Analysis of "Persuasion in the Media Age" (part 15)

Persuasion and Language

Introduction

The Beginning

Naming

Burke argued that language is magical. He also emphasized the idea of attitude - that the words we use contain attitudes toward the objects, ideas or people we describe. Those attitudes suggest responses on the part of audience members . When people name objects, people or ideas they are using the power of language. Here are two examples:


The Middle

• In an article published before World War II erupted, Burke examined the language strategies used by the German leader, Adolf Hitler, Burke's article "The Rhetoric of Hitler's Battle," identified the language strategies used by Hitler in his book Mein Kampf. Hitler elevated the meaning of the word Aryan so that people of Aryan descent were superior to those who were Jews. Hitler also labeled the Jewish people as being responsible for Germany's economic troubles, allowing the German people to scapegoat the Jews for their financial difficulties. Finally,Hitler used words to give Germans the sense that their lives could return to normal if they removed the Jews from Germany. Hitler's naming strategy was effective. The power of language presents us with challenging ethical concerns
• In politics, the title of "frontrunner" has become a powerful way for the newsmedia to shape our attitudes toward political candidates

Framing

Symbols suggest a perspective from which we should look at something. Burke (1969) writes that our language use reflects our motives. A motive is another word for a situation. Says Burke, "The way we view the world depends on how we define the situation to which we are exposed."

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