1. Diction Notes 7 th grade Pre-AP Language Arts

2. I. Diction- word choice and style of language 1. Levels of Diction a. Formal diction- no slang, no idioms, no contractions, no colloquialisms; elevated tone; sophisticated syntax (sentence structure)

3. 1. Levels of Diction (cont.) b. Neutral Diction- standard language without elaborate words; may have contractions c. Informal Diction- everyday language; relaxed and conversational tone; uses common words, idioms, slang and contractions

4. 2. Types of Diction a. slang b. colloquial expressions “ya’ll” c. dialect d. jargon- technical terms (byte) e. abstract- love, freedom, funny f. concrete- (specific) “three quarts of milk”

5. II. Denotation- dictionary definition of a word 1. connotation- emotions, associations, suggestions that are attached to the word Examples: a. intelligent (positive) b. egghead, braniac (negative) c. house (neutral) d. home (positive)