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Think about TV ads. Analyze. Ask questions. |
Consider these ideas for your own compositions. |
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| WHAT
DOES THE AD DOWNPLAY?
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WHAT
DO YOU DOWNPLAY?
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Omission is the most common way, but not the only way, persuaders use to downplay the less important and the trivial -- and also the problems, the disadvantages, the "bad." Other ways to downplay these items include the degree of attention (giving something less space, less time, or smaller print), the placement (obscure location, far background, middle), and various language techniques (such as euphemisms, circumlocution, and jargon) in which words can be deliberately vague, indirect, or confusing. Euphemisms are "softer words," milder or indirect expressions, substituting for more blunt or direct words. In daily life, some euphemisms (about death, sickness, sex) are commonly used, well known, and well understood social conventions. Ads also use many commonly understood euphemisms (e.g."pre-owned car" and "estate jewelry" instead of "used" or "second hand"; "cozy bungalow" instead of "small"). However, sometimes euphemisms can be used deliberately and deceptively to conceal or obscure the "bad." Circumlocutions (wordy, roundabout, rambling expressions) often downplay the "bad." Although some people are inadvertently confused, disorganized, or wordy, such rambling can be deliberately used to confuse the issue or conceal problems. Jargon (shop talk, or technical language) may be very appropriate in some situations in which the audience understands the meaning of the words. However, jargon has a bad reputation because there's a long history of pretentious fools and rascals using jargon to impress or to deceive others. Many other diversionary tactics can be used to distract attention away from main issues to side issues, to downplay the significant items (e.g. price, quality), to emphasize the trivial (e.g. packaging, color), or to create confusion (e.g. varying prices, sizes, extras, options). As a consumer, you need to identify which benefits (e.g. low cost, high quality, large quantity) get your priority, and which are emphasized or downplayed in the ad.
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Expository writing, with clarity as its goal,
seeks to emphasize the important things and to downplay the trivial.
In general, writers give important things a greater proportion and degree of time and space than they give to minor points. Furthermore, important items get a better placement, usually the beginning or ending. Conscious awareness is important. Just as you choose to emphasize or intensify some things (by means of repetition and a whole range of composition tactics), you may also choose to downplay (without entirely omitting) what you consider to be less important (auxiliary but not necessary). Audiences may have different interests or priorities. Thus, writer and reader may not agree on what is to be covered, and to what degree. Since you can't cover everything, it's helpful to inform your reader early, not only of your focus, but also of your limits and omissions. Technical and informational writing tends to focus on the subject matter, not on the personal feelings of the writer. These writers downplay subjective opinions, stylistic embellishments, chatty asides, as being inappropriate, distracting. When you write persuasion, you are likely to find yourself downplaying the "bad" (the weaknesses and disadvantages of your own position) while intensifying your stronger arguments. Should you? The ethical issues relating to omission are provocative. Some relevant factors to consider are: Does such omission or downplaying harm or deceive the opponent? Must you reveal your weaknesses? Is it a "fair fight"? Is there an equality, a mutuality, a balance of conflicting interests? What role does intent play? Consequences? Are some language techniques and rhetorical tactics intrinsically "bad"? Neutral?
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| | Welcome | Purpose | Audience | Limits | Structure | Attention | Confidence | Explicit | Implicit | Response| Omission | |
