Jaandri Visser
51808110
18A Hoffman Street
Bredasdorp
7280
ENG2601
Unieke nommer: 641921
, QUESTION ONE: Persuasion and Language
In a well-constructed response of about one page (write in paragraphs), discuss how
the writer uses persuasive techniques to convince the reader of the changes Covid-19
would inflict on the world. In your response, you should pay particular attention to the
writer’s use of rhetorical devices, and visuals to align with the theme and linguistic
devices. Your arguments should be substantiated by relevant quotes from the text.
A persuasive piece of writing is different from an argumentative one in that the
position taken is developed without much consideration of opposing views. It is also
generally based more on opinion than fact and appeals to emotion rather than reason.
{Applied English Studies: Further Explorations | Tutorial Letter 501 for ENG2601 | Department
of English Studies | University of South Africa | Pretoria}
The year is 2021, our lives have been severely influenced and changed due to the Covid-19
pandemic, and the prediction is, that the world has not seen the worst of it yet. The writer of
this article paints a very gloom picture of what we are to expect in the years following the
pandemic, by using many persuasive techniques to convince the reader of the changes
Covid-19 would inflict on the world. He uses a mixture of both emotive and factual material to
convey his argument, quotes statistics and leaves much to the imagination of the reader to
assume the worst.
In his opening statement:” In chaos theory, the butterfly effect describes a small change that
can have massive, unpredictable consequences.”, he uses words that describes the extreme
of each situation, such as chaos, massive and unpredictable, which already raises concern
with the reader, warning them to expect the worst from what is following. In general, we are
all aware of the effects that the pandemic had on our everyday lives, from our social
behaviour to our working environments for some, and due to this knowledge, we are eager to
learn how this will further affect our living.
The writer cleverly uses a combination of factual and emotive material in persuasive and
argumentative texts. First, he states the facts that we all know, then uses emotive language
to not only inform the reader, but also to install a sense of cautiousness of what is to come.
Examples of this can be seen in “”the current economic nosedive”, which we are all well
aware of by factors such as the plummeting interest rates, followed by “are the last thing on
most people’s minds.”, as most of us are more concerned about personal income, safety and
health to be too bothered by the financial climate of the country.
One of the persuasive techniques that are often used, is a great deal repetition to get the
message across. The writer reiterates a certain fact a few times in the text, to remind the
reader of the seriousness of the situation, and an example of this can be found in the way that
the writer refers to lapses of time, such as ‘”weeks later”, “permanently”, “within the next six
months”, “years to recover”, “next 3 – 5 years”, which reminds us to use our time wisely and
plan accordingly.
51808110
18A Hoffman Street
Bredasdorp
7280
ENG2601
Unieke nommer: 641921
, QUESTION ONE: Persuasion and Language
In a well-constructed response of about one page (write in paragraphs), discuss how
the writer uses persuasive techniques to convince the reader of the changes Covid-19
would inflict on the world. In your response, you should pay particular attention to the
writer’s use of rhetorical devices, and visuals to align with the theme and linguistic
devices. Your arguments should be substantiated by relevant quotes from the text.
A persuasive piece of writing is different from an argumentative one in that the
position taken is developed without much consideration of opposing views. It is also
generally based more on opinion than fact and appeals to emotion rather than reason.
{Applied English Studies: Further Explorations | Tutorial Letter 501 for ENG2601 | Department
of English Studies | University of South Africa | Pretoria}
The year is 2021, our lives have been severely influenced and changed due to the Covid-19
pandemic, and the prediction is, that the world has not seen the worst of it yet. The writer of
this article paints a very gloom picture of what we are to expect in the years following the
pandemic, by using many persuasive techniques to convince the reader of the changes
Covid-19 would inflict on the world. He uses a mixture of both emotive and factual material to
convey his argument, quotes statistics and leaves much to the imagination of the reader to
assume the worst.
In his opening statement:” In chaos theory, the butterfly effect describes a small change that
can have massive, unpredictable consequences.”, he uses words that describes the extreme
of each situation, such as chaos, massive and unpredictable, which already raises concern
with the reader, warning them to expect the worst from what is following. In general, we are
all aware of the effects that the pandemic had on our everyday lives, from our social
behaviour to our working environments for some, and due to this knowledge, we are eager to
learn how this will further affect our living.
The writer cleverly uses a combination of factual and emotive material in persuasive and
argumentative texts. First, he states the facts that we all know, then uses emotive language
to not only inform the reader, but also to install a sense of cautiousness of what is to come.
Examples of this can be seen in “”the current economic nosedive”, which we are all well
aware of by factors such as the plummeting interest rates, followed by “are the last thing on
most people’s minds.”, as most of us are more concerned about personal income, safety and
health to be too bothered by the financial climate of the country.
One of the persuasive techniques that are often used, is a great deal repetition to get the
message across. The writer reiterates a certain fact a few times in the text, to remind the
reader of the seriousness of the situation, and an example of this can be found in the way that
the writer refers to lapses of time, such as ‘”weeks later”, “permanently”, “within the next six
months”, “years to recover”, “next 3 – 5 years”, which reminds us to use our time wisely and
plan accordingly.
