Five Elements of Style

Diction

Word choiceThe foundation of voice!

Diction Author’s choice of word

Words are the basic tools of writer

Reflect and determine the level of formality of a piece

Shape reader’s perceptions

Students should NOT skip words they don’t know as those might be excellent additions to a new writing piece!

Pick words that are clear, concrete, and exact

Lame words = pretty, nice, good, bad

A coat isn’t torn; it is tattered.

The US Army doesn’t want revenge; it is thirsting for revenge.

A door does not shut; it thuds.

Diction depends on the following:TopicPurposeOccasion

Topics and DictionSpecialized topics may call for

specialized language / vocabularyE-mail, iPodJargon depending on the fieldScienceMathHistory

Purpose and DictionThe purpose of the writing

will call forward certain types and levels of language:Inform – more straightforward language

Entertain – ironic, playful, unexpected language

Occasion and Diction Level of formality influences

formality of word choiceSuper formal writing (the

stuffiest of the stuffy)Formal writing (formal

school papers)Informal (responses to

constructed responses)Colloquial / Slang (notes,

emails, texts)

Denotation and Connotation

DenotationThe literal meaning of a word

No emotional bias has been added

ConnotationAn emotionally loaded word

Denotation and Connotation

Compare the effects of the following pairs of words:

Thin…..gaunt

Child…..devil

Student…..scholar….sophomore

Teacher…..professor….sage

Automobile…..car….jalopy….junker….beater

Practice!Word Denotatio

nsPositive Connotation

Negative Connotation

Child

Smell

Image

Worker

Travel

Pay Attention

What is the Difference? Put a lid on it, for cryin’ out loud.

I will not respond to these stressful and unproductive outbursts.

I think you need to, like, channel that negative energy.

You best chill, sucka

Assignment Rewrite the provided text for another

audience, experimenting with different levels of diction.

Sport report

Complaining blog

Technical manual

Movie review

????

Detail Facts, observations, and incidents

used to develop a subject and impart voice.

Create precise mental pictures

Bring color and life to description

The more specific the detail, the greater focus on the object described.

Lack of Detail? Can also state by understatement,

by a lack of detail!

Choose details with care! Add meaning! Don’t trivialize or detract from the

point!

Imagery Verbal representation of the senses

Sight

Sound

Touch

Taste

Smell

Imagery Experiment with a variety of images

Purposely intermingle senses Give smells a color!

Examine traditional images / archetypes!

Syntax Ways words are arranged within

sentences

Normal order is subject – verb – object He handed the flower to her.

Play with the order, though! The flower was handed to her. A flower, the gift he handed to her. To her, the only gift was a flower.

Vary Sentence Lengths!

Help shift reader’s attention

Fend off boredom!

Repetition

Parallelism

Advanced Punctuation uses

Semicolon Way to connect two independent clauses

Colon Sets up a list Sets up a structure “as follows” Information following the colon expands upon the

first clause

Dash Sudden change in thought / mood Sets of a parenthetical part of a sentence

Tone Expression of attitude

Writer’s implied attitude toward his subject and audience

Created by the following: Diction Syntax Details / images

Understanding tone is requisite to understanding meaning!