Empoword

Part Two: Text Wrestling 156 Chapter Vocabulary Vocabulary Definition authorial intent the inferred or speculated intention of a writer. Must be overlooked in the process of text wrestling analysis. analysis the cognitive process and/or rhetorical mode of studying constituent parts to demonstrate an interpretation of a larger whole. connotation the associated meanings of a word, phrase, or idea beyond its ‘dictionary’ definition; the complex, subjective, and dynamic meanings of a word, phrase, or idea the shift based on interpretive position. Contrast with denotation. close reading a technique of reading that focuses attention on features of the text to construct an interpretation. (This is in contrast to interpretive methods that rely on research, historical context, biography, or speculation.) denotation the dictionary definition of a word, phrase, or idea; the standard and objective meaning of a word, phrase, or idea which, theoretically, does not vary based on interpretive position. Contrast with connotation. interpretation the process of consuming rhetoric to create meaning. “An interpretation” refers to a specific meaning we build as we encounter a text, focusing on certain ideas, language, or patterns. interpretive position the unique position from which each of us interprets a text—necessarily different for all people at any given time, and often different for the same person at different times in their life. iterative literally, a repetition within a process. Analysis is iterative because it requires repeated critical encounters with a text. lens a metaphor for the conceptual framework a reader applies to an analysis. A “lens” brings certain elements into focus, allowing the reader to attend to specific parts of a text to develop an interpretation. motif a recurring image or phrase that helps convey a theme. Similar to a symbol, but the relationship