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Word Choice. Freshman Composition. Word Choice. Why does word choice matter?. Denotation. Definition: (n) T he literal or primary meaning of a word No personal feelings or background come into play. Examples: Cat = a four legged animal often kept as a pet
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Word Choice Freshman Composition
Word Choice • Why does word choice matter?
Denotation • Definition: (n) The literal or primary meaning of a word • No personal feelings or background come into play. • Examples: • Cat = a four legged animal often kept as a pet • Chair = a piece of furniture you sit on • Military = the organization that defends our country at home and abroad
Connotation • Definition: (n) An idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning. • Synonyms: overtone, implication, hidden meaning, nuance, echo, association, suggestion, insinuation • What are possible connotations of the following words? • Birthday • Childish • Innocent • Trusting
Connotation • Depending on their context a word’s connotation might change. • How could the connotation be different for the same word in the following scenarios….
Diction • Definition: (n) • 1. The clearness of a person's speech • 2. The way in which words are used in speech or writing • An author’s diction may be described (among other things) as simple or complex, ordinary or unusual. • Diction tells a lot about an author’s style and purpose, as well as a writer or speaker’s thoughts and feelings. • How would you describe the diction of the following examples…? What does this tell you about the author? His/her style or purpose?
Diction • “IT WAS the Dover road that lay, on a Friday night late in November, before the first of the persons with whom this history has business. The Dover road lay, as to him, beyond the Dover mail, as it lumbered up Shooter's Hill. He walked up hill in the mire by the side of the mail, as the rest of the passengers did; not because they had the least relish for walking exercise, under the circumstances, but because the hill, and the harness, and the mud, and the mail, were all so heavy, that the horses had three times already come to a stop, besides once drawing the coach across the road, with the mutinous intent of taking it back to Blackheath. Reins and whip and coachman and guard, however, in combination, had read that article of war which forbade a purpose otherwise strongly in favour of the argument, that some brute animals are endued with Reason; and the team had capitulated and returned to their duty” (Dickens).
Diction • “We real cool. We Left school. We Lurk late. We Strike straight. We Sing sin. We Thin gin. We Jazz June. We Die soon” --Gwendolyn Brooks “We Real Cool”
Diction • “When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When it healed, and Jem's fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom self-conscious about his injury. His left arm was somewhat shorter than his right; when he stood or walked, the back of his hand was at right angles to his body, his thumb parallel to his thigh. He couldn't have cared less, so long as he could pass and punt. “When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident. I maintain that the Ewells started it all, but Jem, who was four years my senior, said it started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radleycome out” (Lee)
