Diction & Toneand how to discuss them meaningfully

Definitions• Diction: an author’s choice of words, especially

with regard to correctness, clearness, or effectiveness

Any of the four generally accepted levels of diction—formal, informal, colloquial, or slang—may be correct in a particular context but incorrect in another or when mixed unintentionally. Most ideas have a number of alternate words that the writer can select to suit his or her purposes. “Children,” “kids,” “youngsters,” “youths,” and “brats,” for example, all have different evocative values. Encyclopedia Britannica

• Tone: the attitude of an author toward her subject matter and/or audience

CUNY Glossary of Literary Terms

When assessing diction, first consider: level of formality

• High or formal diction: dignified, elevated, usually impersonal language, with elaborate or sophisticated vocabulary. “High style” may refer to grammar or syntax manipulated for artistic effect. Often polysyllabic.

• Middle or neutral diction: grammatically accurate language using common, unexceptional vocabulary; easy to understand.

• Low or informal diction: plain, everyday language, possibly including slang, vulgarity, and dialect; often monosyllabic.

Then consider:Denotation vs. Connotation

• Denotation: the direct, specific, literal meaning of a word

• Connotation: something suggested by a word or thing; its implication Merriam Webster

• In assessing diction and tone, we need to consider the connotative value of words more than their denotative value.

Terminology for describing diction:Note: the terms in each category are not synonyms

• For high, formal style: cultured, learned, pretentious, archaic, scholarly, pedantic, ornate, elegant, flowery

• For middle, neutral style: unadorned, plain, detached, simple

• For low, informal style: abrupt, terse, laconic, homespun, colloquial, vulgar, (filled with) slang

Terminology for discussing connotation or denotation:

You will find fewer extracts from literature that are strictly denotative rather than connotative. However, you may find that the first list applies to writing by authors such as Hemingway who employ a more direct and unadorned style, non-fiction, straightforward action narratives, etc.

• Denotative language: literal, exact, journalistic, straightforward, unembellished, jargon-filled

• Connotative language: poetic, lyrical, figurative, symbolic, metaphoric, obscure, sensuous, grotesque, picturesque

Considerations for analyzing diction:• Does the author choose concrete or abstract

expression?• Are the words monosyllabic or polysyllabic?• Do the words have clearly negative, positive, or other

connotations?• Is the diction formal or colloquial?• Is there a marked change in the level of diction at any

point in the passage?• What can the reader infer about the speaker or the

speaker’s attitude from the word choice?• Is the language intended to sound pleasing, or harsh?

What conclusions can we draw from these considerations?

If the diction is . . .• Concrete• Abstract• Monosyllabic words• Polysyllabic words• Formal• Colloquial• Change in diction?• Euphonious• Cacophonous

Might the speaker seem . . .?• Direct, observant, childlike • Evasive, vague, mature, philosophical • Intellectually inferior, terse, stoic• Sophisticated, or pompous• Educated, polite, cautious• Rash, uneducated, provincial• Undecided, emotional, reaching an

epiphany• Elated, calm• Agitated, angry

Diction as a means of establishing tone:• Remember that tone refers to the author’s rather

than the speaker’s attitude—however, assessing the speaker’s attitude is a first step in drawing conclusions about the author’s.

• What seems to be the speaker’s attitude in the passage?

• Is more than one attitude or point of view expressed?

• Does the passage have a noticeable emotional mood or atmosphere?

• Can anything in the passage be described as irony? If so, this may indicate that the author’s tone differs from the speaker’s.

How to assess diction and tone• Always use an adjective when describing both diction and tone. • Remember that the adjective you apply to the tone needs to be a

word that can describe an attitude.

• When in doubt, use a formula such as this one:“___ diction contributes to the ___ tone.”

• Or, in somewhat greater detail:

“In [name of work], [author] writes in a [connotation] [level of formality] style. Her use of [connotation descriptor] and [level of formality descriptor] language [achieves this specific purpose].”

“In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad writes in a highly connotative high style. His use of abstract, poetic, and ornate language establishes existential themes of fate and meaninglessness.”

Consider the following example:

Bouncing into view, she illuminated the entire room with the joyous glow on her face as she gushed about her fiancé and their wedding plans.

What specific words create feeling in the sentence? What words did the author use to create that mood or feeling?

Bouncing into view, she illuminated the entire room with the joyous glow on her face as she gushed about her fiancé and their upcoming nuptials.

[bouncing – illuminated – joyous – glow – gushed]

What kind of words are these? How might you describe them?• Cheerful diction contributes to the euphoric tone.• Exuberant diction contributes to the joyful tone.

Can the same passage be rewritten with different diction and tone?

Bouncing into view, she illuminated the entire room with the joyous glow on her face as she gushed about her fiancé and their upcoming nuptials.

How would you change the terms in bold to rewrite this passage with lackluster diction to indicate indifferent tone?

Example #2:She huddled in the corner, clutching her tattered blanket and shaking convulsively, as she feverishly searched the room for the unknown dangers that awaited her.

____ diction contributes to the ____ tone.

(Perhaps frightening and alarming? However, there are many other possibilities. Can you rewrite this passage with different diction and tone?)

She lay on the couch in a white evening dress, whispering softly in the ear of her fiancé, running her fingers through his hair and gently nibbling his earlobe.

____ diction contributes to the ____ tone.

Harvard accepted her, allowing this child the opportunity to study in the same halls as the many famous scholars before her, giving her the chance to excel in her field in the best college in the United States.

____ diction contributes to the ____ tone. lofty diction contributes to the elevated tone.

Bursting through the door, the flustered mother hollered uncontrollably at the innocent teacher who gave her child an F.

____ diction contributes to the ____ tone.

fierce diction contributes to the antagonistic tone.

Drawing the attention of his classmates, as well as his teacher, the student dared to experiment with his professor’s intelligence by interrogating him about the Bible.

____ diction contributes to the ____ tone.

challenging diction contributes to the confrontational tone.

He furtively glanced behind him, for fear of his imagined pursuers, then hurriedly walked on, jumping at the slightest sound, even of a leaf crackling under his own foot.

____ diction contributes to the ____ tone.

Gently smiling, her mother tenderly tucked the covers up around the child’s neck, and carefully, quietly, left the room, making sure to leave a comforting ray of light shining through the opened door should the child awake.

____ diction contributes to the ____ tone.

loving diction contributes to the serene tone.

The laughing wind skipped through the village, teasing the trees until they danced with anger and cajoling the grass into fighting itself, blade slapping blade, as the silly dog with golfball eyes and flopping, tongue bounded across the lawn.

____ diction contributes to the ____ tone.

humorous diction contributes to the happy-go-lucky tone.

A final tip:• Please do not ever say, “The author uses [a lot of]

diction.” This is tantamount to saying, “The author writes [a lot of] words.”

• A discussion of diction is meaningless unless you precede the term diction with an adjective that aptly describes the specific nature of the words.

• Finally, in commentary, what makes your discussion of diction truly worthwhile is establishing a clear link between it and what you’ve identified as the purpose or main idea of the passage under consideration.