How Diction Affects Tone RI W c W d L a L RL

 Denotation is the dictionary definition of a word. It is what it means.  Connotation is made up of  -all the feelings and biases one associates with a particular word.  -specific ways the word is used in common social discussion.  -the way words sound to us when we hear them.  Your analysis of writing, prose, drama, poetry, or non-fiction is considerably influenced by both the denotation and connotation of a work’s diction.  While adjectives are the most common words associated with connotation, virtually all of the core parts of speech can have prominent connotations  Consider the following: 1. When you hear about a dog, which words come to mind: canine, flea-bag, or man’s best friend? 2. What feelings are associated with the color green? For some it represents new life, spring time, for others, envy. 3. What terms are used to advertise used vehicles? Cars are rarely described as “used” as opposed to “Certified Pre-Owned.” Why? 4. What is the difference between being objective, indifferent, apathetic, nonchalant, and detached.

 Directions: On your sheet of paper, make three columns across and label the columns as such:  The columns need to be big enough to hold several words.  For each set of words on the following slide, write the individual words under the column which best describes its connotation.  As you make your choices talk with your teams or those around you about why you have placed your words in the given column.  Be prepared to defend your team’s assertions about word placement. PositiveNeutralNegative

Consider: sick, under the weather, diseased, ill, unwell, ailing -Complete your chart as instructed. Apply: Write one sentence using one of the terms above in a sentence about an evil or malicious character. You are not describing his/her physical feeling, but rather their thoughts, motives, or feelings.

 For the first list, almost all terms are negative, because they all focus on being other than 100% healthy.  Here it’s a matter of degree.  For instance, under the weather implies being sick, but it is a nice way to say it. Some students will want to list it as neutral.  Diseased is usually seen as the worst for a couple of reasons: 1) It sounds and looks similar to deceased, 2) it implies being contagious.  You can help students with word choice when they consider these terms in a literary sense.  If you consider diseased again and students draw the conclusion that it implies a contagious nature, wouldn’t it be better to describe a character such as Bob Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird as having a diseased mind because he infects others with his views rather than just saying he’s a sick individual?

Consider: house, residence, domicile, abode, mansion, home, dwelling, accomodations -Complete your chart as instructed. Apply: Write a couple of sentences using at least one of the terms above to describe the scene of a character coming home from a long absence and realizing that everything they expected to find has changed.

 Typical strong student answers include the idea of a house being a building whereas a home is where you live, “Home sweet home.” In this case, home is positive while house is neutral.  With this in mind, have the students consider how this might come up in literature. Which characters have a home as opposed to those who live in a house?  The idea of an abode is fairly common to students because it sounds formal or because students are familiar with the phrase, “Welcome to my humble abode.” If/When this comes up, I ask them about the irony of the statement. They usually come to the conclusion that when someone uses that phrase, their abode is typically never humble.

Consider: red, black, blue, white, yellow, gray -Complete your chart as instructed. Apply: Write a couple of sentences using one of the terms above to describe a character in an action sequence. Your use of color must go beyond the literal meaning of the word.

Consider: frugal, thrifty, economical, penny-pinching, careful, prudent -Complete your chart as instructed. Apply: Imagine you are a parent explaining to your children how you manage the family money. Use one of the words above to present your caution with spending in the best possible light.

Consider: appropriate, embezzle, pilfer, filch, thieve -Complete your chart as instructed. Apply: Using one of the terms above, write a few sentences describing someone who has to steal in order to survive. Your word choice should convey that they know it is wrong, but that they are desperate.

Consider: murder, execute, put to sleep, six feet under, exterminate, decimate, kill, to pass away -Complete your chart as instructed. Apply: Use one of the words above to describe a scene from a work you have read in school in which a character dies. Considering what happened in the scene and the manner of the death, choose your word carefully and use context clues to show why your word choice is the best.

Consider: exhausted, drained, tired, worn out, sleepy, fatigued -Complete your chart as instructed. Apply: Write a couple of sentences using one of the terms above to describe how you feel after a week of finals. Be as specific as possible in your description. Do not just say you are lacking energy, show how and why.

Consider: beautiful, pretty, gorgeous, stunning, attractive, cute, appealing -Complete your chart as instructed. Apply: One of the more powerful ways to enhance your vocabulary is not to just use better words, but to use the words at your disposal in creative ways. Choose one of the words above to describe something that is quite amazing to you in regards to physical appearance, but is not something that everyone would feel the same way about-such as the perfect burrito, your couch on Saturday morning, or your big slobbery dog.

Consider: fit, muscular, hulking, strong, defined, well built -Complete your chart as instructed. Apply: Write a couple of sentences using one or more of the terms above to describe someone scrawny and weak working out at the gym attempting to improve his/her physique.

Consider: soiled, dingy, unkempt, filthy, grimy, polluted -Complete your chart as instructed. Apply: Write a couple of sentences using one or more of the terms above to describe your dorm room after a quarter of living with a sloppy roommate.