Essential Fundamentals for Lang Analysis

[iNerd]

Basically what are the fundamentals or habits I should get starting out fresh in y11?

Our teacher is kind of pathetic...he said you should 'evaluate' the effectiveness of the techniques however I think I've read around VN that you're not meant to do that?

Would appreciate a crash course on LA!

[iamtom]

First off, who is your teacher? PM me if you wish, but I'll let you know if you should listen to him or if he is, in-fact, a dud.

[iNerd]

First off, who is your teacher? PM me if you wish, but I'll let you know if you should listen to him or if he is, in-fact, a dud.

PM'd. After that I reckon I need tips even more!

[Ghost!]

Have a look in the English Resources stickied thread.

There's literally a 'crash course' in VCE English Language Analysis.

[pi]

Basically what are the fundamentals or habits I should get starting out fresh in y11?

Our teacher is kind of pathetic...

Firstly, stop calling people older than you 'pathetic' (teachers, prime-ministers, etc.), its a bad habit. Every male English teacher in MHS (as you said 'he') atm is really good (some might be a bit boring though) if you take time to listen to what they say with an open mind without a predetermined mindset of them being 'pathetic'. If you have this mindset, then you'll never learn anything from them.

As Ghost! said, check out 'lynt.br's crash course in LA', although it might be a bit tough for beginners. I would highly recommend against any Insight textbook on LA, as then you'll be regurgitating generic rubbish, which isn't what any teacher (no matter how 'pathetic' you deem them to be) wants to read. Also read as many model answers as you can (from here, or VCAA, or nicely ask some current or past year 12s) just to get some information on how to structure a LA and which method you would prefer to use (there are two different main ones). On the whole though, practice makes perfect (or at least perfect enough for 20/20).

[iNerd]

Basically what are the fundamentals or habits I should get starting out fresh in y11?

Our teacher is kind of pathetic...

Firstly, stop calling people older than you 'pathetic' (teachers, prime-ministers, etc.), its a bad habit. Every male English teacher in MHS (as you said 'he') atm is really good (some might be a bit boring though) if you take time to listen to what they say with an open mind without a predetermined mindset of them being 'pathetic'. If you have this mindset, then you'll never learn anything from them.

You never cease to amaze me. I wonder if you wouldn't call Ms _ _ s u (eng) pathetic.
Don't speak when you don't even know who the teacher is (insert rofl-mao, lol, lmfao, etc)

[pi]

I wouldn't call Ms _ _ su pathetic. Actually, I wouldn't really call anyone other than a criminal a 'pathetic' person -but then again, unlike you, downgrading others is just not my way of dealing with people with contradictory views to mine.

What I would call Ms _ _ su is a poor orator. She knew things, but found difficulties expressing them to her classes, and hence confused 99% of her students (her non-English speaking background didn't help her either in this case). Thats a far cry from being 'pathetic'. Plus, she gave me straight A's, so I liked her marking.

I'm ending this spat here (although you are free to -1 as many of my posts as you wish). Good luck with your language analyses.

[iNerd]

I wouldn't call Ms _ _ su pathetic. Actually, I wouldn't really call anyone other than a criminal a 'pathetic' person -but then again, unlike you, downgrading others is just not my way of dealing with people with contradictory views to mine.

What I would call Ms _ _ su is a poor orator. She knew things, but found difficulties expressing them to her classes, and hence confused 99% of her students (her non-English speaking background didn't help either in this case). Thats a far cry from being 'pathetic'.

I'm ending this spat here. Good luck with your language analyses.

Whatever. Your one of the entire MHS cohort who says she isn't pathetic. In fact I've heard many many people call her far worse.
Sorry prince Rohitpi, we all can't deal with your perfectionism and good luck with your LA's.

[burbs]

Guys seriously.




Make sure you can identify tone and techniques quickly. You dont want to be searching. Also the way tone changes in the piece is a good thing to have down.
I guess the biggest thing is ensuring you aren't all formulaic, and are going into depth properly.

[iNerd]

Make sure you can identify tone and techniques quickly. You dont want to be searching. Also the way tone changes in the piece is a good thing to have down.
I guess the biggest thing is ensuring you aren't all formulaic, and are going into depth properly.

Is it wrong to say '...uses the hip pocket nerve to position the reader...etc'

[pi]

Make sure you can identify tone and techniques quickly. You dont want to be searching. Also the way tone changes in the piece is a good thing to have down.
I guess the biggest thing is ensuring you aren't all formulaic, and are going into depth properly.

Is it wrong to say '...uses the hip pocket nerve to position the reader...etc'

Its wrong if thats all you are saying (labeling). You need to explain why and how. Labeling devices isn't necessary for a 10/10 essay, its the why? and how? that are the most important.

I tend to stay away from devices and techniques now, as there many ways a writer can position a reader that don't have a name attached to them, and can be far more effective.

[burbs]

Make sure you can identify tone and techniques quickly. You dont want to be searching. Also the way tone changes in the piece is a good thing to have down.
I guess the biggest thing is ensuring you aren't all formulaic, and are going into depth properly.

Is it wrong to say '...uses the hip pocket nerve to position the reader...etc'

appeals* is a better word, appeals to the hip-pocket nerve, intending to have readers...

[werdna]

Avoid saying hip-pocket-nerve. It sounds ridiculous, nothing ever hits my 'hip-pocket-nerve' when I read it, it strikes at my financial state. Figure out the impact that an article/statement has by actually sensing the impact, as a reader, not someone that uses ridiculous metalanguage.

[lexitu]

You are certainly not evaluating! You are analysing how the author attempts to persuade the audience NOT how well the author persuades the audience.

Apart from that - have a look at the big picture and the small picture. If you can, go into the mechanism behind the intended effect (sometimes this is impossible to explain or self-explanatory). Don't use generic language.

[iNerd]

You are certainly not evaluating! You are analysing how the author attempts to persuade the audience NOT how well the author persuades the audience.

Apart from that - have a look at the big picture and the small picture. If you can, go into the mechanism behind the intended effect (sometimes this is impossible to explain or self-explanatory). Don't use generic language.

And what about a structure (for a beginner)