This article first appeared in the Irish Independent Written Word Supplement on Monday 26th January 2015
In our daily lives we’re exposed to an almost endless array of text formats. Some slot neatly into a category: they give us information or provide us with a description. Others cross boundaries, combining logical argument, emotional persuasion and vivid imagery to make their point and cast their spell on us.
One way to force your brain to really think about what type of language use is dominant in any given format is to label it in your brain, or better still, fill them into the grid we’ve provided!
So here’s your challenge: I’ve given you a list of language types below.
Your job is to decide which category they mostly belong to. Of course there’ll be some overlap but don’t stress about that.
Instead ask yourself which type of language dominates?
If the answer is…
mostly facts = information
mostly logical opinions = argument
mostly emotive manipulation = persuasion
mostly vivid imagery = description
There’ll also be some listed below that you’d need more information about before you could intelligently decide where to put them. For example, a cookery blog would fall mostly into the language of information; a company blog would be persuasive (buy our stuff!); a political blog would be argumentative and a personal diary-style blog would be descriptive.
You may also feel that some belong in two (or more) categories as they would combine elements of more than one type of language use. My advice is leave the ones you’re not sure about til the end – maybe just mark them with an asterisk so your remember to come back to them. And if a format belongs in more than one category, that’s ok too.
Right, in no particular order, as they say on the X-factor, here are the formats.
Diary entry
Election leaflet
Guidelines
Letter of Application
Debate
Competition entry / Nomination
Travel Guide
Book / CD / DVD blurb
Personal Ad (e.g. on a dating website)
Letter to the Editor
Novel
Campaign speech / Political speech
Advertisement
C.V.
Sermon
Personal essay
Instructions / How to video
Twitter bio
Newspaper article (opinion piece)
Survey
Memoir / biography / autobiography
Personal Statement (e.g. applying for UCAS)
Obituary
Court case (case for the prosecution / case for the defence)
Satire / Parody
Travel Writing (travelogue)
Proposal
Memo
Victim impact statement
Current Affairs programme (Primetime, Tonight w/V B)
Infographic
News report
Review
Encyclopaedia
Academic essay / thesis
Script / Dialogue
Labels / Packaging
Report
Short story
Blackmail letter
Online forum (e.g. boards.ie)
Leaflet (e.g. in doctor’s surgery)
Billboard / poster
Play
Movie trailer
Editorial
Interview
Speech / Talk
Sports Journalism
Press Release
If it helps, draw a grid like the one above and as you write each one into the grid, cross it off the list.
