Discourse Terms: Text: The actual message being analyzed. Lyrics, the music, possibly a video Context: Who, what, when, where, why, how, ??? Subtext: The actual message being conveyed Intertextuality: References to other texts A couple is on a road trip. They have been driving several hours. The wife asks her husband, “Do you want to stop for dinner soon?” He says, “Nah” and keeps driving. She gets angry. Text: “Do you want to stop for dinner soon?” “Nah.” Context: Road trip, married heterosexual couple, been in the car a long time Subtext: I want to stop for dinner, you jerk! Intertextuality: Every time we go on a road trip, you become a jerk who forgets about my needs! Speech Acts: Sometimes uttering words accomplishes something beyond the actual words. Think of promises, wedding vows, threats, blessing, testifying under oath. Sometimes they have restrictions of who can use them or in which circumstances. I promise to clean the house before you get home. Kayla said she’s going to kick his butt in the parking lot after class. I do. Rhetorical Terms: Aristotle’s rhetorical triangle: All threecomponents of the triangle are always present, but we emphasize the one(s) most appropriate for our topic and audience. Ethos: ethics. Associated with the author, establishing credibility Pathos: empathize, sympathize, pathetic. Associated with the audience, connecting to them emotionally. Logos: log, blog, logic. The text itself, but remember that text is not necessarily just words, but also instruments, musical production, possibly a video, etc. Kairos: Time and place. Not formally part of the triangle, but also an Aristotelian concept. Connects closely to the discourse concept Context. Exigence: Rhetoric-ese for urgency, a need for immediate action Poetic Terms: End rhyme Internal rhyme Slant rhyme/near rhyme Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds Rhythm: Meter: Flow: Speed: Iambic: Every other beat is stressed Imagery: Using words to create a picture Metaphor: Discussing one thing in terms of another thing. Simile: A metaphor that uses ‘like’ or ‘as’ Allusion: very similar to intertextuality I. Intro: Catch our attention. Maybe a line from the lyrics? If you want to include a personal connection, do so in the intro and/or conclusion. II. Background (depends on your topic). You may need a paragraph on the genre (rap, second-wave ska, folk, etc) and one paragraph on the artist/band. III. Brief summary of lyrics, major imagery/metaphors used IV. Ethos/pathos/logos (and kairos?) V. Text/context/subtext/intertextuality VI. Poetics (rhyme, alliteration, word play, code-mixing, etc) VII. Wrap up (maybe get personal) Rhetorical Analysis (Project 2) Select a song of any musical genre, but it must be written and performed by a native English speaker of some dialect (discuss exceptions with me individually before you start writing). Analyze the lyrics for text, context, subtext, and int.

1. Discourse Terms:
Text: The actual message being analyzed. Lyrics, the music,
possibly a video
Context: Who, what, when, where, why, how, ???
Subtext: The actual message being conveyed
Intertextuality: References to other texts
A couple is on a road trip. They have been driving several
hours. The wife asks her husband, “Do you want to stop for
dinner soon?” He says, “Nah” and keeps driving. She gets
angry.
Text: “Do you want to stop for dinner soon?” “Nah.”
Context: Road trip, married heterosexual couple, been in the car
a long time
Subtext: I want to stop for dinner, you jerk!
Intertextuality: Every time we go on a road trip, you become a
jerk who forgets about my needs!
Speech Acts: Sometimes uttering words accomplishes
something beyond the actual words. Think of promises, wedding
vows, threats, blessing, testifying under oath. Sometimes they
have restrictions of who can use them or in which
circumstances.
I promise to clean the house before you get home.
Kayla said she’s going to kick his butt in the parking lot after
class.
I do.

2. Rhetorical Terms:
Aristotle’s rhetorical triangle: All threecomponents of the
triangle are always present, but we emphasize the one(s) most
appropriate for our topic and audience.
Ethos: ethics. Associated with the author, establishing
credibility
Pathos: empathize, sympathize, pathetic. Associated with the
audience, connecting to them emotionally.
Logos: log, blog, logic. The text itself, but remember that text
is not necessarily just words, but also instruments, musical
production, possibly a video, etc.
Kairos: Time and place. Not formally part of the triangle, but
also an Aristotelian concept. Connects closely to the discourse
concept Context.
Exigence: Rhetoric-ese for urgency, a need for immediate action
Poetic Terms:
End rhyme
Internal rhyme
Slant rhyme/near rhyme
Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds
Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds
Rhythm:
Meter:
Flow:
Speed:

3. Iambic: Every other beat is stressed
Imagery: Using words to create a picture
Metaphor: Discussing one thing in terms of another thing.
Simile: A metaphor that uses ‘like’ or ‘as’
Allusion: very similar to intertextuality
I. Intro: Catch our attention. Maybe a line from the lyrics? If
you want to include a personal connection, do so in the intro
and/or conclusion.
II. Background (depends on your topic). You may need a
paragraph on the genre (rap, second-wave ska, folk, etc) and
one paragraph on the artist/band.
III. Brief summary of lyrics, major imagery/metaphors used
IV. Ethos/pathos/logos (and kairos?)
V. Text/context/subtext/intertextuality
VI. Poetics (rhyme, alliteration, word play, code-mixing, etc)
VII. Wrap up (maybe get personal)
Rhetorical Analysis (Project 2)
Select a song of any musical genre, but it must be written and
performed by a native English speaker of some dialect (discuss
exceptions with me individually before you start writing).
Analyze the lyrics for text, context, subtext, and intertextuality.
Also discuss ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos. What metaphors
and imagery are used? Consider issues of form such as end and
internal rhyme, slant (near) rhyme, rhythm, and meter, and the
use of alliteration and assonance, word play, etc. Be careful
selecting your song, as some will provide much more content
for analysis than others. Some songs rely heavily on

4. intertextuality to hook us, so references to other songs and other
such allusions should be noted. You may have to try more than
one to find a song with appropriate depth of content.
While your analysis will focus primarily on the words, also
consider the significance of the musical genre, the
instrumentation used, layers of texture, key changes, tempo, etc.
The speed, articulation, pronunciation, and clarity of the words
may also be noteworthy, as music, as well as words, can be in
whispers and screams.
You should provide a brief background of your artist and, if
necessary, the musical genre. Be sure to let your audience know
whether the song was written by the artist(s) performing it or by
someone else, and, if someone else, who. (Was it written for
them to perform? Did they buy the song from a professional
songwriter? Cover someone else’s song?)
If the song has an official video or images associated with it,
you are encouraged to consider them as well. You may also
want to consult unofficial images or associations, but be sure to
clarify whether associations are made by the artist (or those
representing them) or others.
While I normally discourage cites such as Wikipedia or
Genius.com, they may be starting points for your research for
this project. However, use the analysis of others as a
springboard for your own analysis, not as a substitute!
Appropriately cited images may be included but do not
contribute to the length of your assignment.
You will have to listen to and read the lyrics for your song
several times. As such, I strongly suggest you select a song that
you like and find listenable but that you are willing to get tired
of short term.

5. This assignment should be 4-6 pages long. You must use a
minimum of two outside sources and cite them appropriately in
either MLA or APA style, both in the paper itself and on a
Works Cited or References page.