Effects of slanted language in learning the foreign language of secondary education students specializing in English in Saint Joseph College,

Maasin city, southern Leyte

Introduction to linguistics by:

Uriel G. Maglines Arjay C. Duarte

I. Introduction: Most language in one way or another expresses an opinion as well as communicating fact. To communicate clearly, you need to choose words that convince your audience of your fairness. Once we built our personal store of knowledge we are choosing the kind of knowledge we want to impart to our target audience. In choosing the words, we must ensure that our listeners are able to grasp and comprehend the meaning of what we want to convey to them. Language only becomes slanted when it is showing biases or prejudices against something. Slanting involves expression through loaded language and can be considered a form of misinterpretation and is often used to manipulate audience into accepting a conclusion by showing strong and intense reasons. Slanted language, also known as loaded language, alters meaning by using connotation to appear to emotion and prejudice. For example, words like freedom, responsibility and efficiency produce positive responses which trigger emotional

reactions rather than reasoned reactions. This shows the danger of slanted language in which people are persuade to draw conclusions without learning the facts of the matter. According to Birks, slanting is different from the principle of selection in that slanting takes place as we convey our knowledge in words, while principle of selection occurs as were actually taking in that information. With slanting, one selects certain facts or feelings from his/her store knowledge, and choose the words and emphasis to use in order to communicate their meaning. According to him, it is the devices a speaker or a writer can use that includes emphasis, which consist of giving importance to the subject matter, using punctuation marks, highlighting obscure words, and how the order in which words are connected; the selection of facts that either slant for, against, or in a balance presentation. Based on his studies, it is appropriate to use slanted language when you are trying to state your own opinion or interpret a person, place or thing based on how you react towards them. Also, Slant language provides others to acknowledge the writers perspective without persuasion to the subject referred to. There are three major types of slanting: a. False implication, in which a statement is made in such a way of so as to imply something else, which turns out to be false; b. A careful selection of facts, wherein there is a critical analysis of the information and being able to sort out facts and opinions; c. Innuendo, it is characterized by a covert allusion to something not directly said. This is very similar to false implication. With this information that we have gathered, slanting is a choice of words and the decision of what information should be emphasized. A good, critical and proficient reader and listener must also be sensitive to the said aspects of slanting. Note that a writer and a speaker can use knowledge, words and emphasis to slant his message in a positive way, to make you comfortable about a person or to an idea, to slant negatively against something, or slanting in both directions, striving for some kind of balance. As a good reader and listener, you must be aware of the process of slanting.

II. Statement of the problem: How does slanted language affects the systematic learning of foreign language? How would this research evaluate and recognize slanted language? How would we lessen the effects of slanted language in learning the foreign language? III. Hypotheses: 1. The slanted language affects the systematic learning of foreign language for it shows biases or prejudices against something or someone. 2. This research evaluates and recognizes slanted language by its way of discerning and acquiring the unfair construction of the language. 3. We can lessen the effects of slanted language in learning the foreign language by applying the steps of critical thinking processes which are synthesis, making inferences and evaluation. IV. Methodology: Our research methodology requires gathering relevant data from the specified document, internet and related studies in order to analyze the material and arrive at a more core complete understanding of slanted language towards learning the foreign language. In order to gather reliable results, we will conduct a survey consisting of the fifty percent population of the Secondary education students specializing in English that will only cover Saint Joseph College, Maasin City, Southern Leyte. The content of the survey will answer the statement of the problem and will provide information suited to the given hypotheses. V. Research Respondents: Our respondents would be the Secondary Education students specializing in English. VI. Research Environment:

Our research covers only in Saint Joseph College, Maasin City, Southern Leyte. VII. Conclusion: Therefore, this research encourages the writers and the speakers to use the slanted language when they are aiming to convey their own ideas concerning a certain topic. This research provides some information that tends to assist Secondary Education students and as well as other researchers that will someone use this informative research as one of their references.

References: http://web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages /LogSlantLang.html http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?30616 http://wnc.edu/~kille//Eng101crtclthnkng http://www.uni.edu/earth-old/EECP/mid/mod1_1a.html http://jhamanalo.blogspot.com/2009/07/selection-slanting-and-charged language_15.html www.wdmcs.org/sdrive/...tvb/fallacies.ppt http://www.ehow.com/info_8542684_slanting-technique- advertising.html http://www.nippissingu.ca/departments/student_development_andservices/academic-skills/Pages/Selection,-Slanting-and-chargedlanguage.aspx