Persuasion Ch 5

Langer's Approach to Language Use

-Concepts vs conceptions -Discursive vs presentational -Signification, denotation, connotation

Examples of extensional devices

-Indexing: categorizing by adding specific info -Dating: setting up a timeframe of judgment -Etc.: can never tell whole story w/o noun or event -Quotation Marks: to indicate words used in "own way"

Burke's approach to language use

-identification develops through the linguistic sharing of what he called sub-stances (which literally means beneath places) -persuasion via identification works because we all share sub-stances and experience guilt

Two parts to metaphors & descriptions

1. Tenor: more familiar; subject of metaphor 2. Vehicle: less familiar, teaching of ways to think of tenor differently; transmission of meaning Ex: drowning (V) in money (T)

The perspectives through which we should read messages?

1. word/symbols not spoken 2. Context in/from which they are spoken 3. Actions that are or are not taken or approved of 4. The other signifiers in the message (visuals, colors, music)

Signal response

Act as though signal is true representation of the territory (ex- dog hiding from lighting @ sign of thunder)

Semiotic Theory

All texts convey meaning through signs or signifiers (presence or absence of restaurant host for ex.)

Denotation

Dictionary definition; shared like a concept, rid of emotion

A good metaphor does what?

Enables the vehicle to be readily "mapped" back to the tenor on several dimensions

How we use extensional devices to decode persuasion?

Help us ensure maps in our heads more closely resemble the territory to which we refer

Presentational meaning

Hits all at once, immediate (ex- photos, logos, fonts)

How do signifiers interact with one another?

In meaningful but subtle relationships, or sign systems, which make up the "language" or "code" of the text

Signs

Indicate presence of event, feeling, or object; more literal

____ is also source of guilt

Innate need to achieve perfection

____ helped to create culture

Language

Most widely used type of symbol?

Language or words

What is the most powerful and persuasive of all figures of speech and the most likely to require truly artistic language creativity?

Metaphor

Connotation

More emotional, individual, conceptual

How do we refer to maps and react to them?

Peripherally & emotionally, not logically

Territories

Physically exist in the world; realities

"Pecking order"

Principle of hierarchy that contributes to guilt

Signification

Sign accompanies concept/thing

Discursive meaning

Smaller, unveils symbols over time (ex- unfolding of a plot in a drama, slogans, jingles)

Semantics

Study of language and meaning

Semiotics

Study of symbols

Extensional Devices

Techniques for neutralizing or defusing the emotional connotations that often accompany words by adding info that makes my meaning clear to you & others

Signifieds

Things (events, rules, etc.( to which the signifiers refer

How are faulty maps expressed?

Through language, often using metaphors

Symbols

Vehicles for the conception of objects (ex- sign language); more deep & complex

Since words stand for or represent things, ideas, and feelings, we also tend to react to words...

as if they are actually the things they only represent

All human communication and hence persuasion relies on ____ and ____

concepts and conceptions

We all cary thousands of _____ that represent nonexistent, incorrect, or false territories

maps

Language appeals made by most persuaders, advocates, and propagandists are only ____, or ____ ____

maps, inner perceptions (like connotations)

Concepts are ____, while conceptions are ____

shared, individual

One reason we can infer much from how a person uses words/symbols to persuade is that the making of symbols is....

so highly ego-involving

"Language is ____ ____" -Burke

symbolic action

Word/symbols that name what something is leads to...

the idea of what something is not

Language can tell us a lot about ____

the persuader's motives

The world of marketing provides many examples of ____

the persuasive power in language choice ("up to", "as much as", etc)

The map is not ____ _____

the territory (esp in the case of stereotypes)

Job of persuaders is to call attention to...

those sub-stances or basic beliefs

Metaphors can also be ____

visual