Text Message Analysis
What is the sender/message/receiver relationship?
How is this relationship impacted by stylistic decisions made by the sender?
Part 1: Vocabulary
Define the terms below.
Sender: Style:
The person who’s point of view we are different styles of grammar, punctuation,
reading from abbreviations, and formality
Receiver: Analysis: detailed examination of one’s
the person who is on the receiving side structure
(not being viewed)
Message: Rhetoric: the art of effective or persuasive
the format that the information is sent speaking or writing using compositional
through techniques.
Part 2: Examples
Get out your phones and spend some time looking for messages that seem to have made
specific rhetorical choices: punctuation, unusual typing or spelling styles, abbreviations,
emojis, etc. Type them in the left column, describe the choice in the middle column, and
describe the effect on the receiver’s perception or on the meaning of the text.
Text Stylistic Choice Effect on perception/meaning
i’m not going to say no casual, no casual and relaxed, comfortable
to ft unless i’m capitalization or with the sender
swamped in hw and i punctuation and using
have all of break your abreviation
catch up
swearing, no trying to be funny, using comdey
also jesus fucking punctuation,
school is like 90 the
grease idk why its so
hot in here
no capitols They fell asleep or were texting
sorry i was sleeping other people and did not want to
(cry emoji) respond.
answer your texts (ang all caps
emoji)
big words and sarcasm shows
Did you see his
phenomenal acting
skills in his critically
acclaimed movie
I’ts a final. No makeup
Part 3: Altering Stylistic Choices
Rewrite three text messages from Part 2 and revise them to alter the intended or perceived
meaning. Explain the change you made and the desired effect on the receivers perception or
the meaning of the text.
Original Text Revised Text Changes you made and
the desired effect on
perception/meaning
I almost always want to expanded the
i’m not going to say no to facetime. The only time abbreviations, put in
ft unless i’m swamped in that I would not want to punctuation, used capitols
hw and i have all of break facetime is if I had a lot of and made it more formal.
your catch up homework. Even if I did made a feeling of
have a lot of homework, I heartwarming and sense
have all of break to do it. of priority
She was in the computer expanded on story and
quote “I would let ryan lab when she said “i would gave it more punctuation.
reynolds do anything to let ryan reynolds do kept the quote the same
me, like i have no shame anything to me, and i have because that is
about that” as she walks no shame about that”. Her unchanging. gives a
into the room with two of woodshop and robotics comedic tone and
her teachers in it teacher were also in the storytelling
same room when she said
that and she did not know.
I'm sorry for falling asleep. I put the emoji’s expression
sorry i was sleeping (cry didn't mean to and feel into words and made it
emoji) bad for doing it. more formal by giving the
sentence structure. the
meaning basically stays
the same.
Part 4: Apply your learning
Analyze the text message below, following all instructions in the prompt.
Context: My friend asked if he could interview me for a paper he was writing but he
never responded about a day and time. I sent him a text asking if he still wanted to
interview me a few days later and this is what he sent back:
Write a paragraph in the box below in which you analyze the rhetorical choices made
by the “speaker” of this text message. Be sure to address what the speaker’s purpose is,
and consider how the audience (receiver) may interpret the message based on the
speaker’s choices. Be sure to have a topic sentence!
The response text has a passive aggressive tone that makes the receiver feel like
they are at fault and that they are bothering the friend. The passive aggressive tone
is conveyed through the use of ellipsis where normal period punctuation would have
suffice. Another way that the tone is conveyed is through “i should have reminded
you monday” and “thanks again for talking to me”. Those two sentences are worded
as to blame the receiver for not getting back to them sooner. they also say that they
are past the point of needing the interview anymore by sayings “I am doing my paper
right now”. The “dont worry about it” mixed with the “i am doing my paper right now”
also makes them sound bothered by the fact they are reaching out.
