Language features and their effects

Use this checklist:

* to understand the ways in which the writers gain impact in their writing
* to use various features in your own writing (creative and transactional, as well as for your oral presentations) in order to
craft your writing and gain impact
* to help you achieve units standards which require you to explore language and think critically about poetic /
transactional ./ oral texts
General effect (decide on the specific effect
Language feature Definition or explanation Example
relative to the text)
The ends of words have the same That second day they hunted me
Makes the text memorable and can make poems
sound. Usually at the ends of From hill to plain, shore to sea
Rhyme amusing. Can tie together the middle and end of
lines in poetry but may be Then Billy who was silly
verses.
internal (within a line) Almost every other day…
I went to town to buy a phone.
A regular pattern of stressed and Makes the text as a whole more memorable and
Rhythm On the road there is a girl with a
unstressed syllables. makes it flow better.
bike.
Having heard the song, he sang it Makes small sections of the text hang together
softly. and flow better. Draws our attention to this
Repetition of the same consonant
There came a ghost to Mary’s phrase. Creates a harder or softer mood in line
Alliteration sound at the beginning of words –
door - With many a grievous with the meaning (hard consonants are b d k p q
usually close in succession.
groan t, soft are f h j l m n r s v w y z, while c and g can
be either hard or soft)
Her early leaf’s a flower Makes small sections of the text hang together
Vowels are repeated at the But only so an hour. and flow better. Draws our attention to this
Assonance beginning or middle of nearby There were excited bursts and phrase. Repetition of vowels generally gives a
words. swerves soft, quiet and calm mood unless the sounds are
as the cattle stampeded. the short vowels. Eg. cat, pet, pin, off, cup.
 Season of mists and mellow These create a ‘wall of sound’ with a number of
A group of sounds is repeated
fruitfulness… repeated sounds, not just one type. They usually
throughout a sentence or a group
Sound clusters I love to see the cottage smoke create a particular mood by using a number of
of lines in a poem, not just at the
curl hard or soft sounds, rather than a combination of
beginnings of words.
upwards through the trees. two.
There came a furious woofing
This helps us hear the actual sound being named
Words sound like the sounds they from the seals.
Onomatopoeia and therefore we understand it properly or it
name. The brrrring of the alarm woke
transports us to the place of the sound.
him.
Repeating the same or nearly the ‘Come on, Come on!’ she This is used to emphasize whatever is being said
Repetition
same words for effect. shouted. ‘We’re late!’ or written, or to mimic repetition in nature.
Parallel construction provides rhythm while it
Using the same word class order Into the valley, through the
Parallel construction expands the detail of the description and creates
twice (in same or two sentences) marsh, rode the hunting pair.
balance.
…that government of the people,
Repeating three times a group of by the people, for the people
words which have the pattern of shall not perish from the face of Same as for parallelism, but the triplet provides
Triple construction word classes. Each group may or the earth. closure or finality along with that sense of
may not start with the same word Then leaf subsides to leaf, balance.
/ s. So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day…

The black smoke rose like a All imagery gives the person / animal / thing
wizard’s tower spiralling into the being described the characteristics of something
An image which compares two
Simile sky. else. It therefore enlivens descriptions by
things using like or as
The playground was as empty as helping us to see these people / animals / things
a ghost town. in a new light – in a way we may have never seen
them or thought about them before.
 We emerged from the cool dark
of the hut into the blast furnace
Metaphor An image which compares two heat of a Central Otago summer Metaphors are more compact and tighter in their
things without using like or as afternoon. comparative descriptions than simile.
The fireworks were sparkling
flowers exploding in the night sky.
The night hung out a multitude of In addition to the above, personification makes
An image which gives human lanterns to guide the travellers. inanimate things seem lively and lifelike while it
Personification
qualities to non-human beings. Raindrops danced on the also contributes to our sense of oneness with
pavement. these inanimate objects.
The wind moaned, low-pitched, Sometimes, more unusual words provide more
Choice of words Using more unusual or specialized unutterable eerie threnody (sad specific meaning than common ones. Specialized
(vocabulary) or technical words song) or technical words make it seem like the writer /
He died of myocardial infarction. speaker really knows the topic.
‘Hey, you guys, let’s cut loose Grounds the text in informality as well as a
Use of slang Most likely used in direct speech.
tonight and pain the town red. certain social group and period of time.
‘Come over here!’ Jack yelled,
Makes the character come alive. We can hear
Use of direct and Quoting or reporting spoken then proceeded to tell all how
the way she / he speaks – the actual vocab.,
indirect speech words he’d won the Melbourne Cup in
grammar and tone.
his office.
Generally used in direct speech ‘Let’s have ourselves a few beers.’ Creates an image of the character – helps to
Use of incorrect but may also be used in ‘I sure hate them direct define personality and place him / her in a
grammar autobiography for particular marketers always calling at dinner particular educational or social class. Provides
effect. time’. authenticity in your writing.
Word play involving the use of a An advert for an Omega-3 margarine Provokes amusement and therefore a tendency
has this statement; The way to a
word with two different meanings for the reader to feel good about the company /
man’s heart is through his stomach.
Pun or two words that sound the product and possibly to buy the product.
This gives new literal meaning to an
same but mean different things. old figurative phrase which romance If used by a character, shows that the character
Often used in advertising. rather than health. is rather clever and witty.
 Used for emphasis to get a point across. Also
I’ve told thousands of times to
Hyperbole Deliberate exaggeration illustrates something of the mood of the
clean up your bedroom.
speaker / writer.
Shows just how strong the emotion is illustrates
‘Well, I was sure brassed off when
Litotes Deliberate understatement something of the character of the speaker /
he walked out on men’.
writer.
Builds up a very full picture of the object / animal
The air was full of driving,
The adjectives give more / person or the activity so that it becomes very
Use of multiple needle-pointed ice spicules.
information about the noun and clear in the reader’s mind – the reader feels s/he
adjectives or adverbs Slowly, stealthily, the wind was
the adverbs about the verbs. can picture it or see it happening very precisely.
lifting a swell.
These have only one complete Used to establish one idea. Often used as topic
Passing the school, we saw the
Simple sentences verb though there may be one or sentences making clear what the paragraph is
flames pouring out of the office.
more incomplete verbs. about or marking a change of place / topic / etc.
These have a minimum of two
We danced all night, then
complete verbs and each part of Used to get across two main ideas with some
Compound sentences climbed the hill to see the sun
the sentence can stand on its supporting detail.
rise.
own.
These have a minimum of two
We left the party because the
complete verbs; the part of the
level of violence was getting way Used to provide explanations and other more
sentence which has one of those
Complex sentences over the top. detailed information about the ideas expressed
verbs, but cannot stand on its
Although the sky was overcast, in the main clause.
own, is called a subordinate
no snow fell that night.
clause.

