How to Pay for A Baby - Kool A.D. Analysis

How to Pay for A Baby - Kool A.D. Analysis 

In this paragraph, the writer Kool A.D.’s use of language in the article, ‘How to Pay for a Baby’, will be analysed through the deconstruction of their use of slang and colloquial diction, and syntax that is present in the text. To begin with, Kool A.D. implements lots of slang diction throughout the text. He starts the article by saying that “Imma keep it 100 with y’all: I’m doing this column for the yaper,” in which the two words, 100 and yaper, can be considered as slang; He uses 100 to imply that he’s going to be completely straightforward and honest with the audience, while yaper is considered as another slang word for money. The slang diction in the article portrays the writer’s  dialect to be very informal, but consequently be challenging for many to read if they are unfamiliar with the slang. Furthermore, Kool A.D. accompanies his use of slang with colloquial diction. A good example is when he says, “Matter of fact [babies] stay s*****ing themselves so much you gotta buy them disposable pants … for like two years”. Words such as ‘matter of fact’ or ‘gotta’ are colloquial diction as they are abbreviations of common words that help everyday communication flow more smoothly. This further adds on to his stylistic language as it shows it to be more informal, and also easier to read through quickly. By also addressing the audience through a second-person point of view, it creates the overall impression that the writer is communicating with you personally. Lastly, due to his informal style of writing, his syntax tends to differ from the proper, standard syntax. This is supported when he writes that ‘a baby with f*** with that [crib toy] heavy in those early months when all it wants to do is lie on its back’. The sentence is a highly casual way of addressing the fact that crib toys can be distracting and unhealthy for infants. The syntax choices further caters to his informal and direct use of language to give the reader a feeling of genuineness, and a personal connection with the writer. To conclude, Kool A.D.’s use of slang and colloquial diction, and syntax was analysed to better understand his style of writing. It was interpreted that these three components of language make the text very informal, which give it a quick flow. However, due to the use of lots of slang and colloquial language, it can be difficult for some to understand the text if they are unfamiliar with those diction. All of these combined give the text a sense of realness, as though the writer is directly conversing with the reader.