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Diction

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Satire (and its cousin sarcasm) is a form of verbal irony. Figurative Language Gone Wrong ... Figurative Language Gone Wrong. Dead Metaphors & Clich s ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Diction


1
Diction
  • Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say

2
Diction
  • Is at the heart of any discussion about style
  • word choice, figurative language, sound of
    sentences
  • Above and beyond grammar, creates the tone of a
    text

3
Dictionaries
  • OED online
  • Search library catalogue
  • Search term OED online (in quotation marks)
  • Must sign in to use (uleth user name student id
    number)

4
Diction
  • Tone
  • the speakers attitude toward the subject matter
    or audience, as revealed by the choice of
    language and the rhythms of speech
  • E.g. sarcastic, matter-of-fact, cold, energetic,
    academic, humorous, etc.

5
Diction
  • Level of language
  • Formal
  • characterized by a learned vocabulary and
    grammatically correct forms. Does not usually
    include colloquialisms
  • Informal
  • language closest to everyday conversation may
    include colloquialisms and slang

6
Diction
  • Level of language
  • Slang
  • Lively, colourful language that is often limited
    to certain groups (social, regional) and passes
    in and out of fashion
  • Fine Writing
  • Unnecessarily formal or pretentious diction

7
Two-Part Verbs
  • Simple verb in combination with another word or
    words
  • E.g. cool off, sit down, find out
  • Often form idiomatic expressions that are
    informal or colloquial in tone
  • Avoid or use sparingly in academic writing

8
Figurative Language
  • Provides a writer with the opportunity to write
    imaginatively, while also testing the imagination
    of the reader
  • Helps readers visualize what is being written
    about
  • Enhances style by making texts more interesting
  • Sharpens meaning

9
Imagery
  • Creates pictures in the readers mind, and also
    suggests a number of imaginative associations

10
Figure of Speech
  • An example of figurative language that states
    something that is not literally true in order to
    create an effect
  • Some common figures of speech are

11
Simile
  • A comparison using like or as. The
    similarity between two objects is made explicit
    there is no pretence of absolute identity.
  • Example
  • The river is like a snake winding across the
    plain.

12
Metaphor
  • An assertion that two things in some way similar
    are identical
  • Example
  • The river is a snake winding across the plain.
  • The river snakes its way across the plain.
  • The river winds snakily across the plain.

13
Irony
  • Recognition of the difference between real and
    apparent meaning
  • There are many different types of irony, but the
    three most common in academic writing is

14
Verbal Irony
  • The contrast is between the literal meaning of
    what is said and what is meant the meaning of
    the words used is the opposite of their sense.
  • Satire (and its cousin sarcasm) is a form of
    verbal irony.

15
Figurative Language Gone Wrong
  • Inappropriate Metaphors
  • Create images that dont make sense or are
    inappropriate for your audience
  • Overextended Metaphors
  • Are too long, and the metaphor takes control in
    other words, the point you want to make is lost

16
Figurative Language Gone Wrong
  • Dead Metaphors Clichés
  • Have little force and tend to be ineffective
  • Mixed Metaphors
  • Abruptly switch from one comparison to another
    without intending to

17
Concrete and Abstract Diction
  • Concrete words
  • Denote tangible things capable of being
    apprehended by the physical senses
  • Abstract words
  • Denote intangible things like ideas or qualities

18
Concrete and Abstract Diction
  • You need a combination of both, but be sure to
    ground your writing in the concrete (use specific
    examples to illustrate your points)
  • Readers remember the concrete it illustrates
    and lends meaning to the abstract
  • The more specific (i.e. concrete) your writing
    is, the clearer and more effective it will be

19
Weak Generalizations
  • AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!
  • Use examples and always be specific
  • Employ
  • Figurative language
  • Imagery
  • Research sources
  • as necessitated by the assignment

20
Denotation and Connotation
  • Denotation
  • What a word means (dictionary definition)
  • What a word signifies without emotional
    associations, judgements, or opinions
  • Connotation
  • What a word suggests
  • Usually determined through context

21
Denotation and Connotation
  • When choosing words, pay attention to connotative
    meanings that you may not intend
  • Example
  • Brash denotes confidence, but has negative
    connotations
  • Self-assured also denotes confidence, but it
    carries more positive connotations

22
Euphemism
  • An inoffensive or positive word or phrase used to
    avoid a harsh, unpleasant, or distasteful reality
  • A tactful word or phrase which avoids directly
    mentioning a painful reality
  • (from William Lutz, The World of Doublespeak
  • Only the first definition constitutes
    doublespeak
  • doublespeak is misleading or deceiving

23
Jargon
  • The specialized language of a trade, profession,
    or similar group
  • Is doublespeak if it is used to make the simple
    seem complex, used not to express but to
    impress (Lutz)

24
Bureaucratese
  • A method of piling on words to overwhelm the
    audience
  • it sounds good but really makes no sense

25
Inflated Language
  • Remember Fine Writing?
  • Political correctness can fall into this category
  • Often also constitutes a kind of euphamism

26
Wrong Word
  • Incorrect word choice is a common student error
  • If you arent sure what word to use, consult your
    dictionary

27
Wordiness Redundancy
  • Clear the deadwood strive for clarity and
    precision
  • Remember less is more (think of the exercise we
    did to reduce the number of prepositional phrases
    in sentences)

28
Wordiness Redundancy
  • As you proofread and revise a text, delete
    unnecessary words but keep or add exact ones .

