Techniques of English PDF

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Glossary of techniques in English Adjectives 'Describing' words that add information to the nouns in a sentence. For example, a handsome, young and strong man gives us a much clearer idea of what kind of man is being referred to. The choice of adjectives influences the responder's opinion about what is being described - through words with strong positive or negative opinions. Alliteration The repetition of consonant sounds in a series of words. If the consonants are the same but the sounds are different they do not alliterate. It is commonly used in poetry to show a particular feeling. For example the repetition of the slow 'l' sounds in the phrase their languid, lazy lives helps to give the feeling of unhurried relaxation, whereas the repetition of the sharp 't' sounds in the phrase the tap-tapping of twenty toes suggests two people dancing energetically. Allusion The reference to well-known figures and/or other texts. For example, the title of one of Peter Skrzynecki's poems Crossing the Red Sea from the collection Immigrant Chronicle, makes the responder connect with the Biblical story of the Israelites escaping from Egypt. Anecdote A short account/narrative of an interesting or amusing incident, often intended to illustrate or support a point. Anthropomorphism An extension of personification that gives human qualities to animals. For example by making them characters in a children's story, like Finding Nemo, where the animals are able to speak and do other things that humans do. This enables the responder not only to identify with the characters, but also to analyse the things they experience and the human qualities they present. Assonance Similar to alliteration, but is created by repeating vowel sounds rather than consonants. For example the repetition of the long /u/ vowel sound in the phrase the cool soothing tune helps to communicate a feeling of calm relaxation. It is also commonly used in poetry. Blurb A short description usually found on the back of a book jacket but also commonly seen on DVD and CD cases, web portals and news websites.

Cliché An overused phrase used to explain thought or feeling. They are usually images that have lost their power to surprise because of overuse. For example, easy as 1, 2, 3 or money can't buy you happiness. Colloquialism A word, phrase, or form of pronunciation that is acceptable in casual conversation but not in formal, written communication. E.g. He was full angry, This ain't funny, That's heaps bad Cultural references When a composer uses information or ideas relating to a specific culture or language, the responder needs some background knowledge of that culture in order to understand these references properly. For example, a reference to ‘the outback' tells the responder immediately that a text is about the inland of Australia; a reference to Bollywood indicates romantic and adventure movies of the Indian film industry, etc. Discourse A term used when analysing texts to refer to the language and ways of communicating that are common to a particular group or institution. It is not as specialised as jargon. For example, the discourse of education contains expressions such as "recess","reports", "regular lessons", etc. Ellipsis Refers to the omitting words from a sentence/ paragraph. It is common in transcripts of conversations and is sometimes indicated by ... Euphemism An acceptable or mild expression, which replaces an unpleasant or hurtful one. For example, some people find it too distressing to speak of death and so soften the effect by such terms as: he has passed on; she has gone to a better place, etc. Figure of speech (or figurative language) Another term used for imagery and generally refers to devices as metaphor, simile and personification. Fillers These are words or sounds a speaker makes when talking, often to fill a silence, such as 'well..., 'um', 'er', ah'. They are often used to give the speaker more time to think about what to say next. A speaker who uses a lot of filers sounds very hesitant or inexperienced, or he or she could be very embarrassed, or may even have lost the train of thought.

Flashback A technique used in prose fiction and film to show the responder what happened in the past, before the action of the story begins. For example, when a character remembers something from childhood, the story line stops and is supplanted by the events of the past. Humour It can be communicated in many ways, some of which are quite subtle, and often cause misinterpretation. the use of humorous techniques such as puns, sarcasm and irony may show that the composer is making fun of the subject matter, or does not intend the text to be taken seriously, or is creating contrast. Other ways of communicating humour are through the use of descriptive language or actions that make people laugh, by introducing something unexpected, or by making a character use inappropriate words for the context. Hyperbole A deliberate exaggeration for dramatic effect and not to be taken literally. For example, I have a ton of homework. Imagery Refers to the mental representations of pictures, sounds, smells, textures and tastes that are created through powerful or interesting use of language. Imagery can often refer to figures of speech such as metaphor, simile and personification. Imperatives The form of a verb used to give instructions or to tell somebody to do something. For example, "Complete it for homework", "Add 200g of sugar", etc. A text with many imperatives is usually a procedure text type such as a set of instructions or a recipe. Use of imperative in a conversation indicates that the speaker has more power, status or expertise than the other speaker(s) and can therefore tell them what to do. Interior monologue A narrative technique that exhibits the thoughts going through the minds of the characters. For example, in James Joyce's Ulysses. In Soliloquy, this is where a fictional character voices his or her thoughts out loud having direct access to the character’s every thought for a few sentences or paragraphs, or even a few pages, is not a problem. Irony A language technique that makes fun of something by saying that it is the opposite of what it really is.

