textual analysis
def
= the process of ascertaining how meaning is constructed through language
structure of an introduction
- opening line (why the topic matters)
- the basics (topic, author, year of publication, context)
- thesis statement (purpose of the text, how is message is constructed using stylistic features)
structure of a body paragraph in textual analysis
- point (a claim about how meaning is constructed through a stylistic feature)
- evidence (supports the claim)
- explain (analysis of how the evidence supports the claim)
- link (connect to thesis statement and author’s purpose)
structure of a conclusion
- restate the author’s purpose and the text’s message
- key features (how stylistic features were instrumental in achieving this purpose)
- repeat the text’s main message and why it’s meaningful
key elements of textual analysis
- identification of authorial choices (+ textual evidence)
- purpose of authorial choices in conveying meaning
- effects, implications on the reader’s experience
writing a main claim
- Identify the topic
- What does the author claim about the topic?
- How does the author use language to support the main claim?
how is meaning constructed through text?
its context, audience, purpose, style and structure
CAMPS
context of a text
when and where writers write (context of composition), readers read (context of interpretation)
audience in constructing meaning
how readers read
what is the meaning of a text?
main ideas, messages, topics, themes of a text
what is the purpose of a text?
why writers write (achieved by evoking emotional responses, personal connections, shock, outrage, …)
what is the structure and style of a text?
how writers write (authorial choices)
PIE paragraph structure
- POINT ⇒ make a point about the purpose and style of the text
- ILLUSTRATION ⇒ illustrate the stylistic features, authorial choices
- EXPLANATION ⇒ explain how the features contribute to the meaning of the text and achieves the writer’s purpose
tone vs mood
defs, expressed/created with
tone = the way the author expresses their attitude through his writing, expressed by use of syntax, your POV, diction, level of formality
mood = the general atmosphere or emotional complexion; the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader, created by the setting, atmosphere, imagery, word choice and tone of the author
stylistic analysis includes the study of
- phonology
- graphology
- morphology
- syntax
- lexis
- figures of speech
phonology
how speech sounds are structured to function meaningfully in a text
sounds
graphology
the writing system of language as manifested in handwriting, orthography (correct spelling) and punctuation for expressive effects
letters
morphology
internal arrangements of words and their inflections, word classes, and word formation
words
word classes
- noun
- verb
- adjective
- adverb
- pronoun
- articles
- conjunction
- preposition
- interjection
semantic relations between words
- hyponymy ⇒ subclass
- hypernym ⇒ superclass
- synonymy ⇒ similar/same meaning
- antonymy ⇒ opposite meaning
- paronyms ⇒ pronounced/written in a similar way but have different meanings
- homonyms ⇒ words with different meanings with the same spelling/pronunciation
syntax
how words are combined together to form phrases, clauses and sentences
clause vs sentence vs phrase
- clause ⇒ a word group that contains a verb and its subject, and that is used as a sentence or as part of a sentence
- sentence ⇒ a group of words that contains a subject and a verb, and that expresses a complete thought and meaning
- phrase ⇒ a group of words that modifies the subjects and objects in the sentence to provide extra information, but it is not a complete thought
lexis
diction (= choice of vocabulary in a text) and the study of meaning of words in a text
semantics
