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Style Analysis

Style Analysis. Syntax. What is syntax?. The word syntax refers to the way words and phrases are arranged to form phrases and sentences. For our purposes, the words syntax, sentence structure, and phrasing will all describe the same concept. What does it include?.

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Style Analysis

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  1. Style Analysis Syntax

  2. What is syntax? • The word syntax refers to the way words and phrases are arranged to form phrases and sentences. • For our purposes, the words syntax, sentence structure, and phrasing will all describe the same concept.

  3. What does it include? • It can include not only syntax, sentence structure, and phrasing but elements like sentence variety, repetition, parallel structure, word order, punctuation patterns, rhythm, and cadence.

  4. Look for the following: • Specific phrasing patterns • Length of sentences (long or short) • Number of sentences • Divisions within a piece with different syntax for each • parallel structure • Different sentence types (simple, compound, complex, cumulative, loose, periodic) • Specific kinds of punctuation • Rhythm and cadence in a sentence • Repetitions • Subject openers and non-subject openers • Rhetorical questions

  5. Why analyze syntax? • When you analyze syntax, you identify the sentence structure and analyze how the relationship between the syntax and the content reflect the author’s purpose.

  6. Remember • The word structure means organization but sentence structure means syntax. • You must become an expert at identifying sentence patterns and saying why the author uses certain syntactic patterns in a passage.

  7. Method for analyzing syntax • Like organization, break the passage into three parts—beginning, middle, and end. • The example sentence for each syntax section will identify the syntactic pattern in that section. • The commentary sentences will discuss the significance of the examples and say why the author chose that particular syntax.

  8. The Gettysburg Address---model—yea!!! • Read the piece again. • Look for places to break it into a beginning, middle, and end according to the syntax patterns you see. • Of course, there is no one right place to do this, so you won’t be wrong---mostly!

  9. Syntax paragraph • Topic sentence • Example sentence for beginning • Commentary for beginning example sentence • Commentary for beginning example sentence • Example sentence for middle • Commentary for middle example sentence • Commentary for middle example sentence • Example sentence for end • Commentary for end example sentence • Commentary for end example sentence • Concluding sentence

  10. Topic syntence  • The author’s syntax moves from ______ to _______ and finally to ______.

  11. Exsymple • The author’s syntax moves from long and blunt to choppy and descriptive and finally to unceasing and rhythmic.

  12. Example sentences • This will be different from the other ones because we will use few or no quotations in a syntax paragraph. • Your example sentences describe the syntax of the sections—beginning, middle, or end.

  13. Example of Beginning example sentence • In the beginning, there is one long sentences with inflections at the end of each clause.

  14. Commentary (analysis or interpretation) • Two separate sentences • First—comment on the significance of the example sentence • Second—explain why the author chose this syntax

  15. Example of Commentary • The length mirrors the preparation of the nation and the proceedings of war itself, while the cadence gives a sense of continual perseverance and progression.

  16. Example of 2nd commentary • The author does this to emphasize the increasing magnitude of what is to follow.

  17. Example of Middle example sentence • In the middle, the piece is characterized by a long-short-long series connected by complex parallels.

  18. Commentary • Resembling the march-fight-march movement of war, Lincoln’s writing is strategic and yet ironically softened by the music of the parallel structure. • He uses the see-saw style to illustrate the frequent and close connections between death and duty.

  19. Example of end example sentence • In the end, however, the sentences are again connected by many dashes.

  20. Commentary • Lincoln’s consistent elaboration reassures the people that continuing the war is indeed a noble cause. • He does this to remind the audience over and over again of the present needs of the country.

  21. Concluding sentence • Thus, the syntax follows a circular path; grammatical structures tie the beginning and ending together just as the speech ties together the past and the future of a nation.

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