Style Analysis

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.