Assignment for 9/2

Finding an example of the verb style was not difficult, reading the Sports section of the New York Times. I found the following excerpt in an article covering the US Open:

"Dent will play Ivan Navarro of Spain, and despite all the surgical work on his back, he said he felt no pain or discomfort after the 2-hour-50-minute match. After dropping the first set, he swept the next two, then held on in the fourth to win on his serve.

"When López, who argued and complained throughout about lines calls, hit a backhand into the net on match point, Dent took a deep breath, held his fists up near his face and screamed in exultation."*

Using emphasis: "Dent will play Ivan Navarro of Spain... After dropping the first set, he swept the next two, then held on in the fourth to win on his serve. When Lopez, who argued and complained throughout about lines calls, hit a backhand into the next on match point, Dent took a deep breath, held his fists up near his face, and screamed in exultation."

Verb styles create excitement. In this case, the verb style lends energy to a piece that is reporting an emotional and athletic event. There is also occasional alliteration, as in "Dent...deep," and, "fists...face." The action in the excerpt is made gripping by the use of verbs like "dropping," "swept," "held on," and so on.

The kinds of verbs used also draw attention to where the writer's sympathies lie. Lopez, "argued and complained throughout," while Dent, "swept the next two, then held on... to win." It is not conclusive, by any means, but the kinds of words a writer uses are just as important as how the words are used.

Finding something written in the noun style was more difficult, but the Science Times proved invaluable:

"The reason that many computer scientists are pursuing this goal is that the shrinking of the transistor has approached fundamental physical limits. Increasingly, transistor manufacturers grapple with subatomic effects, like the tendency for electrons to “leak” across material boundaries. The leaking electrons make it more difficult to know when a transistor is in an on or off state, the information that makes electronic computing possible. They have also led to excess heat, the bane of the fastest computer chips.

"The transistor is not just another element of the electronic world. It is the invention that made the computer revolution possible. In essence it is an on-off switch controlled by the flow of electricity. For the purposes of computing, when the switch is on it represents a one. When it is off it represents a zero. These zeros and ones are the most basic language of computers."**

A few excerpts with emphasis:

• "The reason that many computer scientists are pursuing this goal is that the shrinking of the transistor has approached fundamental physical limits."

• "The transistor is not just another element of the electronic world.
  
  
• In essence it is an on-off switch controlled by the flow of electricity."

• "These zeros and ones are the most basic language of computers."

The rhythm of these paragraphs is lulling, while still imparting information. In fact, it might be that this kind of writing is helpful when communicating technical knowledge in layperson's terms. However, the high number of technical polysyllabic words relies on the belief that the intended audience for this piece of writing has the basic concepts covered. That they, at the very least, understand what a transistor is, how something sub-atomic works, and the ways in which one of those concepts might affect the other in the real world.

The voice in this piece is expecting a readership with a certain foundation of knowledge, and at least a passing interest in what is being reported. It is conversational, and perhaps slightly condescending.

It is easy to connect with the first piece because of the action and emotion involved. Verbs indicate an experience the reader can relate to, even if they have never touched a tennis racket. The second piece requires more thought, because it deals with ideas and realities that need longer words.

Nouns represent abstract collections of knowledge held together in small packages, subject to varying interpretation based on individual experience. Verbs hold on to their readers.

*http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/02/sports/tennis/02night.html?_r=1&hp
**http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/science/01trans.html?ref=science