An author’s word choice. DICTION An author’s word choice. HOW an author says something is a big part of what he has to say. It varies depending on the message, the occasion, and the audience. It influences the TONE of the message.

The DICTIONARY meaning of a word; the exact meaning. DENOTATION The DICTIONARY meaning of a word; the exact meaning.

CONNOTATION The associations called up by a word that goes beyond its dictionary meaning; the psychological, emotional, social, or cultural connections made to words

TONE The speaker or author’s attitude toward the subject. The general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing, situation, etc.