The document discusses persuasive language techniques used to influence others. It defines persuasion and identifies related terms like influence and convince. Common propaganda techniques are described, including vagueness, ambiguity, emotive language, euphemisms, and advertising language. Specific examples are provided for each technique. The document also discusses other persuasive language techniques like stereotyping, euphemisms, and dysphemisms. Common persuasive words used in advertising are listed. The document concludes with a task to create an illustrated property advertisement using persuasive language techniques.

1. GXEX1406
Thinking and Communication Skills
Identifying Persuasive
Language

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
Definition
 Persuasive – having the power to influence
others into believing or doing what one
wishes
 Persuade – to cause to do something by
reasoning, arguing, begging etc…
 Language – the system of human expression
by means of words

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
Related terms
 Influence
 Induce
 Convince

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
Why?
 We want to win the arguments
 We want people to believe us
 We want to prove that we are right
 We want to influence other people to accept
our opinion

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
Propaganda techniques
1. Vagueness
2. Ambiguity
3. Emotive language
4. Euphemism
5. Language of advertising

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
1. Vagueness
 Words that lack a clear and distinct meaning
 A matter of degree; a scale between extreme
generality and extreme specificity
 "She is really smart" - General
 "She got an A in physics" - Specific
 One strategy for clarifying vague language is to ask
and try answer the following questions: Who? What?
Why? Where? How?

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
2. Ambiguity
 A word with more than one meaning that is open to
different interpretations; used to represent various
areas of experiences
 We make the mistake of thinking that each word
stands for one distinct area of experience - an
object, thought or feeling.
 "I hope you get what you deserve".
 We may or may not be sure if the speaker is wishing us
well or ill unless the context of the remark make clear his or
her intention.

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
3. Emotion language
 Words that is probably stimulate certain
feelings in you
 "The pen is mightier than the sword!".
 “Kuala Lumpur is so polluted and filthy. Only
idiots would want to live there.”
 “She's the most generous, wise, honest and
warm friend that a person could have.”

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
4. Euphemism
 The term comes from the Greek word meaning "to
speak with good words" and involves substituting a
more pleasant, less objectionable way of saying
something for a blunt or more direct way.
 “He died”
 We say “He departed his life”
 “Garbage collector”
 We say “Sanitation engineer”

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
5. Language of advertising
 Advertisers : to influence people's perceptions,
beliefs and actions
 One basic strategy is to associate positive or
negative thoughts and emotions with the product or
service being sold
 Many people buy products not because they are
better quality than another, but because of
associations that have absolutely nothing to do with
the products
 NOKIA “Connecting people"

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Other techniques
1. Stereotyping
2. Euphemisms
3. Dysphemisms

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
1. Stereotyping
 Convince people that someone has a
particular characteristics because he/she
belongs to a group that has this characteristic
 Makes hasty generalizations
 Eg : She’s probably a dumb blonde.

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
2. Euphemisms
 Substitution of a negative word with another
word with positive connotation
 Used in political and social issues to be
politically correct
 Eg : instead of anti-abortion,
use pro-life

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
3. Dysphemisms
 Substitution of a neutral/positive word with
another word with negative connotation
 Used to persuade people to think negatively
about a person, situation or event
 Eg : instead of problem or challenge,
use mess

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
Examples
Neutral word Euphemism Dysphemism
Death penalty Capital
punishment
Government
subsidized
murder
Rebel Freedom fighter Terrorist

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
Most persuasive words used
in advertising
 Suddenly miracle
 Now magic
 Announcing offer
 Introducing quick
 Improvement easy
 Amazing wanted
 Sensational bargain
 Remarkable hurry

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 11 Identifying Persuasive Language
10 minutes task
You are selling your house
or flat…
Create an illustrated advert
(persuasive description)
that you could put in the
newspaper or estate
agent’s window or web
page.