Clarity and Diction

Diction

DICTION - AUTHOR'S CHOICE OF WORDS

• creates color and texture

• reflect a level of formality

• shape the reader’s perceptions

https://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/diction.htm

EXAMPLES

• The coat is torn/tattered.

• The army wants revenge.

• The army is thirsty for revenge.

• The door thuds/shut.

Diction Meaning "Choice of Words"

To get it sorted (to friends)

To solve the problem (to colleagues)

To overcome the challenge (to bosses)

It was a mistake (to a close friend)

It was an accident (to a work colleague)

It was an oversight (to a senior at work)

Word Style/Choice of Words

• Formal - serious; scholarly/literary

   ex. My Wife

• Informal - conversational; fiction writing

   ex. The Mrs.

• Colloquial - slang; regional dialect

  ex. My Old Lady

Clarity of Speech

• Diction also refers to how clearly words are pronounced. Here are some example sentences to show the difference between diction and pronunciation:

• Read can be pronounced reed or red

• Did he just say wed or wet? His diction is poor.

Multiple Choice

True or false? Diction always refers to a person's choice of words

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

True or false? Diction can refer to a person's choice of words

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Diction can refer to a person's clarity of speech.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of poor diction

• Slurring words

• Occasionally shouting

• Constantly arguing

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT an example of poor diction?

• Choosing inappropriate words

• Failing to pronounce consonants clearly

• Talking for too long

Multiple Choice

True or false? Diction can refer to a person's accent.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

True or false? Diction always relates to the spoken word, never the written word

• True

• False