29
Wordiness Redundancy
  • Wordy first draft
  • In the early part of the month of February there
    was a really mean blizzard with very high winds
    that was moving threateningly toward Halifax.
  •  First revision
  • In the early part of the month of February there
    was a really mean blizzard with very high winds
    that was moving threateningly toward Halifax.

30
Wordiness Redundancy
  • Second revision
  • In early February a (really mean) vicious
    blizzard with (very high) 150-kilometer-per-hour
    winds was (moving threateningly toward)
    threatening Halifax.
  • Finished copy
  • In early February a vicious blizzard with
    150-kilometer-per-hour winds was threatening
    Halifax.

31
Wordiness Redundancy
  • Compare
  • In the early part of the month of February there
    was a really mean blizzard with very high winds
    that was moving threateningly toward Halifax.
  • In early February a vicious blizzard with
    150-kilometer-per-hour winds was threatening
    Halifax.

32
Wordiness Redundancy
  • Make every word count
  • Omit words or phrases that add nothing to your
    meaning
  • Guidelines for omitting wordiness

33
Wordiness Redundancy
  • Avoid tautology (the use of different words to
    say the same thing)
  • Wordy
  • Commuters going back and forth to work or school
    formed carpools.
  • Concise
  • Commuters formed carpools.

34
Wordiness Redundancy
  • The useless words in brackets below serve only to
    echo meaning
  • Avoid such wordiness in your own writing
  • yellow in colour
  • circular in shape
  • at 945 pm that night
  • return back
  • basic essentials
  • bitter-tasting drink
  • but though

35
Wordiness Redundancy
  • Do not use many words when a few will express the
    idea well
  • Wordy
  • In the event that the evaluation system is
    changed, expect complaints on the part of
    employees.
  • Concise
  • If the evaluation system is changed, expect
    complaints from employees. (2 words take the
    place of 8)

36
Wordiness Redundancy
  • Wordy
  • As far as sexism is concerned, it seems to me
    that a woman can be as guilty of sexism as a man.
  • Concise
  • A woman can be as guilty of sexism as a man. (11
    useless words deleted)

37
Wordiness Redundancy
  • Beware ready-made phrases
  • at this point in time?now
  • bring to a conclusion?conclude
  • during the same time that?while
  • in a great many instances?often
  • on account of the fact that?because
  • situated in the vicinity of?near
  • was of the opinion that?believed
  • by means of ?by
  • due to the fact that ?because

38
Passive Voice
  • Passive voice is wordy.
  • Active voice is direct.
  • Example
  • Be assured that action will be taken.
  • I assure you that I will act.
  • Passive voice often leaves the actor of the verb
    out of the construction (as in the example above).

39
Awkward Repetition
  • Avoid careless or needless repetition of a word
    or phrase
  • Faulty
  • This interesting instructor knows how to make an
    uninteresting subject interesting. 
  • Revised
  • This instructor knows how to make a dull subject
    interesting.

40
Awkward Repetition
  • Awkward
  • We had problems solving these problems.
  • Revised
  • We had a hard time solving these problems.
  • Awkward
  • His boss is not like her boss. Her boss is more
    reliable than his boss.
  • Revised
  • Their bosses are different. Hers is more
    reliable than his.

41
Awkward Repetition
  • Avoid carelessly repeating a root or word base.
  • Awkward
  • I got the impression that his expression of
    sympathy was insincere.
  • Revised
  • I felt that his expression of sympathy was
    insincere.

42
Awkward Repetition
  • Eliminate careless rhymes and other distracting
    repetition of sounds.
  • Awkward
  • The use of catalytic converters is just one
    contribution to the solution of the problem of
    air pollution.
  • Revised
  • The use of catalytic converters is just one way
    to help reduce air pollution.

43
Politics and the English Language (by George
Orwell)
  • Written in 1946, yet his complaints about Modern
    English still relevant
  • The errors and shortcuts that he points out are
    those we have just discussed

44
Politics and the English Language
  • Questions writers should ask themselves
  • What am I trying to say?
  • What words will express it?
  • What image or idiom will make it clearer?
  • Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?
  • Could I put it more shortly?
  • Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly?

45
Politics and the English Language
  • Orwell wants us to ground our writing in the
    concrete rather than in the abstract.
  • Be specific, not vague.
  • Choose rather than simply accept the language
    that you use come up with your own metaphors
    and turns of phrase rather than using ready-mades.

46
Politics and the English Language
  • Rules writers should follow
  • Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of
    speech which you are used to seeing in print.
  • Never use a long word where a short one will do.
  • If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut
    it out.

47
Politics and the English Language
  • (Rules contd)
  • Never use the passive voice where you can use the
    active.
  • Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or
    a jargon word if you can think of an everyday
    English equivalent.
  • Break any of these rules sooner than say anything
    outright barbarous.
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