For example, a composer may describe somebody who has done something stupid as 'clever', knowing that the audience will see that the opposite meaning is intended. It also means contrary to plan or expectation: e.g. "Ironically, he ended up losing money under his own plan" Jargon Vocabulary that is understood and used only by a particular group of people with specialist knowledge, for example, doctors, computer programmers, etc. Medical jargon: C-section - Cesarean section, MRI – magnetic resonance imaging Computer jargon: ROM - read only memory, GB-gigabyte The use of jargon in a text shows that it is intended for a limited audience. Layout Refers to the arrangement of the written and visual elements in a text. It includes the size, shape, and placement of each element in relation to other elements. The layout communicates meaning by drawing the responder's attention to certain features. Lighting An important part of a film or drama text performed live in a theatre, as it can communicate a great deal about characters' relationships and the mood of a scene. For example, a very low level of lighting can create a sense of danger; a spotlight focuses audience attention on a particular character or prop; different colours can signal a change of atmosphere. In film, the use of natural or artificial lighting is also important. Metaphor A comparison that omits the comparing words like or as that are used in similes. The responder is expected to recognise that the following two examples, 'her eyes were stars' or 'the river was a silver ribbon in the moonlight' are not statements of fact but comparisons, used to give a clearer or more informative image. Music Different types of music are used to create mood or atmosphere in audio and film texts. In songs, the music and lyrics (words) complement each other to communicate the composer's feelings. Onomatopoeia A word that sounds like the thing it describes. The word ‘buzz' is supposed to sound like a bee buzzing. Oxymotion A contradiction in two words placed next to each other to heighten the contrast E.g. old news, open secret

Pace Refers to the speed of speech. A fast pace can indicate that a speaker is excited or nervous. A slow pace suggests that the speaker is choosing his or her words carefully, or is saying something important television or radio news is read at a consistent, medium pace, whereas a sports commentator adany speaks at a rapid pace, trying to convey the excitement of the competition. Parody (also called send-up or spoof) In contemporary usage, is a work created to mock, comment on, or poke fun at an original work, subject author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation. Pause When a speaker pauses or stops speaking for a moment, this can indicate several different things. He or she may be thinking about what to say next; giving listeners time to absorb or think about what he has just said, waiting for the responder to laugh; or expressing surprise or shock. Personal pronouns First person: The use of first person singular (I, me, my, mine) communicates the composer's personal experience of opinion, and therefore arouses sympathy in the responder. It is used in autobiographies, narratives and anecdotes where the composer is one of the characters. The first person plural (we, us, out, ours) can make the responder feel included as a privileged member of a group. Second person: Use of the second person (you, your, yours) addresses the reader directly and shows that the composer expects the responder to make a personal response. It is often used in persuasive speeches, letters and instructions. Third person: Using the third person Che, him, his, she, her, it, its, they, their, them) has the effect of distancing the composer from the characters, events or opinions in a text, making it more impersonal. This is the most common person used in storytelling, with an 'independent' observer as the narrator. Personification Giving human qualities or characteristics to inanimate objects. E.g. The kind old sun will know... Pitch This means how low or high a sound is. The pitch can be high or squeaky, or low and deep. It can often give the listeners a clue as to whom they are listening to without seeing the speaker. A child's voice is high-pitched, whereas a man's voice is lowpitched. Speakers vary their pitch to make them sound more interesting or to express different emotions. For example, a higher pitch can indicate excitement.

Pun A word which has two meanings; a play on words. This is the humorous use of words with the same pronunciation or spelling but different meanings. The humour is created by mixing the two meanings or using the wrong word for the current context. This technique is frequently used in newspaper headlines. E.g. A man's home is his castle, in a manor of speaking A gossip is someone with a great sense of rumour Quotations Sometimes a composer includes in a text a sentence or section originally composed by someone else. These sections are called quotations or quotes because they reproduce the exact words from the original and are indicated by the use of inverted commas (quotation marks). The inclusion of quotations can give a text authenticity or authority, especially when the words of a famous person or expert are quoted. Composers must always acknowledge the original source of any quotes they use. Register The social purpose of speech can be determined by the way in which the words are spoken, that is, the register. The type of register used will depend upon the social situation. For example, the way to a doctor in his/her surgery about a medical problem is different from the way you would your friend about a weekend party. The language features, including structure, vocabulary and qr will change according to the social purpose. The language may be formal, informal, colloquial, or even use slang. It is important for you to understand the different registers that are appropriate to particular situations. Sarcasm A kind of humour that makes fun of something or someone in a cutting, unkind way. It is similar to irony but is stronger and often intended to be hurtful. E.g. Did you forget your brain this morning? Well, aren't we just a ray of friggin' sunshine! Satire A composition which holds up to make fun of human vice or frailty in a scornful or amusing way . Simile A figure of speech which compares two things using 'like' or 'as' E.g. Love is like a butterfly or as red as rose Slang Informal, nonstandard words or phrases which tend to originate in subcultures within a society E.g. G'day, mate!, What's up!

Slogan A forceful, catchy, mind-grabbing utterance which will rally people to buy something or behave a certain way E.g. KFC - Finger lickin' good! Make love not war Symbolism The use of an object as a symbol to represent an idea. For example, the colour red could mean love or anger, images of flying birds may be repeated in a film or poem to represent the idea of freedom, images of a cross are often used to represent Christianity. Tagline A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product (like a film), or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product. Lord of the Rings - One Ring to Rule them all Tone The mood or feeling that is communicated by a text. For example, does the composer feel angry, sad, or sympathetic towards the subject? How is the feeling communicated, for example, is it through the vocabulary, the dialogue, the images or a combination of these language features? Volume Is how loud or soft a sound is. In a spoken text, high or loud volume can indicate that the speaker is upset, terrified, excited, etc. It can also indicate that the speaker is talking to someone who is far away, it is hard of hearing or emphasising something....