Final answer:
The tone of a message is the attitude of the writer or speaker as conveyed through their language and style, not merely an indicator of good or bad news. Tone is nuanced and shaped by various elements including purpose and audience, and it encompasses a range of attitudes such as formality, sarcasm, and playfulness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the tone of a message refers to whether it is good news or bad news is false. The tone of a message actually refers to the writer or speaker's attitude as it is conveyed in a composition or script. It includes the choice of language and, in the case of speech, can also involve gestures and body language. Tone can be influenced by many factors, including the purpose, audience, and message of the piece of writing or presentation. For example, the tone could be formal, informal, sarcastic, playful, dark, or optimistic, among others, and is not solely determined by the nature of the news being conveyed.
For example, a story could relay unpleasant circumstances but with a tone that is humorous or ironic, or it could present good news with a solemn or serious tone. The key to understanding tone lies in analyzing the specific word choices and writing style used to convey the author's or speaker's attitude.