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Word choice, word order, and tone

Word choice, word order, and tone. Diction. Diction : a writer’s choice of words Poetic diction : use of elevated language rather than ordinary language Formal diction : dignified, impersonal, and elevated use of language Thomas Hardy, “Titanic” In a solitude of the sea

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Word choice, word order, and tone

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  1. Word choice, word order, and tone

  2. Diction • Diction: a writer’s choice of words • Poetic diction: use of elevated language rather than ordinary language • Formal diction: dignified, impersonal, and elevated use of language Thomas Hardy, “Titanic” In a solitude of the sea Deep from human vanity, And the Pride of Life that planned her, stilly couches she.

  3. Diction • Middle diction: language spoken by most educated people Sharon Olds, “Last Night” Love? It was more like dragonflies in the sun, 100 degrees at noon, the ends of their abdomens stuck together, I close my eyes when I remember.

  4. Diction • Informal diction: colloquial or conversational language Philip Larkin, “A Study of Reading Habits” When getting my nose in a book Cured most things short of school, It was worth ruining my eyes To know I could still keep cool And deal out the old right hook To dirty dogs twice my size.

  5. Diction • Dialect: informal language spoken by definable groups from certain geographic areas • Jargon: language defined by a trade or profession

  6. Diction • Gwendolyn Brooks, “We Real Cool” THE POOL PLAYERS. SEVEN AT THE GOLDEN SHOVEL. We real cool. We Left school. We Lurk late. We Strike straight. We Sing sin. We Thin gin. We Jazz June. We Die soon.

  7. More Terms • Denotation: literal, dictionary meaning of words • Connotation: associations or implied meanings • Syntax: ordering of words into verbal patterns • Tone: writer’s attitude toward a subject; the mood created by the element of a poem

  8. Discussion Questions • Collins’s poem prompted outrage from some readers when it was initially published. Why do you think some might react this way? What is your response to the poem? • Comment on the tone established by the speaker in each poem. Whose voice do you find more appealing? Why? • How is the style of each poem—its diction, syntax, images, sounds, and rhythms—related to its meaning? • Is it essential to be familiar with Dickinson’s poetry in order to appreciate or enjoy these poems?

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