The Human Brain

The article under analysis offers a description of human brain, illustrates its
functions, operation process and imposes its notable role for the body.
The text “The Human Brain” belongs to popular science style and the register of
the text is heterogeneous, in other words, the structure of the text is wavy. Formal
and informal sentences and paragraphs follow each other.
This text is intended for non-specialists who are interested in science but may have
no particular background in the subject.

Entertainment value and personal relevance to the audience is typical of this text.
This is especially noticeable in the first paragraphs. For example, the first
paragraph describes physical parameters of the brain: its size, color, weight and
location. Nomenclature of physical parameters is typical of describing a physical
object. However, the language means are used in description, such as the noun-
phrases “messy substance”, “pinkish grey mess”, “moist and rubbery to the touch”,
appeals to sense of fear of death and pain, evokes the feeling of disgust and creates
an image of unpleasant living being.
The typical structure and the non-typical context create the effect of something
unusual. This clash contributes largely to the vividness of representation and
attracts readers’ attention, which is typical of popular science writing.
A lot of science concepts, even very general and common, are simplified in the
text, in order reach the humorous effect using oversimplifications.

The second paragraph starts with the question “What is the brain for?”, which
seems simple and obvious, so it arises the readers’ interest and involves them into
discussion.
However, the tone of the second paragraph seems to be elevated. This effect is
achieved by the lexical and syntactic means.
The long and extended quotation of Hippocrates contains rarely used words of
foreign origin, for example, “despondency, “lamentation”, formal words “wisdom”
and “unsavory”. The noun “sports” is old fashioned and not used in the meaning of
‘jokes, or things that are done for fun’ in modern language. A row of synonyms
“joys, delights, laughter and sports” and a row of antonyms “sorrows, griefs,
despondency and lamentation” are used to highlight the contrast and stress the
overwhelming power of human brain.
Syntactical means are also important to create the elevated tone. Parallel structures
add rhythm to the text and create the scale of brain’s power. For example, “by the
brain we know what are foul and what are good”, “what are sweet, what are
unsavoury”.
Conjunction “and” in the initial position also creates elevated poetic tone “And
man ought to know that… And by the main in a special manner…”
The humorous effect is also achieved by comparing 2 different attitudes to the
human brain. While the first paragraph describes the brain with colloquialisms and
using oversimplifications in negative connotation, the second paragraph explains
which important function the brain plays.

The third paragraph contains the main idea

about the brain’s adjustment. The paragraph is more scientific like. It contains: 1.a
number of ‘of phrases’: “role of keeping”, “of preserving”, “of swift”,
2. words of foreign origin “adjustment, unpredictable, environment”.
Furthermore, lexical density is high. The whole paragraph is an overview of the
information discussed in the following paragraphs. General concepts are explained
more thoroughly, not going deeper in details. The next two paragraphs are devoted
to the explanation of “ceaseless chemical change”, which is another example of
simplification.

The primary purpose of the text is to inform and entertain the readers, so the text
combines informal and formal lexis to make a strong emotional appeal to the
reader `s senses. However, informal expressions prevail.
In the phrase «shock-absorbing fluid cushions it against bumps, sharp blows and
other impacts» there is a combination of terms («shock-absorbing fluid») and
colloquialisms («bumps», «blows») which shows the author`s individual language
and his ironic attitude to the subject. Though in the sixth paragraph the
explanation of the material is based on terms proper such as «energy-providing
substances», «sugar levels», «heart-beat rates». The conclusion of the text contains
a lot of technical terms such as «wire», «electronical impulses», «fibres»,
«devised», «input, output».

What is more, this text contains a combination of subjectivity and objectivity.

For instance, 1.personal pronouns in such collocations as “parts of you, your
brain”, 2.reference to the reader’s back ground knowledge “what we know today”,
3.emotive evaluation “great brain”, “messy substance”, 4. imperative mood
“Notice what such controls imply” are used in the text to make the reader involved
and show the personal touch of the writer. 5. Finally, the connective conjunction
«indeed» in the seventh paragraph is a marker of subjective modality which makes
the author sound more categorical.
However, several examples of objectivity are also faced in the text. 1.The use of
factual data in the form of terms “shock-absorbing fluid, red blood cells,
electronical impulses”, 2.appealing to authority of Hippocrates 3.a number of non-
human grammatical subjects “Your body does not contain…; The brain must
know”.
Most sentences in the text are simple but extended. Complex sentences with object
clauses (It has been estimated that every seven years…) or attributive clauses
(Hippocrates discussed this organ in terms which still make sense today…).
structures prevail in the text which simplifies understanding of the material.
Surely, the syntax of the text is based on the shift from formal to informal
sentences.

Imagery as a type of argumentation is widely used through the text: «shut in a

dark warm place» - it is expressed by personification as the brain is compared with
a prisoner; «about the size of a football» - simile, as type of imagery, comparing
the brain with a ball; «shock-absorbing fluid cushions it against bumps», «it is
wrapped in three membranes», «an extra-tough outer envelope» - examples of
imagery based on metaphor. Imagery is also used in the fifth paragraph where
«deposits of fat» are compared with «warehouses for storing food supplies» and
«department stores during the Christmas rush». It is an exophoric reference to the
British cultural context.
Furthermore, factual evidence is presented in the text («three million of your blood
cells die every second»; «every seven years or so the body negotiates a complete
turnover»). Finally, there is reference to the reader`s background knowledge the
phrase «It has been estimated…» in the fifth paragraph.
As for lexical cohesion, it is more prominent in the text. The direct repetitions of
the nouns «brain», «adjustment» and «body» are used to create continuity and
avoid ambiguity in the text.

A lot of synonyms and antonyms are present in the second paragraph (antonyms:
foul-good, sweet-unsavory, relish-disrelish; synonyms: sorrows-griefs, fears-
terrors, wisdom-knowledge). Moreover, there is a superordination in the fourth and
the fifth paragraphs where the noun-phrase «deposits of fat» is a
hyponym to «parts of you». As for grammatical cohesion, there is personal
pronounce reference in the
text («the human brain» in the very 1st sentence – «it» in the 2nd); demonstrative
reference («birth and
decay» - «these basic relations»); substitution («Your waistline may not change,
but everything else does»).

Conjunctions also join and link items together. In the text there are additive
conjunctions (and, or), clarifying (in other words), adversative (but), giving
examples (for example).
The text is based on a combination of induction and deduction. A number of
examples and illustrations bring the reader to the main idea which is followed by
further explanations, arguments.
Though the 3rd and the 4th paragraphs are based on induction.

To sum up, it should be said that the text «The Human Brain» refers to popular
science style and the register of the text is heterogeneous. The information in the
text is presented for the broad-ranging audience, so it is characterized by a
combination of formal and informal lexis and syntax, subjectivity and objectivity.
Making the language more accessible for the non-specialialists, it contains a lot of
means of simplification and based on imagery used as a type of argumentation.