Understanding Diction

Which word carries a more negative connotation?

The fresh paw prints - that our guide identified as belonging to a black bear - ___________me.

• scared

• frightened

• unsettled

Choose the word which would convey the greatest emotional intensity.

I was _________ when my best friend came back to visit after moving away.

• ecstatic

• happy

• pleased

Words mean exactly what they say

• concrete

• connotation

• literal

Words go beyond their literal meaning to suggest a more complex idea, or to provide clarification or comparison

• figurative

• imagery

• abstract

The diction of characters can tell us about their

• education

• where they are from

• both

Ordinary and familiar words that may vary from region to region

• colloquialisms

• jargon

• idioms

CHALLENGE: An author's diction can give us insight into how s/he feels about the topic; we refer to this as _____________. Furthermore, diction can cause the reader/listener to feel certain emotions, thereby creating a certain atmosphere; this we refer to as ______________.

(We covered these terms last week.)

• opinion/tone

• tone/mood

• mood/evocation

Words that are similar in meaning, but have varying levels of intensity

• denotation

• connotation

• shades of meaning

Informal language that is ever-changing, and often particular to a certain group, used to create identity and exclude outsiders.

• colloqialism

• slang

• jargon

Words used within a particular profession or group, may be difficult for others to understand

• colloquialism

• jargon

• slang