Analysis of "Words Don't Mean..."

Now that we have talked a lot about the meaning of the essay, I would like you to work on some of the analysis questions from p. 10-13 of Language Awareness. You will able to use some of this information in writing your first essay.

You should ALWAYS include page numbers to show where you are finding information in the book.

1. In addition to the information that the editors of Language Awareness give us aboutthe author, Steven Pinker, on p. 112, use the internet to see what else you can find out about him. Include the URLs for where you found the information. You will need these URLs if you decide to use this information in your essay. You cannot use Wikipedia as a source of information. (You can answer this question by making a list of the information that you find. You should find at least 5 new pieces of information about Pinker.)

2. The editors of Language Awareness tell us that this essay comes from an article that was published in Time magazine. Look up Time magazine on the internet (http://time.com/ ). What can you learn about this publication from looking at the website? Who do you think is the main audience for this publication? (at least 50 words)

3. What is the writer's attitude toward the subject of the essay? Give examples to support your opinion. (at least 50 words)

4. What assumptions does the writer make about the subject and the audience? Give examples to support your answer. (at least 50 words)

5. What kinds of evidence does the author use to support his thesis-personal experience, expert opinions, statistics? Does the writer supply enough evidence to support his or her position? Is the evidence reliable, specific, and up-to-date? (at least 50 words.

6. How is the essay organized and developed? Does the writer's strategy of development accomplish his purpose?

7. How effective is the essay? Is the writer convincing about his or her position?