English language faculty-i course paper in lexicology

II. Chapter two: Practical examples on emotive meaning in the context

In most dictionaries slang is used as a convenient stylistic sign for a word or phrase that cannot be more clearly defined. The vague etymology of the term itself influences its use as a stylistic symbol. When characters appear in a dictionary, this may indicate that the unit presented is not literary, but not clearly defined. There is therefore inconsistency in the use of this term as a stylistic symbol in various dictionaries.

We can find many examples of slang in teen conversations. Girls and boys in Britain love to create their own word world. I found examples of teen jargon in some magazines:

• Crumbs! That girl is really choong, blud.

• Safe, man! You’re looking buff in your fresh creps and low batties.

Here we can see neutral equivalents of them:

• Crumbs! - Wow

• choong- attractive

• blud; man - friend

• safe- hi

• buff- attractive

• creps- trainers

• low batties - trousers that hang really low on your waist

Now let’s look at the same phrases with neutral, or, so to say, normal words:

• Wow! That girl is really attractive, friend.

• Hi, friend! You’re looking attractive in your fresh trainers and trousers.

Good examples of professionalisms as used by a man-of-letters’ can be found in Dreiser’s “Financier.” The following passage is an illustration.

Frank soon picked up all the technicalities of the situation. A “bull”, he learned, was one who bought in anticipation of a higher price to come; and if he was “loaded” up with a “line” of stocks he was said to be “long”. He sold to “realize” his profit, or if his margins were exhausted he was “wiped out”. A “bear” was one who sold stocks which most frequently he did not have, in anticipation of a lower price at which he could buy and satisfy his previous sales.. As is seen, each financial professionalism is explained by the author and the words themselves are in inverted commas to stress their peculiar idiomatic sense and also to indicate that the words do not belong to the standard English vocabulary in the meanings they are used.

Here are a few examples.

An innocent bystander was murdered in cold blood in Downtown Chicago.

The words “innocent” and “murdered” and the phrase “in cold blood” are the uses of emotive language in this sentence.

A monster of a man violated an underage girl.

The words “monster,” “violated,” and “underage” are the uses of emotive language in this sentence.

The defenseless victims were attacked in the cover of night.

The phrases “defenseless victims” and “cover of night” and the word “attacked” are the uses of emotive language in this sentence.

It is not necessary to use emotional words in every example to convey the truth. However, this diction creates an emotional response in the audience. This is a type of rhetoric that manipulates the audience. Consequently, emotional language can move the listener or argue with the speaker.

Emotional language should not be overused. It should also be applied when there is a goal that the speaker wants to achieve. Effective use of emotional language can be very helpful for the speaker. Emotional language is also not reserved for literature. It is also used in everyday relationships. Often, news headlines use emotional language to engage viewers.