Diction

Diction is the writer’s choice of words and phrases and how those phrases convey their story. Depending on the type of diction used, colloquial, abstract, etc., the chosen concept, idea, point of view, or plot is going to be more or less effectively conveyed.

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  • a

  • Abstract diction occurs when the poet wants to express something ephemeral, or ungraspable.

  • c

  • Colloquial diction is conversational in nature and can be seen through the use of informal words that represent a specific place or time.

  • f

  • Formal diction is used when the setting is sophisticated. This could be anything from a speech, to a paper submitted to a journal.

  • p

  • Palimpsests are reused pieces of parchment, usually made of calf, lamb, or goat skin. These scrolls or books were washed or scraped clean until the papers could be used again. 
  • Poetic diction describes the language of poetry. It is differentiated from everyday language and that which is commonly used in novels, by its style, vocabulary, and use of figurative language.

  • s

  • Slang diction contains words that are very specific to a region and time, and have been recently coined.
  • The speaker in a piece of poetry might be the poet, an imagined character, a creature or even an object.

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Diction

Diction is the writer’s choice of words and phrases and how those phrases convey their story. Depending on the type