INTRODUCTION TO DICTION

INTRODUCTION TO DICTION

What is the difference between the words HOUSE

and HOME?

What is the difference between the words HOUSE

and HOME?

What are the feelings or images that come to mind with each word?

What are the feelings or images that come to mind with each word?

mommy, mom, ma, birth mother, mama,

maternal parent

mommy, mom, ma, birth mother, mama,

maternal parent

What do all of the words have in common?-They all refer to…

What are the feelings or images that come to mind with each word?

What do all of the words have in common?-They all refer to…

What are the feelings or images that come to mind with each word?

Words have both a denotative and a

connotative meaning.

Words have both a denotative and a

connotative meaning.

Denotation means the explicit or direct meaning of a word; the dictionary definition.

Connotation means the associated meaning of a word; the feelings or images that the word evokes.

Denotation means the explicit or direct meaning of a word; the dictionary definition.

Connotation means the associated meaning of a word; the feelings or images that the word evokes.

Your turn:Think of some other word sets that have

both a denotative and connotative meaning. Write them down and then

brainstorm feelings or images that come to mind with each.

Your turn:Think of some other word sets that have

both a denotative and connotative meaning. Write them down and then

brainstorm feelings or images that come to mind with each.

Father, … Red, … Cool, … _____, …

Father, … Red, … Cool, … _____, …

Words are like a box of crayons:

Words are like a box of crayons:

Think about names of colors in a Crayola Think about names of colors in a Crayola box… Kids choose colors to reflect the box… Kids choose colors to reflect the mood or feeling they want to create in their mood or feeling they want to create in their artwork. Certain shades of colors evoke artwork. Certain shades of colors evoke different feelings and emotions. different feelings and emotions.

Similarly, words have shadings of meaning. Similarly, words have shadings of meaning. Like an artist choosing a particular color, a Like an artist choosing a particular color, a writer chooses particular words. The words writer chooses particular words. The words are not haphazard or random, but chosen are not haphazard or random, but chosen carefully, full of connotative meaning. carefully, full of connotative meaning.

Think about names of colors in a Crayola Think about names of colors in a Crayola box… Kids choose colors to reflect the box… Kids choose colors to reflect the mood or feeling they want to create in their mood or feeling they want to create in their artwork. Certain shades of colors evoke artwork. Certain shades of colors evoke different feelings and emotions. different feelings and emotions.

Similarly, words have shadings of meaning. Similarly, words have shadings of meaning. Like an artist choosing a particular color, a Like an artist choosing a particular color, a writer chooses particular words. The words writer chooses particular words. The words are not haphazard or random, but chosen are not haphazard or random, but chosen carefully, full of connotative meaning. carefully, full of connotative meaning.

Diction means word choice.

Diction means word choice.

Pay attention to the different shadings that a word may have. One word can alter a sentence dramatically.

When we look at the word choice of an author, we are looking at the author's diction.

Pay attention to the different shadings that a word may have. One word can alter a sentence dramatically.

When we look at the word choice of an author, we are looking at the author's diction.

Language formality scaleLanguage formality scale

Learned Popular Colloquial Slang

Most formal Least formal

The basic elements of everyday communication

The basic elements of everyday communication

Popular(common to the speech of the

educated and the uneducated alike)

Agree---------------------------- Begin----------------------------- Clear----------------------------- Disagree------------------------ End------------------------------- Help------------------------------ Make easy---------------------- Secret---------------------------- Think----------------------------- Wordy----------------------------

Popular(common to the speech of the

educated and the 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--------------------------------------

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”

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”

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)

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)

Poetic DictionPoetic Diction

language used in poetry vocabulary, phrasing, and usage

appropriate for verse (writing with rhyme and meter)

Poetry goes full-force into the sound, rhythms and structures of language.

language used in poetry vocabulary, phrasing, and usage

appropriate for verse (writing with rhyme and meter)

Poetry goes full-force into the sound, rhythms and structures of language.

Examples of Poetic DictionExamples of Poetic Diction

“in the icy silence of the tomb”

“A slumber did my spirit seal; / I had no human fears: / She seemed a thing that could not feel / The touch of earthly years.”

“in the icy silence of the tomb”

“A slumber did my spirit seal; / I had no human fears: / She seemed a thing that could not feel / The touch of earthly years.”

Non- examples of Poetic Diction

Non- examples of Poetic Diction

swimming fish

melting ice

boring poem

barking dog

swimming fish

melting ice

boring poem

barking dog