DICTION: The Choice of Words. Your goal: To find the exact word that produces the exact effect that...
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DICTION:DICTION:The Choice of
WordsThe Choice of
Words
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Your goal: To find the exact word that
produces the exact effect that you intend.
Your goal: To find the exact word that
produces the exact effect that you intend.
Who is your audience?
What is your purpose?
Who is your audience?
What is your purpose?
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The 3 Qualities of effective diction
The 3 Qualities of effective diction
1. Appropriate to your audience2. Specific (accurate and precise)3. Creates the right tone / image
1. Appropriate to your audience2. Specific (accurate and precise)3. Creates the right tone / image
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appropriatenessappropriateness
Good writers write forsomeone other than themselves.
They care about who will be reading their words and how those readers will
react.
This is true of the writers you read, and it is true of the writer you are
becoming.
Good writers write forsomeone other than themselves.
They care about who will be reading their words and how those readers will
react.
This is true of the writers you read, and it is true of the writer you are
becoming.
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Words about words
• Slang• Jargon• Latinate diction• Archaic language• Formal / Informal• Colloquial / Conversational, etc.
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Language formality scaleLanguage formality scale
Intimate Slang Colloquial Popular learned solemn
Least formal Most formal
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SlangSlang• Least formal—its use is determined by the
audience/occasion
• Satisfies a desire for novelty of expression
• Used by everyone at one time or another
• Shifting the diction to slang may:– create a humorous effect, OR– the impression of a lack of control over the writing
(usually the latter)
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colloquialismscolloquialisms
• Writing as friendly conversation• Highly informal• What audience is appropriate for
using such diction?
Examples:Any Contractions, any shortened words, “kind of”,
“like”, “mad” (angry), “yeah”, “Sure” (certainly), “it’s me”
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The basic elements of everyday communication
The basic elements of everyday communication
popular(common to the speech of educated and
uneducated alike)
Agree------------------------------------- Begin------------------------------------- Clear------------------------------------- Disagree------------------------------- End---------------------------------------- Help--------------------------------------- Make easy----------------------------- Secret----------------------------------- Think------------------------------------ Wordy----------------------------------
Learned(used more widely by the educated and
in more formal occasions)
Concur--------------------------------------Commence--------------------------------
-Lucid-----------------------------------------
--Remonstrate----------------------------Terminate---------------------------------Succor---------------------------------------Facilitate----------------------------------Esoteric-------------------------------------Cogitate------------------------------------Verbose-------------------------------------
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*Use these words, but avoid sounding pompous!
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specificityspecificity• Specific words refer to uniquely
individual persons, events, or objects• Concrete specific words attract our
senses• Abstract specific words relate to
concepts that are mostly inferred
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SCALE OF SPECIFICITY
Most general animals
More general pets
Medium dogs
More specific golden retrievers
Most specific my dog, Mac
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TONE
Be aware of the positive / negative connotation of words.
Be aware of the image of the words. For example: “We’re all in the same boat” – really understand the metaphors we use all the time, and use them well.
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Revising dictionRevising diction
What is your purpose?
Who is your audience?
Does the diction used consider each of the above?
What is your purpose?
Who is your audience?
Does the diction used consider each of the above?
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Revising dictionRevising dictionvagueness
triteness
jargon
Ineffective imagery
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Ineffective imageryIneffective imagery• Test every metaphor, every figure
of speech by seeing the image—if no image appears in your mind—well…
• Mixed metaphors confuse the mental image:
“The bill is mainly a stew of spending on existing programs, whatever their warts may be.” (New York Times)
“So now what we are dealing with is the rubber meeting the road, and instead of biting the bullet on these issues, we just want to punt.” (Chicago Tribune)
“This is awfully weak tea to hang your hat on.” (New York times) “the moment that you walk into the bowels of the armpit of the
cesspool of crime, you immediately cringe.” (Our town, New York)
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jargonjargon• The specialized language of a
particular group or profession• Characteristics of jargon
include: 1. abstract, technical words (learned
instead of popular) 2. excessive use of the passive voice 3. wordiness
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Examples of Jargon• Computer field: RAM, backup, lol,
gr8, gb• Military: awol, sop, ied• Law enforcement: apb, csi, perp,
clean skin• Common examples: poker face, ufo,
shrink, ballpark figure, on cloud nine
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vaguenessvagueness• Similar to ambiguity, a word is
vague when, in context, it conveys more than one meaning
• Vague words belong to a group called “utility words”
• specify, name, clarify the general
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TritenessTriteness• Once upon a time a metaphor was
new, fresh, colorful, and apt!• Used countless times over the
years by everyone, the sheen is dulled.
The crack of dawn—do your own thing—crystal clear—good as gold—sly as a fox—lost in thought—commune with nature—it remains to be seen—it is what it is—don’t go there—diamond in the rough—you only live once—everyone is entitled to their own opinion—in today’s society
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How to have effective diction:
• Read a lot.• Difficult words, interesting words – use just the
right word for just the right thing• Write a lot. Get practice trying out words.• Converse with people a lot.• Know your audience, and speak TO them.• Know yourself: your limitations, your powers,
how you are perceived, how you want to be perceived, etc.
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