Grammar as Rhetoric and Style

1. Grammar as Rhetoric and Style Concise Diction

2. What is concise diction? Concise diction refers to the use of straightforward language to develop clear, authentic writing. • Authors such as Amy Tan and George Orwell believe that writing in this style creates a more genuine piece of writing. • Not all writers agree.

3. Nominalization The process that changes a verb into its noun form. • For example: • Discuss = Discussion • Depend = Dependence • Recognize = Recognition Often results in wordiness, stiffness, or awkward constructions.

4. Examples Nominalization: “My poem, given expression in another language, spoke for itself…and for me.” Correction: “My poem, expressed in another language, spoke for itself…and for me.” Nominalization: “When I was twelve, I made the decision to simplify my life by adding and American middle name.” Correction: “When I was twelve, I decided to simplify my life by adding an American middle name.”

5. Showy Vocabulary Having a large and diverse vocabulary gives a writer many choices and usually results in more precise writing. Inexperienced writers, however, often believe that fancier is better and try to show offer words they know. • The key to figuring out if a words is too showy is to ask yourself if the fancy word is more precise than the more ordinary word, or if you think the former is simply more impressive than the latter.

6. Examples: Pernicious Appropriate Use: “Hijacking the language proves especially pernicious when government officials deodorize their programs with near-Orwellian euphemism.” Awkward Use: “Felicitations on your natal day!” REMEMBER: When deciding between a more simple or fancy word, you must make your own decisions because these choices are not a matter of hard-and-fast rules but rather of how you assess your audience’s expectations and the effect your language will have!

7. Let’s Practice!

8. Identify Awkward or pretentious diction and revise as necessary to improve clarity • A person who has a dependence on constant approval form others is usually insecure. • Let’s have a discussion of the essay you read for homework. • Khaya finally came to the realization that she preferred research to teaching. • A key step toward losing weight is to make a reduction in the amount of food you consume. • A supercilious manager rarely contributes to a felicitous workplace.

9. Recommendations are being made by the faculty for the honor society. • Colin filled out his application to work part-time during the holidays. • We should give serious consideration to the possibility of traveling to China this summer. • The president has every intention of hearing both viewpoints. • Before finalizing the meeting, the chair of the group offered a plethora of ideas.

10. Resources Shea, Renee, Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin DissinAufses. The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, 2nd ed., Boston and New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013.