To get the reader’s / audience’s attention and

A question that does not expect
So what would result from such a make them think about the answer before giving
Rhetorical question an answer from the reader or
plan? Chaos, that’s what. it.
audience.
 To catch people’s attention whether it’s another
This is the verb used alone
character in a narrative or the audience listening
(without a noun or pronoun). Can Stop! come here. Sit down while I
Use of command to a speaker. We are socially conditioned to
be used with adverbs or other talk to you.
obey commands so the advertiser or speaker
word classes.
may get some affirmative response.
I would like you to think hard
about what I am going to tell you First person: Gives immediacy to the text – the
next. author or character makes a direct connection
‘You wouldn’t dream what with the reader / audience.
1st person singular – I, me, my,
happened to him. I can’t believe The emotional qualities of the text / character
mine; plural – we, us, our, ours
it myself!’ are more available also – the internal life of the
2nd person singular and plural –
I opened the door wide, then author or character. ‘We’ in a speech involves
you, your, yours.
Use of first and second opened my eyes wider when I the audience with the speaker (‘we all know that
Mostly used in :
person pronoun saw a small black dog sitting on violence is wrong’)
* autobiography
the step.
* 1st person narrative
I was born on a grey winter’s day Second person : In speeches and adverts, this
* direct speech
in Dunedin. My mother tells me direct address to the listeners / viewers involves
* oral presentations
that the nurse bathed me in cold them and may challenge them to respond, even
water by an open window so if only mentally. In narrative, the use shows
that’s probably why I enjoy the interaction between characters.
cold southern winters…
These are a form of shorthand to emotions – an
Simple symbols are widely author can use a symbol so that the reader /
accepted. Eg. Heart – love, dove audience understand the emotions invested in
Use of an object (concrete noun)
with an olive branch – peace. the object without describing those emotions
to represent some emotion or
Symbolism Others are more complex and every time the object is used. Provides the
belief system or other abstract
individual to an author / reader with a visual (actual or mental) aide –
noun.
character. Eg. Neon lights – memoire – something that conjures up certain
urban sophistication memories and / or emotions or qualities when
s/he sees the symbol.
 His wife passed away (died)
Use of a less objectionable or Amusement in the reader or revealing of the
The firm was restructuring
Euphemism harsh expression to avoid character of the person using it (kindhearted or
(sacking workers)
upsetting or offending people sarcastic or squeamish for example)
She is vertically challenged (short)
Newness / novelty / difference from ordinary
Neotogism New word – in invented word Nylon, radar, thermos words makes it stand out – make the readers /
viewers remember them.
Objects / reasons / parts of whole We give him access to the
etc are listed – in text usually with biomechanics, conditioning, Shows the extent of or emphasizes the topic,
Listing commas separating them; in nutrition, physiology and object, event being discussed / described; shows
adverts / web pages or text can psychology he needs to be the the author’s wide knowledge of the topic.
be with bullet points best.
Choice of words which have
specially intended emotional There was a clammy self-
The attitude and emotions of the author are
Emotive language effects or are intended to evoke congratulating illiteracy of the
transferred or made clear to the reader.
an emotional response in the heart drooling from every word.
reader.
Unkind humour directed against (as above – the emotions and attitudes are ones
Sarcasm what the writer / speaker does …fluff-filled catalogues. of disdain or contempt or revulsion or dislike or
not like bitterness)
(as above – the intent and effect are less
Saying the opposite of what you …cultural icons like McDonald’s
Irony offensive than in sarcasm but the author may still
mean carparks.
feel strongly on the subject)

In a city that never sleeps, she

seems to be trying to keep us Strengthens each aspect of the contrast by
Using word of opposite meaning
Contrast awake. showing up the difference
close together
The sun warms on a bitterly cold To emphasize a change or difference or idea.
day.
 A specific number or statistic gives the
Use of numbers or Thousands died and hundreds of
- impression that the speaker / writer is
statistics thousands are homeless.
authoritative and knowledgeable.
The reader / viewer aspires to share the goals of
The words (or image) of a famous (Paris Hilton wears only Versace)
Use of authority figures (and use the product promoted by) the
person or celebrity are used (Daniel Carter loves Jockeys)
personality.
Wagner’s Ride of the Valkynes Adds another dimension to the text by
Allusion A reference to another work plays during Apocalypse Now introducing material from our external
‘It’ll be just like Coral Island’ knowledge (if we get the allusion)
Direct use of another’s word Churchill famously said, ‘ We will A quotation will add some of the authority of the
Quotation
(spoken or written) fight them on the beaches’. original author to the current speaker / writer.