The Bias of Language, the Bias of Pictures
Essay: The Bias of Language, the Bias of Pictures
Essay Author: Neil Postman and Steve Powers
Section I: Analysis of theme
1. Misleading Language
-"This means that there is a level of language whose purpose is to describe an event. There is also a level of language whose purpose is to evaluate an event. Even more, there is a level of language whose purpose is to infer what is unknown on the basis of what is known."(243:1)
2. Misleading Pictures
-"The picture documents and celebrates the particularities of the universe's infinite variety. Language makes them comprehensible."(247:1)
3. Media
-"Because time is so precious on television, because the nature of the medium favors dynamic visual images, and because the pressures of a commercial structure require the news to hold its audience above all else, there is rarely any attempt to explain issues in depth or place events in their proper context."(250:4)
Section II: Analysis of rhetorical technique
1. Compare and Contrast
"For 'showing of' and 'talking about' are two very different kinds of processes: individual pictures give us the world as object; language, the world as idea."(247:1)
-To show the differences between the functions of language and picture.
2. Exemplification
"Manny Freebus is 5'8" and weighs 235 pounds. Manny Freebus is grossly fat. Manny Freebus eat too much."(243:1)
-Use an example to show the differences between describing, judging, and inferring statements.
3. Metaphor
-"The question then arises: what do viewers have to know about language and pictures in order to be properly armed to defend themselves against the seductions of eloquence..."(242:1)
-Strengthen the tone so readers can understand the seriousness of the misleading issue and the importance to be alert while receiving information from others.
Section III: Vocabulary
1. Nonlinguistic: not of or relating to language or linguistics.
"... and here we will include in the discussion not only the pictures
Essay Author: Neil Postman and Steve Powers
Section I: Analysis of theme
1. Misleading Language
-"This means that there is a level of language whose purpose is to describe an event. There is also a level of language whose purpose is to evaluate an event. Even more, there is a level of language whose purpose is to infer what is unknown on the basis of what is known."(243:1)
2. Misleading Pictures
-"The picture documents and celebrates the particularities of the universe's infinite variety. Language makes them comprehensible."(247:1)
3. Media
-"Because time is so precious on television, because the nature of the medium favors dynamic visual images, and because the pressures of a commercial structure require the news to hold its audience above all else, there is rarely any attempt to explain issues in depth or place events in their proper context."(250:4)
Section II: Analysis of rhetorical technique
1. Compare and Contrast
"For 'showing of' and 'talking about' are two very different kinds of processes: individual pictures give us the world as object; language, the world as idea."(247:1)
-To show the differences between the functions of language and picture.
2. Exemplification
"Manny Freebus is 5'8" and weighs 235 pounds. Manny Freebus is grossly fat. Manny Freebus eat too much."(243:1)
-Use an example to show the differences between describing, judging, and inferring statements.
3. Metaphor
-"The question then arises: what do viewers have to know about language and pictures in order to be properly armed to defend themselves against the seductions of eloquence..."(242:1)
-Strengthen the tone so readers can understand the seriousness of the misleading issue and the importance to be alert while receiving information from others.
Section III: Vocabulary
1. Nonlinguistic: not of or relating to language or linguistics.
"... and here we will include in the discussion not only the pictures