What makes “language” powerful?

The way the writer composes using his language has a huge influence on how the reader interprets his idea. Language is a fascinating technique to grasp, and its function varies as people use it to accomplish different tasks. Writing, reading, and speaking are the three main components of languages, and they are all integral to our daily life. The influence of language on human beings differs as thoughts aren’t unified; therefore, the importance of literature to our perception and observation is self-evident. In interpreting language, strong biases with evidence, correct word choice, and a series of rhetorical devices are necessary for readers to understand what the writer wants to express.

When you try to acquaint yourself with a specific idea or argue it with someone, you are involved in rhetoric. A rhetorical device is one of the most commonly used techniques by most writers and poets to persuade their audience towards considering a topic from a perspective. This type of device makes the language more memorable and powerful to create a more significant impact on the reader. In addition, there are eight different rhetorical devices commonly used by writers. Those devices are analogies, similes, metaphors, parallelisms, repetitions, allusions, anecdotes, and rhetorical questions. For example, “How does language influence the way people think?” may be used as a rhetorical question to emphasize a point and prompt the reader to read the article. When the reader takes a certain perspective or is convinced to take action, that is when the purpose of persuasive writing is achieved.

Using proper word choice and phrasing is another factor that you should always keep in mind when writing a text. Based on how strong and powerful the words are, you can directly influence the reader’s ability to reveal the mood and tone linked to the ideas or statements. An indefinite pronoun is an excellent example of a bad word choice; “anyone,” “any place,” “everyone,” and “something” are indefinite pronouns that you want to avoid. Additionally, words that illustrate a reasonable extent of confidence from the writer are considered good word choices for texts. For example, the writer’s use of “must” and “should” better shows how assured he is, which allows him to connect with the readers and persuade them to believe in his viewpoint.

Persuasive language is an ordinary skill that can be learned by anyone interested, but only a limited number of people can be successful in transforming others’ ideas. A strong evidential bias with support is needed to persuade the readers to accept concepts. This type of bias is enough to persuade individuals with logical minds that cannot easily be undermined. Those with extreme right-wing views or extreme left-wing views will be harder to persuade; however, this only takes up the minority; people with causal minds take up the majority. Lastly, the extent of language helps our thinking process but limits our thought from operating. The way people think must follow the rules of language and cannot be changed. Therefore, all the standards set are the impacts of language on human observation and perception.

“Language.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Sept. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language.

By Yichun Eason Shi

Hello I am a Concordia Ontario Academy Student Reporter

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