The Basics of Diction Analysis Just don’t say “the author uses diction…”

Diction is simply the particular words an author uses to convey meaning in a piece of writing. ◦Diction is the fundamental ingredient in written communication; without words, there is no meaning!

What to look for 1. Above all is connotation. 2. Level of diction 3. Type of diction: abstract and concrete 4. Sound quality of diction: occasionally euphony and cacophony (only if you are sure you can pull it off!) Always ask yourself, “why did the author choose this/these words instead of others?

Denotation and Connotation Connotation: the implied meaning or feeling of a word. ◦The most important aspect of diction for analysis!  gives clues to author’s stance, tone, and bias. Suggests how the author wants us to view the subject.

◦Compare “patriots,” “heroes,” “soldiers,” “war criminals,” “invaders.”  What are the connotations of each word?  What clues do we get about the author’s attitude from each of these words?

Patriots: implies (“connotes”) doing what is best for one’s country, a sense of moral goodness, sacrifice for the common good (+ tone) Heroes: connotes goodness, trying to protect one’s homeland/family, sacrifice for the common good, morality (+ tone) War Criminals: connotes wrong-doing, murder, brutality, a sense of evil (- tone) Invaders: connotes a group that does not belong, a group that is harming the “native” population, mistreatment of the invaded group EACH OF THESE WORDS REFERS TO SOMEONE WHO FIGHTS IN A WAR! THE DIFFERENCE IS THE EFFECT OF EACH WORD!

Levels of Diction The “Level” of diction refers to the degree of complexity of the language. Levels are used to characterize the diction of a large section of a piece or the entire piece. Don’t try to categorize each word.

Levels of Diction Formal/Elevated: complex, “big” or unusual words, often jargon ◦Several effects: can cause the writer to seem knowledgeable and thoughtful (positive ethos) or can cause the author to seem boring, pedantic. Frequently used to obscure meaning by making the piece confusing and making the audience feel dumb; puts author is superior position relative to the audience. Neutral: this does not mean words with a neutral connotation. Instead, this is the everyday language that people use in professional settings. ◦Effects: author can seem normal, everyday without “talking down.” Places author and audience on “equal footing.”

Low/Informal: usually, language used amongst peers. Often includes dialect, colloquialism, and slang. ◦Effects: personality and voice, causing closeness to reader; conversely, can cause author to seem uneducated or sloppy. Sometimes places audience in superior position, causing them to “look down upon” the speaker/writer.

So What? ◦For all levels, identify the audience and decide why the author chose this diction for this audience. ◦Connect the level of diction to 1) the tone and 2) purpose.

Abstract and Concrete Abstract: idea words and feeling words. Not tangible—do not appeal to senses. Examples: love, honor, respect, patriotism, goodness, evil, etc. ◦Effects: can build background for more specific discussion to follow for any of the appeals. Conversely, can distance the reader through a lack of specifics, and can obscure logic. ◦Often used to manipulate pathos ◦Often used to create ethos (especially through patriotic appeals)  See the opening paragraph of McCarthy’s speech for an example of manipulative/propagandist use of abstract diction.

Concrete: tangible words appealing to the five senses. Examples: desk, blood, fly, fiery, agonizing. ◦Effects: often helps to establish imagery and therefore pathos—check to see if the pathos is manipulative. ◦Specifics help form the backbone of logic (statistics, specific examples and cases, etc.)

Euphony and Cacophony The sound of the words is the key here. Euphony: words that sound pleasant. ◦Usually dominated by vowel sounds; “flowery,” “pluvial,” “serendipitous.” ◦Effects: contributes on a less conscious level to the tone; can make the subject sound positive.

Cacophony: negative sound. ◦Usually consonant-heavy and Germanic. ◦“Grungy,” “horrendous,” “vile.” ◦Sound often overlaps with the meaning— negative sounding words often mean negative things, but not always.

So what? Connect the sound to the tone of the piece and to the author’s purpose.

Shifts Shift: any placed where an author changes the level, tone, or style of his or her diction. ◦Effects: can work as transitions, indicate a change in attitude, or signal a key point in the argument. ◦Almost always a signal that the author wants you to pay more attention than normal to a certain part of the writing.