LANGUAGE STRATEGIES

COMMENTING ON ORGANIZATIONAL FEATURES FOR CAPE EXAMINATION.

• https://newsbeezer.com/uk/bleaching-the-skin-we-must-stop-combining-fair-skin-with-beaut
y-and-success/
• Read the article about Colourism.
 WHAT ARE LANGUAGE
STRATEGIES?
These refer to the different ways by which an author
arranges and organizes content so that it may help
his/her audience to understand or accept the message
being communicated and achieve the author’s purpose.

Which language strategies can you identify in the

passage?
 LANGUAGE STRATEGIES – REFERS TO
HOW THE INFORMATION IS ORGANIZED
Which ones have you identified in the passage?

• Authoritative Source – World Health Organization(WHO) ;

Matthew Knowles, father of Beyonce and author;
Edward Ademolu, PhD researcher at University of Manchester

• Documentary evidence – Matthew Knowles’ radio interview and book mentioned in paragraph 4

• Examples – African countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Nigeria mentioned in paragraphs 1 and 2

• Hypothetical reasoning – banning skin bleaching products will not solve the problem unless other measures are put in place

• Problem and solution – the solution to the problem skin bleaching is given in the final paragraph
 LANGUAGE STRATEGIES – REFERS TO
HOW THE INFORMATION IS ORGANIZED
What else have you identified in the passage?
• Testimonial – Matthew Knowles’ account of his mother’s disapproval of dark skinned
girlfriends
• Contrast – safer alternatives contrasted to skin bleaching products with harmful ingredients
in paragraph 1
• Examples – harmful ingredients in skin bleaching products – mercury and high-dose
steroids in paragraph 1
• Call to action – appeal to audience about how the problem of skin bleaching can be solved
in the final paragraph
 LANGUAGE STRATEGIES – REFERS TO
HOW THE INFORMATION IS ORGANIZED
• Question in Title – “ Is Beauty Fair?” Intended to generate interest/ curiosity in readers

• Cause and effect – health care problems cause by clinical, economical and social reasons;
African women lighten their skins because of perceived attractiveness and economic
advantage;
Beyonce more acceptable because of her light skin according to Matthew Knowles

• Definition – explanation of “colourism” by Edward Ademolu, University of Manchester

• Statistical data – percentage of Nigerian women who use skin bleaching products (World Health
Organization)
 WRITING ABOUT LANGUAGE
STRATEGIES
It is not enough to simply name the language strategy. You must tell how it helps the
writer to convey his message and achieve his purpose.

Use of authoritative sources:

Dr. Edward Ademolu from University of Manchester is cited as an authoritative source to
convey to the audience that the information presented is based on research and empirical
evidence. Mentioning Dr. Ademolu increases the logos appeal and relevance of the
information by explaining the why some dark skinned women choose to lighten their skin
colour.
 WRITING ABOUT LANGUAGE
STRATEGIES
Use of cause and effect:

The writer uses a cause and effect pattern in paragraph

three to demonstrate/illustrate that the real reason that
women engage in skin bleaching not because of vanity but
because it is seen as being more attractive and provides
them with better job opportunities and elevated status.
 WRITING ABOUT LANGUAGE
STRATEGIES
Use of documentary evidence:

By making reference to Matthew Knowles’ book as

documentary evidence, the writer offers additional proof
of the social prejudice against dark skinned women and
girls that cause some persons to feel that they need to
lighten their complexion to gain an advantage in life.
 WRITING ABOUT LANGUAGE
STRATEGIES
Use of call to action:

The writer makes a call to action in the final paragraph to

illustrate that skin bleaching is a rational, calculated
business decision that women make and the solution is for
the media to feature other types of beauty. Any other
solution will be treating the symptoms and not the
underlying disease.
 WRITING ABOUT LANGUAGE
STRATEGIES
Use of definition of terms

The writer defines the term “colourism” in paragraph five to

show that there are many societal, cultural and economic
privileges in lightening the skin that motivate many dark skinned
women to engage in this practice.