Language Analysis free essay sample

This opinion piece was written to the parents of a local sporting club in response to poor behaviour of spectators. An added concern was the difficulty of attracting volunteers to the club. The article, ‘A word from our coach’ was written by Coach Sam in the Local Sports Club, ‘Club News’, newsletter. Sam contends that some parents are behaving so badly at children’s matches that it is adversely affecting the club. The author has both a professional and personal involvement in this issue. As a coach he must deal with all the facets that poor behaviour by parents towards children’s sporting commitments. This includes witnessing parents verbally abusing their children, the other teammates and all adults involved in the club. As a sportsman who is passionate about netball Sam is disgusted and shocked by how some parents lack sportsmanship. While the tone of this article is critical and contemptuous, Sam utilises a reasoned and logical approach to structuring his argument. We will write a custom essay sample on Language Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The style is formal and accessible to the parent readers and he hopes to gain their support in being more sportsmen like. The reader is initially drawn to the article with the inclusive and neutrally phrased headline. Our coach’ positions the reader to know that they are reading something that is relevant to them and by a familiar person. The use of ‘A word’ acts as a safe and interesting persuasive strategy to make the reader peacefully begin to read the article. The attached cartoon by Jeff Parker, demonstrates the use of humour in the pun associated with an ass acting poorly at a children’s sports match. He is wearing a t-shirt that reads   to explain his aggressive attitude towards winning in sport. The expressions on the faces in the crowd are shocked and angered. The referee is showing annoyance at the verbal abuse by the parent and the face of the player shows embarrassment and horror. Another parent in the crowd is stating that he wishes â€Å"these sports-aggressive parents could see themselves as we do† in a speech bubble. The cartoon reflects a similarly judgemental tone as used in the written opinion piece by the coach. Parker hopes to persuade the reader to see the effect that poor behaviour by parents has on other members of the club. Language Analysis free essay sample Although this is a persuasive piece of writing, the article appears to be quite evenly weighted, assessing both sides to the controversial issue of whether or not to ban mobile phone use in vehicles all together. However, there is a slight undertone of mocking and sarcasm in the way James writes, the way he challenges the notion of banning mobile phones by posing the question looking at a GPS, talking to passenger, taking a sip of water or singing to a song on the radio. Are we going to ban these perfectly normal activities too? The rhetorical question enables James to have a dig at the concept of banning mobile phones by incorporating a list of seemingly mindless activities. James anecdote of the injured daughter and the mother caught in traffic further promote his view that it is unnecessary to completely ban mobile phone use, as he is appealing to the emotional side of the readers, making the reader question themselves and ponder on what they would do in such a situation. We will write a custom essay sample on Language Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The use of an easily manipulated personal anecdote encourages the reader to agree with James point of view as they have now become involved in the article in some way. Statistics are very useful when writing a persuasive piece because they are straight forward facts, no opinions are expressed through numbers. The small amount of 8-10% of accidents caused by mobile phone use are used to show that 90% of accidents are caused by other factors and that these are uncontrollable, much like mobile phones. James appeal to the hard work of the police force saying that the police have a hard enough job as it is without requiring them to enforce a rule that looks simple in theory, but ould be complicated in practise also endorses his view that the concept of banning mobile technology is unnecessary and would not be accepted by society and is simultaneously able to condemn the APG by making it apparent that they would not be the ones controlling this situation, the police would be. Through a variety of literary techniques and through the use of strong emotive language James is able to finish off an article that had started out being an exploration of mobile te chnology in vehicles, to an article almost mocking the entire idea of banning technology.