Techniques

TEXTUAL FEATURES The following are just some of the language features that you could consider when you are analysing a text: Form – purpose, and features of a text influence the construction of a text and will suggest its structure Level of Usage of Language – slang, colloquial, informal or formal Person: 1st (I or we), 2nd (you) or 3rd (he, she or they) Word Choice or Diction – emotive, forceful, factual, descriptive, blunt, graphic, disturbing, informative, etc. e.g. The writer’s use of forceful verbs such as ‘insist’ and ‘demand’ can be very persuasive Syntax - Sentence structure - short, simple sentences or truncated (fractured) sentences create tension, haste or urgency; compound or complex sentences are slower and often feature in a formal text Figurative Language and Sound Devices – metaphor, metonymy, hyperbole, simile, personification, assonance, alliteration, consonance, onomatopoeia, etc. These devices have a powerful impact as they work on our senses to strengthen the subject matter of the text. Icons- a single person, object or image that represents complex ideas and feelings Repetition- of words or syntax (order of words) for emphasis and persuasion Contrast – paradox, antithesis, oxymoron, juxtaposition, etc Humour – incongruity, parody, satire, exaggeration, irony, puns, etc. Visuals – composition, angle, framing, positioning, orientation, body language (facial expressions, gestures, etc), lighting, contrast, point of view, symbolism, omissions, colour, gaze, vectors and rule of thirds, etc. Gaps and Silences – what is not said; whose voice is not heard and whose voice dominates' Alliteration: repetition of the consonants at the start of words in a sentence or phrase Consonance: repetition of the consonants throughout a sentence of phrase Disjunction: A conjunction such as ‘but’ or ‘yet’ that dramatically interrupts the rhythm of a sentence Ellipsis: a dramatic pause (…). It can create tension or even suggest that there are some words that cannot be spoken. Emotive Language: words that stir the reader’s emotions Exclamation: exclamatory sentence ending in an exclamation mark to convey high emotion Fractured or Truncated Sentences: incomplete sentences that increase tension or urgency or reflect the way people speak to each other Imagery: vivid pictures are created by words. The reader can be transported to another place and time or visualise a character clearly Imperative Voice: forceful use of the verb at the start of a sentence or phrase Juxtaposition: layering images/scenes to have a dramatic impact Linear: sequential – in order Metaphor: a comparison between two objects when one becomes the other. It adds further layers of meaning about the object being compared. Mise-en-scene: what is placed in the scene by the director such as: lighting, choice of actors, props and composition' Modality: the force the words are delivered at. High modality is forceful and low modality is gentle. Non-Linear: non-sequential narrative Onomatopoeia: a word that echoes the sound it represents. The reader can hear what is happening in the scene. Personification: giving human characteristics to a non-human. Inanimate objects take on a life of their own. Perspective: a way of looking at individuals, issues, events, texts, facts and so on. Plosive Consonants: using harsh sounds in a sentence or phrase Representation: how a composer conveys meaning through textual features and details Setting: location of a story – internal and external Sibilance: repetition of the consonant ‘s’ – can make a line sound melodious and sweet or cold and icy Simile: when two objects are compared using ‘like’ or ‘as’ Symbolism: When an object stands for one or more ideas Tense: present tense – set in the present. Past tense – set in the past. Future tense – the events are predicted. Theme: message or moral of a story. Themes make us ponder the big issues in life. Tone: the way the composer or character feels – conveyed by the composer’s choice of words. Visual Terms When you are decoding an image or graphic you could refer to some of the following features or techniques: Composition: What is included in a visual is usually deliberately placed there or included. This also applies to what the composer has omitted. Therefore, consider all inclusions and Omissions such as: surroundings, objects, clothing, etc. Intertextuality: Appropriating or referring to images or ideas from other texts to make an important point. Colour, hue and tone: In a black and white image examine the use of contrast, light and darkness. In a colour image, colours are used to signify feelings and evoke a response. E.g. Red conveys passion, anger, hell, vitality, etc whereas blue conveys peace, harmony or even coldness. Framing: The same camera shots and angles relevant to film are applicable to visuals. Close ups, extreme close ups, medium shots, long shots, tilted up or down shots and so on are relevant. Body language and gaze: Examine facial expressions, gestures, stance or position as these features can convey the attitude, feelings or personality of the individual being drawn or photographed. Take note of the direction of the subject’s eyes. Rule of thirds: Used by the great Dutch painters the rule of thirds can be useful for some images. Divide an image into thirds from the top and sides and look at the placement of people and/or objects. An object in the top third is usually empowered whereas anything in the bottom third is disempowered. Salience: The part that your eyes are first drawn to in the visual – visual weighting. Colour, image and layout determine what the salient image is in a visual. Vectors: This refers to the line that our eyes take when we look at a visual. Composers deliberately direct our reading path through the vectors. E.g. If all of the subjects are tall, long and upright our eyes follow straight vectors that lead to the top of the frame. This could make the subject seem powerful or inflexible