

In all forms of literature, nonfiction, fiction,
poetry, and drama—authors choose particular
words to convey effect and meaning to the
reader.
Writers employ diction, or word choice to
communicate ideas and impressions, to evoke
emotions, and to convey their views of truth to
the reader.



High or formal diction
Neutral diction
Informal or low diction
Discerning the impracticable state of the poor
culprit’s mind, the elder clergyman, who had
carefully prepared himself for the occasion,
addressed to the multitude a discourse on sin, in
all its branches, but with continual reference to
the ignominious letter…
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1850.



Usually contains language that creates an elevated
tone.
It is free of slang, idioms, colloquialisms, and
contractions.
It often contains polysyllabic words, sophisticated
syntax, and elegant word choice.
The shark swung over and the old man saw his eye was not
alive and then he swung over once again, wrapping himself
in two loops of the rope. The old man knew that he was
dead but the shark would not accept it. Then, on his back,
with his tail lashing and his jaws clicking, the shark plowed
over the water as a speedboat does. The water was white
where his tail beat it and three-quarters of his body was
clear above the water when the rope came taut, shivered,
and then snapped...
From Old Man and the Sea, by Hemingway, Ernest, Scribner’s, 1995. Copyright Gale
Group.

Uses standard language and vocabulary without
elaborate words and may include contractions.
Three quarts of milk. That’s what was in that
icebox yesterday. Three whole quarts. Now
they ain’t none. Not a drop. I don’t mind folks
comin’ in and getting’ what they want, but three
quarts of milk! What the devil does anybody
need with three quarts of milk?
Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. Copyright 1970 by Toni Morrison.

The language of everyday use. It is relaxed and
conversational. It often includes common and
simple words, idioms, slang, jargon, and
contractions.









Slang
Colloquial expressions
Jargon
Dialect
Idioms
Concrete Diction
Abstract Diction
Denotation
Connotation





Chillaxin
Swagg
YOLO
Totes
Adorbs





Lack of education
Camaraderie
Familiarity between friends
Familiarity where there is none
disrespect

Group recently coined words often used in informal
situations. Slang words often come and go
quickly, passing in and out of usage within months
or years.





Ayah
Y’all
Fixin’ to
Yonder
Gonna (Miss Sharp’s favorite)

Nonstandard, often regional, ways of using
language appropriate to informal or conversational
speech and writing. Maine residents/southern
words



Bird
Blue Canoe
Charlie Mike

Words and expressions characteristic of a
particular trade, profession, or pursuit. Nautical
jargon



Familiarity with the audience, letting them
know that you speak their language, that you
belong to their group
Can create trust if a particular person knows
the terminology of a profession
Can make the person seem knowledgeable to
the audience



“Sho, there’s ticks a-plenty. I could have a
thousand of ‘em if I wanted to.”
“Well, why don’t you? Becuz you know might
well you can’t. This is a pretty early tick, I
reckon. It’s the first one I’ve seen this year.”
Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, New York: Grosset and
Dunlap, 1946.

Nonstandard subgroup of a language with its own
vocabulary and grammatical features. Writers
often use regional dialects or dialects that reveal a
person’s economic or social class.




Can create personality in a character
Used to personalize the speaker
to imply an origin, or to invoke stereotypes
associated with the dialect.
This is a controversial topic, as there are
some people who have an extreme dislike for
using dialect-type spelling.




Tighter than bark on a tree---stingy
Big hat, no cattle---lots of talk, no action
Throw in the towel---quit
Piece of cake--easy

Expressions, usually particular to a group or
region of people, that can’t be understood from
the meanings of the individual words.

The tears came fast, and she held her face in her
hands. When something soft and furry moved
around her ankles, she jumped, and saw it was the
cat. He wound himself in and about her legs.
Momentarily distracted from her fear, she squatted
down to touch him, her hands wet from the tears.
The cat rubbed up against her knee. He was black
all over, deep silky black, and his eyes, pointing
down toward his nose, were bluish green. The
light made them shine like blue ice. Pecola rubbed
the cat’s head; he whined, his tongue flicking with
pleasure. The blue eyes in the black face held her.

Specific words that describe physical qualities or
conditions. This passage uses concrete diction to
describe an experience Pecola has at Junior’s house





Impenetrable
Incredible
Inscrutable
Inconceivable
unfathomable

Refers to language that denotes ideas, emotions,
conditions, or concepts that are intangible.


House/Home
Grass/lawn

Exact, literal definition of a word independent of
any emotional association or secondary meaning.


Home connotes safety, coziness, security
House implies the dictionary definition of the
physical structure

Implicit rather than explicit meaning of a word.
Consists of suggestions, associations, and
emotional overtones attached to a word.
Childlike
Childish
Immature
Low income
Poor
destitute
Plump
Fat
obese
Filled
Packed
jammed
Fragrance
Odor
stench
Home
House
shack
Plain
Homely
ugly