Lera Boroditsky's Lost In Translation

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In her article, “Lost in Translation,” Boroditsky presents her interesting perspective on language and argues for the benefits of understanding the ways language affects different cultures. The author Lera Boroditsky is a professor of psychology, neuroscience, and symbolic systems at Stanford University. The audience consists of educated, business career individuals all of whom read the Wall Street Journal, where the article was published. The author targets the business career individuals because of the interaction they have with many culturally diverse groups. In light of focusing on this specific audience, Boroditsky desires to make them aware of the beneficial aspects and affects that language has on their perception especially in the workforce. …show more content…
The author uses the rhetorical choice of anticipating objection as a persuasive tactic for the reader to observe and process the opposing view. Boroditsky, being connected in the scientific world, brought in an expert on the opposing side of her viewpoint: “Dr. Chomsky proposed that there is a universal grammar for human languages-essentially, that languages don’t really differ from one another, the theory went, it made no sense to ask whether linguistic differences led to differences in thinking” (Boroditsky 438). Significantly, since Boroditsky is not a believer of the universal grammar theory, she anticipates this objection to her claim. Correspondingly, the author uses this specific quote to provide the business-careered individuals with evidence of her claim’s objection. Using this expert’s opinion, the audience can perceive the information and evidence of both viewpoints without a biased side. The author uses anticipating objection to persuade the audience of her claim by allowing the reader to observe both sides of her argument. Understanding her audience, she wants to …show more content…
The author urges the audience to see her initial viewpoint by asking, “Do the languages we speak shape the way we think” (Boroditsky 437)? Through the use of this question, the author forces the reader to contemplate on the deeper inner works of the author’s purpose of her claim. The rhetorical choice of rhetorical questions assists the author is her persuasive tactics by making the audience not only understand her claim, but urging them to truly care about her standpoint. This quote specifically, in my view, explains the direct and concise argument that the author is convincing the audience of. The author uses rhetorical questions to persuade her audience by evoking a powerful effect in the reader’s mind. With this, rhetorical choices are a clever persuasive tactic in this particular article because of the audience consisting of business-minded individuals. It is important to include evidence and well-done research when addressing this specific audience with the understanding of business-minded individual’s educational background. Ultimately, the ensured understanding of the authors purpose of the article to the audience is the key to the vital persuasion that the author can have on the audience. In demonstration of the purpose, the glimpse into the mind of the author

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