Diction, Syntax, and Tone Voice and Style Diction, Syntax, and Tone

Elements of Voice Diction or Choice of Words Syntax or Grammatical Structure Tone or Attitude (Mood)

Diction (Choice of Words) Describe diction by considering the following words: Colloquial expressions---nonstandard, often regional, language use for informal or conversational speech and writing Example: Coca cola, coke, pop, or soda? Slang Example: Frenemy, Supersize

Diction Jargon—words and expressions characteristic of a particular trade, profession, or pursuit Example: Think of one from the Business world: Dialect—nonstandard subgroup of language with its own vocabulary and grammatical features Example:

Diction Concrete Diction—specific words that describe physical qualities or conditions Example: Abstract Diction—language that denotes ideas, emotions, conditions, or concepts that are intangible.

Diction Denotation—exact, literal definition of a word Example: Connotation—implicit rather than explicit meaning of a word and consists of suggestions, associations, and emotional overtones

Diction Words may be: Euphonious (pleasant sounding) Example: Cacophonous (harsh sounding)

Diction Monosyllabic—one syllable Example: earth Polysyllabic---two or more syllables Example: planet

Syntax (grammatical structure) Sentence Types and Kinds Simple (one independent clause) Example: John loves his math class. Compound (2 or more IC) Example: John loves his math class, but Sally adores Accounting I.

Syntax (grammatical structure) Complex (one IC, one or more dependent clauses) Example: Although John loves his math class, his highest grade is in history.

Syntax (grammatical structure) Compound-Complex Example: Although John loves his math class, his highest grade is in history; however, all of his grades are above average.

Syntax Sentences may be: Declarative ***fact Example : Interrogative ****questions Example: Imperative ****command Exclamatory

Syntax Sentence Length and Emphasis Length Telegraphic—shorter than five words in length Medium ---approximately 18 words in length Long and Involved (30 plus words)

Syntax Emphasis— Loose or cumulative sentence---makes complete sense if brought to a close before the actual ending Example: He resigned after denouncing his accusers and asserting his own innocence time and time again. (notice the first part of the sentence).

Syntax Periodic Sentence---makes sense only when the end of the sentence is reached. Example: After denouncing his accusers and asserting his own innocence time and time again, the State Department Official resigned. (The most important part of the sentence is the information at the end).

Syntax---Emphasis Balanced Sentence---phrases or clauses balance each other by likeness of structure, meaning, or length Example: John loves math class, and Sally prefers Accounting I.

Syntax---Emphasis Natural order of sentence---subject before the predicate Example: Inverted order of a sentence---predicate before the subject Example: Tears were shed by the defeated team.

Syntax---Emphasis Juxtaposition---poetic and rhetorical device placing normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases next to one another. Example: The spring in his step, like the spring of the year, brought together the two families.

Syntax---Emphasis Parallel structure---grammatical or structural similarity between sentences or parts of sentences Example: Repetition---words, sounds, and ideas are used more than once

Syntax---Emphasis Rhetorical question---question that requires no answer Example: Rhetorical fragment---fragment used deliberately for persuasive purpose

Tone--- Remember that tone is an effect. A sentence stem to use in writing would be: Establishing a tone of ---------------through the use of -----------------, ---------------------, and --------------. Or Establishing a mocking tone through the use of dialogue, monosyllabic words, and repeated phrases, the writer…