english lang texts and reps terminology

variation

the differences associated with particular instances of language use and between groups of language users

pragmatics

the area of language study that explores how contextual factors influence meaning (e.g face threatening acts, inference, …)

schematic knowledge

cultural connotations, shared knowledge

modality

the collective term for use of modal verbs and other lexical choices

discourse

the level of language concerned with larger stretches of text, structure of texts, spoken discourse, story telling structures, openings and endings

audience address

the way a writer or speaker addresses the people they are writing for or speaking to

audience positioning

the assumptions made in a text about its readers background knowledge and understanding, attitudes and values in order to guide them towards an interpretation

synthetic personalisation

making it seem as if text receivers are being addressed as individuals rather than a mass

nominalisation

forming nouns from other word classes

connotations

meanings associated with a word

metaphor

figurative and idiomatic expressions - implicature and implied meanings

affordances

things that are made possible eg a website can be read by many people simultaneously

hegemony

the way powerful groups can use language to influence, manipulate and represent attitudes, ideas, people etc

ideology

set of values, beliefs, doctrines and myths

stigmatise

mark as shameful

pejorative term

a judgemental term that usually implies disapproval or criticism