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Text Message Analysis

The document discusses analyzing text messages by examining the sender, message, receiver relationship and how stylistic choices impact perception. It defines relevant terms and provides examples of how punctuation, capitalization, abbreviations and emojis can change a message's tone and meaning. Students are asked to analyze sample texts and revise some to alter the intended meaning through different stylistic choices.

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342 views

Text Message Analysis

The document discusses analyzing text messages by examining the sender, message, receiver relationship and how stylistic choices impact perception. It defines relevant terms and provides examples of how punctuation, capitalization, abbreviations and emojis can change a message's tone and meaning. Students are asked to analyze sample texts and revise some to alter the intended meaning through different stylistic choices.

Uploaded by

api-572480451
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Text Message Analysis

What is the sender/message/receiver relationship?


How is this relationship impacted by stylistic decisions made by the sender?

Part 1: Vocabulary
Define the terms below.

Sender: The person who types and sends Style: The way that a message or text is
the text. The person’s point of view who written and presented in order to portray
writes the message. further meaning. The overall vibe that your
writing shadows

Receiver: The one on the other end of the Analysis: The way that the receiver analyzes
text who receives it and reads it. the message and uses outside clues to
determine what they think the text is trying
to say.
Message: Rhetoric: The art of infective or persuasive
An indirectly sent picture, video, or words speaking or writing through the use of
sent to someone to communicate. compositional techniques.

Part 2: Examples
Get out your phones and spend some time looking for messages that seem to have made specific
rhetorical choices: punctuation, unusual typing or spelling styles, abbreviations, emojis, etc. Type
them in the left column, describe the choice in the middle column, and describe the effect on the
receiver’s perception or on the meaning of the text.

Text Stylistic Choice Effect on perception/meaning


Grace how many hit lists The sender didn’t put a By not adding a question mark it
are you on question mark at the lessens the seriousness of the
end and they sent this question and adds a more humorous
as an individual text. tone. By writing it as an individual
text, it gives it a friendlier tone
They use multiple The expletives used in the beginning
expletives. They also show how annoyed the sender is
also ********** School is use abbreviations such about the issue. Also, the
like 90 the grease idk as idk and they misspell abbreviations and lack of capitals
why its so hot in here words and periods make it sound like less
serious of an issue.
sorry i was sleeping ivi Lowercase i, starts with The lack of capitalization adds a
sorry. Uses the crying friendlier tone. The use of the crying
face “ivi”. No face (ivi) implies that maybe they’re
punctuation depressed or are struggling.
All caps and 2 angry All capitalization makes the message
ANSWER YOU TEXTS emojis at the end. No seem more urgent and loud. The
(angry emoji) punctuation emoji at the end portrays the angry
feelings of the sender.

They use 3 question The use of good capitalization and


Did you even see his marks, use very big punctuation along with big words
phenomenal acting skills words. Starts with “Did gives the texts a sarcastic tone. It
in the critically you even see his” seems as though they are mocking
acclaimed film the film. The 3 question marks at the
“yesterday”??? end solidify the sarcasm and create
a less serious tone.

IT’S A FINAL. NO Use of all caps. 2 The use of all caps emphasizes the
MAKEUP. periods with little seriousness of the situation and the
explanation 2 periods add a more direct and
unmovable tone.

Part 3: Altering Stylistic Choices


Rewrite three text messages from Part 2 and revise them to alter the intended or perceived
meaning. Explain the change you made and the desired effect on the receivers perception or the
meaning of the text.

Original Text Revised Text Changes you made and the


desired effect on
perception/meaning
In school today, it feels like it I removed the expletives
is 90 degrees. I do not know which give it a more
why it is so hot today. respectable and educated
also ********** School is like 90 tone. Also by adding correct
the grease idk why its so hot capitalization, spelling, and
in here punctuation, it makes it
easier to understand.
Overall, it adds a serious
tone.
I apologize for the
inconvenience, I just woke In my new text, I added more
sorry i was sleeping ivi up from a 4-hour nap. explanation and I used
bigger words and phrases. I
made sure to capitalize all
the “i”s and to put a period
in the end. My new additions
make the apology sound
more genuine.

this film is so dumb I changed this text by


Did you even see his removing capitalization and
phenomenal acting skills in punctuation. By doing this my
the critically acclaimed film text sounds more annoyed.
“yesterday”??? By removing the detailed
explanation It sounds a lot
more kid-friendly and
straightforward.

Part 4: Apply your learning


Analyze the text message below, following all instructions in the prompt.

Context: My friend asked if he could interview me for a paper he was writing but he never
responded about a day and time. I sent him a text asking if he still wanted to interview me a
few days later and this is what he sent back:

Write a paragraph in the box below in which you analyze the rhetorical choices made by
the “speaker” of this text message. Be sure to address what the speaker’s purpose is, and
consider how the audience (receiver) may interpret the message based on the speaker’s
choices. Be sure to have a topic sentence!

The first thing that stood out to me about this text was the use of ellipsis points (periods).
The placement of the periods makes him sound very annoyed and overwhelmed with the
project. The second thing that stood out was the 3rd line where he says “it’s my fault I
should have reminded you monday”, it appears that he partly blames the recipient for not
having followed through, while trying to soften the blow by blaming it on himself. The first
stanza in the message doesn’t quite make sense so I can assume the sender didn’t
carefully read through the text while sending it, probably because he’s busy with the
project. The purpose of this message was to inform the recipient that he no longer
needed an interview, however the entire vibe of the text makes it appear as though
they’re annoyed and to busy to explain any further.

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