Using Connotative Language to Paint a Tone }

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1 lesson 4.notebook Using Connotative Language to Paint a Tone } regretful admiring Tone can change across a text humorous how would you answer this question? militaristic discourse tone discourse (uanews.org) Discourse is a whole pattern of language across a text great way to think about author's reasoning for word choice (education portal.com) "The author probably used the words steep, precarious, formidable in the sentence, "as night came, we found that the mountains were step, the path precarious, the rocks formidable,' in order to create a tone that is a) jaunty b) humorous c) foreboding d)sarcastic Inside the world of a killer high school assassination game. Killer, the last man standing game of water pistol ambush, has become a key end ofthe year ritual in several New York City high schools. At St. Ann s, a private school in Brooklyn Heights, the game lasts two and a half weeks and is especially ferocious. Over the years, students there have developed a seventeen point rule book, a map of the safe zones around the school, an entry fee (currently twenty dollars per team it goes into the winners pot), and a nonplaying senior class judge, to arbitrate disputed kills and rule violations. The judge also makes a pie chart of death the order of killing assignments, which he or she then distributes to squads shortly before opening day. "He could have said but he said " "...prodigious hacking skills." great "...couple of tenacious ninth-grade holdouts, though." "...mowed through entire teams..." tough "The game s valedictory message..." went winning Teaching point: Writers do things on purpose. Fiction writers choose their words on purpose to create a specific tone but today we're reminded that nonfiction writers do as well. Nonfiction writers make their case,, advance their ideas, not just with evidence but with the specific language and comparisons they use. Neutral Tone [ Irresponsible, naive, insensitive Tone [ [ accepting, complimentary Tone The kids from St. Ann's move across the five boroughs and beyond as they play this game. Some kids travel as far as Connecticut, other kids to New Jersey. They gather information from other kids, they get parents to help, they involve cab drivers these kids take this game seriously. The subversive kids from St. Ann's range across the five boroughs and beyond like wolves as they play this pack game. Some privileged kids travel as far as Connecticut, other well heeled kids to New Jersey. They gossip with other kids, they coerce parents, they bribe cab drivers these kids take this ferocious game seriously. The innovative kids from St. Ann's move courageously across the five boroughs and beyond as they play this ambitious game. Some daring kids travel as far as Connecticut, other daring kids to New Jersey. They collaborate ingeniously with other kids, they generously involve parents, they befriend neighborhood cab drivers these inventive and determined kids take this ground breaking game seriously. Connotative vs. Denotative Vocabulary (vocabulary.co.il) W ords are not limited to one single meaning. Most words have multiple meanings, which are categorized as either denotative or connotative. The denotation of a word is its explicit definition as listed in a dictionary. Let s use the word home as an example. The denotative or literal meaning of home is a place where one lives a residence. Hint: Denotation, denotative, definition, and dictionary all start with the letter D. T he expressiveness of language, however, comes from the other type of word meaning connotation, or the association or set of associations that a word usually brings to mind. The connotative meaning of home is a place of security, comfort, and family. When Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz says, There s no place like home, she s not referring to its denotation, but the emotions home evokes for her and most people. (slideshare.net) (bayantwopointoh.blogspot.com) Ask yourself: 1. Do you want to create a unified tone across your whole argument? 2. Do you want to create one tone in one part and a different one in another? (smartdraw.com) You have ethical concerns when writing non fiction, you cannot exaggerate facts or make the tone so strong that you no longer seem objective. Writing goal: 1. Create a plan for your writing today and put it at the top of your paper 2. You will be publishing either tomorrow or the day after so...: will you work on creating a tone in your work first? will you work on your introduction and conclusion? should you review mentor texts? should you review the checklist? do you need more research for evidence? do you need to review the anchor chart or past student notes? t Wh Wha y Excerpt from "Shooting in the Dark" by Benedict Carey, from The New York Times: Argument writers set their readers up to see things a certain way { Tone = systemic violent language (linksservice.com) Sample response in favor of: Opponents of violent games often try to demonize the games themselves, making the case that it's the games, not the players, that cause the trouble. These opponents often pepper their arguments with strong language to evoke certain emotions in their audience. For example, Benedict Carey of The New York Times, in his article "Shooting in the Dark," chooses words such as massacres, dark digital fantasy, and rampage to describe the video games played by the Columbine shooters. His word choices connote a world of evil and violence to sway his audience against video games. It's as if Carey is trying to imply that the games themselves are responsible for real world violence. However, what Carey fails to recognize is that it is the players, not the games, that cause violence in the real world. The young men who opened fire at Columbine High School, at the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and in other massacres had this in common: they were video gamers who seemed to be acting out some dark digital fantasy. It was as if all that exposure to computerized violence gave them the idea to go on a rampage or at least fueled their urges. using Carey's words against him I'm refuting his arguments to display my perspective Homework: 1. Notice arguments you see in the world and analyze them as you become more skilled at making arguments, you will become more skilled at unpacking the arguments of others. Study TV commercials, blogs you may read, arguments between family and ask, "how is the 'author' making his/her argument? Jot this information down for at least three arguments 2. Continue writing, revising your draft 1

2 lesson 4.notebook great way to think about author's reasoning for word choice "He could have said but he said " 2

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