o perceived family values
appeal to fear
plays on people’s tendency to react emotionally when their safety, security, country or loved ones are threatened
› usually works by portraying an extreme scenario as being highly probable
› inclines readers to agree to proposed solutions to allay their fears
appeal to financial self interest
relates to people’s concern about their financial wellbeing
› provokes strong emotions, such as outrage at being taken advantage of
› positions readers to feel indignant at those who want to raise prices, and suspicious of their true motives
appeal to group loyalty
uses people’s desire to belong to a group to persuade them to agree with a viewpoint or take action
› can play on people’s sense of obligation, guilt, fear and sentimentality
› encourages people to believe that the interests of the group require their support
› can also appeal to the belief that ordinary people can make a difference
appeal to patriotism
draws on national pride and people’s loyalty to their country
› positions readers to feel it would be disloyal to their country to disagree with the writer
› arouses strong emotions of pride and loyalty
› can sometimes be used to arouse anger, guilt and fear
appeal to self interest
engages with people’s desire for their interests to be placed ahead of others’
› often divides people into groups of ‘us’ and ‘them’
› suggests that the interests of others are in competition with and threaten those of the reader
appeal to tradition and custom
places a high value on the past and a person’s heritage; suggests that abandoning tradition is damaging to society
› encourages the reader to resist change and to feel that links with the past should be retained
› often romanticises the past and rejects modern ways of doing things
attacking language
used to denigrate opponents and, by implication, their point of view
› draws attention away from reasoned arguments by appealing to readers’ emotions
› positions readers to agree that if an individual is flawed, their message must be too
cause and effect
links an outcome to a particular set of events or decisions
› gives the impression that a particular situation or action is a direct result of another
› can create an impression of the writer as being logical and reasonable
cliché
a familiar but overused expression that carries a range of associations
› conveys meaning in an economical way
› can help readers to feel more comfortable with an idea
creating a dichotomy
the tactic of dividing people or ideas into two opposing groups - one
‘good’ and one ‘bad’
› simplifies the debate by suggesting that the issue is black and white
› suggests that the interests of others are in competition with those of the audience
emotive language
deliberately strong words (that often carry particular connotations) used to provoke emotion in the reader
> positions readers to react emotionally, rather than rationally
leads the reader to share the writer’s feelings on the subject
generalisation
suggests that a fact that applies in a specific case is generally or always true
> appeals to commonly held prejudices and attitudes
encourages the reader to judge others according to stereotypes
inclusive language
involves the reader directly in the issue by using first-person plural pronouns such as ‘we’ and ‘us’
> makes readers feel included and that their views count
encourages readers to agree, since this view is apparently shared by the group as a whole
jargon
specialised language used by experts in a particular field of knowledge
> can help to convey the writer’s expertise in a field
can suggest objectivity or fact-based opinion, adding credibility to the argument
overstatement, exaggeration or hyperbole
the use of dramatic, forceful language to exaggerate the real situation
> arouses emotion in the reader
can be humorous , ‘worst-case scenario’ plays on readers’ fears
metaphor and simile
types of figurative language that describe one thing in terms of another
> capitalises on associations with a vivid image
can evoke strong emotions in readers
pun
a play on a word or phrase that gives it multiple meanings
› often humorous
› gains readers’ attention and emphasises the writer’s point
