Diction
What is Diction?
This refers to the choices of words an author uses to convey tone,mood, and meaning.
How does the change in diction alter our understanding of the modified sentence below?
Original: "I'm going to go tell Dad."
Changed: "I'm going to go tell Father."
In the modified sentence, the use of the term "Father" could indicate either an increased formality in the paternal relationship OR provide context for the setting of the dialogue (as "Father" was a more commonly antiquated term).
Explain whether "jumped" is most likely an example of diction in the following phrase:
"Piggy jumped nimbly over the falling rocks."
NO. Though "jumping" is an action Piggy is taking, there is no suggestion of a further or deeper meaning by the use of the term in this context. "Nimbly" does a stronger job of describing the action. Though it may be an important action, "jumped" is most likely NOT diction.
Sort which example is formal and inform?
"I'm gonna grab a snack"
"I am going to get a snack"
Informal: "I'm gonna grab a snack"
Formal "I am going to get a snack"
What is formal Diction?
The use of sophisticated language, without slang or colloquialisms. For Example:
best for school essays, speeches, or professional emails
How does the change in diction alter our understanding of the modified sentence below?
Original: "Claude was a handsome young man."
Modified: "Claude was a beautiful young man."
As the term "beautiful" typically describes feminine beauty, Claude's attractiveness is meant to stand out here, either as particularly feminine or as particularly strong (i.e. emphasized or unique).
Explain whether "peered" is an example of diction in the following sentence.
"Midway through the class, Mr. Bevan stopped and peered into the room, promptly departing several seconds later."
YES. The verb "peered" means "to look closely and keenly", which has connotations of suspicion; the term, then, implies that Bevan has some measure of suspicion in his actions, further supported by the context of his "prompt" departure.
Sort which example is formal and inform?
"She's kind of upset about what happened."
"She is somewhat distressed about the incident."
Informal:"She's kind of upset about what happened."
formal:"She is somewhat distressed about the incident."
What is informal Diction?
Is the relaxed, conversational language that we use every day. For Example:
Can be use casual language works better for conversations with friends, blogs, or social media posts.
How does the change in diction alter our understanding of the modified sentence below?
Original: "Mark went to go get the baby while John rested in the corner."
Modified: "Mark went to go get the baby while John snoozed in the corner."
The use of the informal word "snoozed" to describe John's actions in the modified sentence may imply his lazy or irresponsible nature, particularly when juxtaposed against the more neutral term "rested."
Explain whether "cackling" is an example of diction in the following sentence.
"Seung turned away as her classmates continued their cackling."
YES. The use of "cackling," a word typically associated with witches or other potentially evil characters, suggests the derisive or immoral nature of the classmates.
Sort which example is formal and inform?
"He made significant errors in the project, which has placed us in a difficult position"
"He totally screwed up the project, so now we're in trouble"
Informal: "He totally screwed up the project, so now we're in trouble"
Formal: "He made significant errors in the project, which has placed us in a difficult position"
Why is Diction important?
Used to create meaning and make writing or speech effective.
How does the change in diction alter our understanding of the modified sentence below?
Original: "The teacher noted the odd patterns in Yara's handwriting."
Modified: "The teacher noted the bizarre patterns in Yara's handwriting."
The term "bizarre" is denotatively stronger and connotatively more negative than the term "odd," suggesting an increased strangeness of Yara's handwriting (and probably of her character as well).
Explain whether "bummer" is an example of diction in the following sentences.
"After twenty years of back-breaking, soul-crushing toil, to be informed so succinctly and so patronizingly that his long-term creative raison d'etre* would be thusly extinguished was, suffice it to say, quite the bummer."
*raison d'etre - idiom (French) - reason for being/living
YES. There is a sophistication and drama to the diction in the rest of the sentence that is ironically underscored by the use of the term "bummer," which is a far more informal term.
Sort which example is formal and inform?
"Their habit of making last minute alterations is exceedingly fustrating"
"They're always changing things last minute, and it's super annoying"
Informal: "They're always changing things last minute, and it's super annoying"
Formal: "Their habit of making last minute alterations is exceedingly fustrating"
What is the difference between formal and informal Diction?
Formal language is less personal than informal language. It is used when writing for professional or academic purposes like graduate school assignments. Formal language does not use colloquialisms, contractions or first-person pronouns such as “I” or “We.” Informal language is more casual and spontaneous.
How does the change in diction alter our understanding of the modified sentence below?
Original: "When confronted by his parents about ditching school to watch the parade, Marco cleverly lied."
Modified: "When confronted by his parents about ditching school to watch the parade, Marco expertly prevaricated*."
*Prevaricate - verb - to speak falsely or misleadingly; to lie
The use of heavier, more sophisticated diction like "expertly" and "prevaricated" place further emphasis on either Marco's skillful ability to lie, or on the skill of the lie itself.
Explain whether the term "whiteness" is diction in the following sentence.
"Montag did not move, but stood looking into the cold whiteness of the wall immediately before him."
NO: while intentionally symbolic and part of a meaningful image, the choice to use "whiteness" to depict the wall is not purposeful as a word on its own; it has symbolic meanings but not connotative meanings.
Sort which example is formal and inform?
"The manner in which he addressed the situation was profoundly flawed, resulting in widespread discount among all involved parties."
"Yeah, the way he handled the whole situation was totally messed up, and its no surprise everyone's mad about it."
Informal: "Yeah, the way he handled the whole situation was totally messed up, and its no surprise everyone's mad about it."
Formal: "The manner in which he addressed the situation was profoundly flawed, resulting in widespread discount among all involved parties."