Language+Features


 * Language features **

Representation refers to the meaning that the viewer makes from the images presented within the frame of the picture. J   L   N   U   Y       o  Similar conventions are used to represent feelings and give status to individuals e.g. the symbol of a lion is often used on royal coats of arms to represent power and authority. o  Objects often have symbolic meanings that are recognised by the audience e.g. a Mercedes Benz car has a symbolic meaning of wealth and luxury. is consciously used to convey personality, feelings and relationships with others. Elements include o  gesture and movement o  distance o  posture o  orientation – the way in which a person’s body is aligned in relation to another person e.g. //Are they leaning towards or away from the person next to them?// o  touch e.g. //Who touches whom? In what ways? In which situations?// o  facial expression o  eye contact. includes such things as <span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">o   clothing <span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">o  hair style and colour <span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">o  jewellery <span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">o  makeup <span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">o  body style e.g. height, weight, build. Presentation refers to the way in which the visual image is constructed. It includes aspects such as  Photographs and drawings have frames. The frame decides how much information you see and helps you make meaning from it. <span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">o  A **long shot** shows the whole person and some background. It is used to establish the setting. <span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">o  A **medium shot** shows a person from the waist up. It is used to show people’s actions and gestures. <span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">o  A **close up** shows a person’s head and shoulders or an object in detail. It is used to show emotions and to highlight important details. Photographs and drawings can be manipulated to create particular impressions e.g. body shapes can be adjusted to make people appear thinner or fatter. Air brushing can be used to remove wrinkles making people look younger. Reference: Rod Quinn, Barrie McMahon and Robyn Quinn, 1997. //Picture this: reading visual language//. Curriculum Corporation//.// This refers to the ways in which spoken and written language is used in the trailers. Some book trailers might not use print at all: they rely on visual and spoken language to convey their messages. Nevertheless, the language is constructed to persuade the audience to read the book. <span style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> References: Beverly Derewianka (1995). //Exploring how texts work//. Primary English Teaching Association. //First Steps: writing resource book// 2nd Edition (2005). Rigby Heinemann //Targeting text// //upper primary: Recount, procedure and exposition// (1998). Blake Education <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Wingdings 2'; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: 'Wingdings 2'; msoasciifontfamily: Verdana; msohansifontfamily: Verdana; msochartype: symbol; msosymbolfontfamily: 'Wingdings 2';">ã  <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Wingdings 2'; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: 'Wingdings 2'; msoasciifontfamily: Verdana; msohansifontfamily: Verdana; msochartype: symbol; msosymbolfontfamily: 'Wingdings 2';">ã   <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Wingdings 2'; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: 'Wingdings 2'; msoasciifontfamily: Verdana; msohansifontfamily: Verdana; msochartype: symbol; msosymbolfontfamily: 'Wingdings 2';">ã
 * Visual language: representation **
 * ** signs and symbols **.
 * We acknowledge the use of symbols in our everyday lives by interpreting the signs we see around us.
 * ** Body language **
 * ** Physical appearance  **
 * Visual language: presentation  **
 * ** Camera angles  **
 * ** High angle ** – the camera is positioned above the subject. It appears that the you are looking down on someone making them look weak and insignificant.
 * ** Eye level ** –It appears as if you are on the same level as the person of object. It seems as if you are sharing the point of view with a character
 * ** Low angle ** - the camera is positioned below the subject. It makes you look up to the person and they appear to be powerful.
 * ** Camera shots  **
 * ** Special effects  **
 * ** Lighting and colour  **
 * Light patterns in photographs or films suggest different moods or create a focus on a particular part of the picture.
 * Colours can be bright and vibrant or soft and muted. The colours reflect the mood and atmosphere of the scene.
 * Some colours have symbolic meaning e.g. in Australia //red// suggests danger and //white// usually means purity.
 * Verbal language features **
 * ** Awareness of the audience  **
 * Book trailers usually target a specific audience so that the images and words used, together with the tone and atmosphere created, will appeal directly to that audience.
 * The tone might be personal and emotive because it is hoped that the audience will empathise with the situation and / or characters presented in the trailer.
 * ** Linking words and conjunctions  **
 * Conjunctions create cohesion and express cause and effect e.g. //because, therefore, so …//
 * They are used to link ideas, contrast concepts, sequence thoughts and connect cause and effect.
 * Reasons for actions or choices are shown through the use of linking words e.g. //similarly, because// …
 * ** Emotive words  **
 * attempt to arouse people’s feelings rather than being neutral or creating objective descriptions.
 * suggest feelings beyond the actual meaning of the word e.g. //armchair// suggests comfort whereas //chair// does not have a particular connotation.
 * <span style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> [] has lists of the most common words used in advertising and might be used as the beginning of a discussion of emotive words.
 * ** Impersonal language **
 * First person pronouns such as //I// and //we// are not generally used.
 * Personal opinions are disguised as facts e.g. //This is surely a catastrophe that endangers civilisation as we know it.//
 * The passive voice is frequently used so that the person making the claim is not identified and so that the tone creates authority and strength. e.g. //It is certain that … //
 * ** Nominalisation **
 * is the process of changing //actions// (verbs) into //things// (nouns) e.g.
 * Action || Thing ||
 * // I am worried … // || // Concern was expressed … // ||
 * // The bomb might explode … // || // The possible detonation … // ||
 * // Everyone will die … // || // Wide spread mortality … // ||
 * This is often used to structure and add authority to persuasive texts.
 * ** Degrees of certainty **
 * Book trailers are able to overstate the case by using authoritative words such as //always, never before,//
 * Avoid vague reasoning and make convincing statements that will encourage the audience to read the book.
 * ** Present tense **
 * Generally timeless present tense is used, although this might change if referring to events in the past or those that might occur in the future.