Diction, not Dictation 🎩

Do you use slang? Have you ever heard someone use the word “ain’t” and the cringe you experienced was felt down to your very core? That is an example of diction in everyday speech. In writing, much the same way your speech leaves you vulnerable in conversation, a writer’s word choice leaves every word on a page vulnerable to interpretation and critique. So what exactly is diction. Well, in writing, it’s a very complex literary tool.

What is Diction?

Diction refers to the specific word choice a writer uses. Diction is a complex literary tool that leaves each and every word vulnerable in a poem, in a character’s dialogue, or on the page. Diction is a powerful literary tool with the ability to draw the reader in. It is useful in creating a connection with the narrator or a specific character. It can make a reader dislike a character or, it can make a reader pause to reread what was said to arrive at a deeper meaning.

Diction is the writer’s conscious choice to use the phrase “do not” or the conjunction “don’t.” Diction can elevate a writer’s writing or denote the class or station of a character.  You don’t realize it, but each time you speak or write a note or even jot down a memo, you are using diction. How you use words determines their meaning, whether that be connotation or denotation, whether your tone is formal or conversational.

When do writers use Diction?

Diction deals heavily with tone and enunciation while its counterpart, syntax, pertains to sentence structure. When writers consciously think about their use of diction, they consider how they want their words to sound.

Diction helps build character and add personality to their speech. It can establish atmosphere, tone, and mood for a piece of writing. In poetry, diction may establish a poem’s format, i.e., rhyming or stream of consciousness. It may also be used to convey emotion or attitude, praise, or disdain. Like other literary devices, diction can be used to determine the rhythm and flow of a piece of writing.

How a writer uses a specific word can determine what the word means within that particular context. The decision to use slang, dialect, formal speech, or informal speech is a conscious
decision. Just as formal speech can elevate a writer’s words, colloquial speech, or the use of slang and/or regional dialects, can be equally powerful in the right context.

Are there different types and styles of Diction?

Generally speaking, there are two forms of diction: formal and informal and everything else is a sub-category. However, for argument’s sake, it should be noted that many do not agree with that statement.

To ensure all bases have been covered, the list below outlines the 9 major “types” of diction most commonly explained.

1. Formal – The language of authority and respect used at work, school, courtrooms, etc. Formal uses a serious tone and is often dull, lacking any personality but when speaking with strangers or persons of authority, it is always the safest choice.

2. Informal – Informal diction is casual and refers to how you speak to and address those closest to you, i.e., your friends and family, not strangers or work colleagues. The tone is generally light, relaxed, and often playful and often uses jokes and wordplay.

3. Pedantic – Pedantic diction is a type of formal diction that uses big words as if the writer is trying to prove how smart they are. It is common in academic writing and is often considered arrogant in real life speech. However, writers may use it in dialogue to illustrate that a character is overly concerned with appearing sophisticated or intelligent.

4. Pedestrian – This is the opposite of pedantic and commonly believed to be the way regular people talk. It’s often referred to as normal or common speech. Interestingly, pedestrian diction is the type of dialogue favored by politicians when speaking to large, diverse groups of people. Pedestrian diction is also commonly used by the IT crowd when speaking to someone lacking technical knowledge.

5. Slang – Slang is a form of informal diction often associated with a particular group of people and may be generational. Business jargon often falls into this category because it is used by a particular set of people.

6. Colloquial – Another form of informal diction, colloquial diction is often regional. The best example of colloquial speech is how people refer to soft drinks in different regions of the U.S. In the West, people say “soda,” in the Midwest, people say “pop” and in the Deep South, all soft drinks are referred to as “coke.” In speech, people say,

7. Poetic – Poetic diction utilized rhymes, rhythm, and phonetics. This type of diction is most common in poetry and frequently used in song lyrics, rap music, and to an extent, speech writing. Example:

8. Abstract – Abstract diction is used when discussing something intangible, like an idea or belief. Because you are discussing something abstract, it often comes off as vague or ambiguous.

9. Concrete – The opposite of abstract diction. Concrete diction uses concrete, direct, and unambiguous language. Concrete diction tells things as they are, so in a sense, it is a type of formal diction. Concrete diction uses proper word definitions and cites only facts.

Diction in Literature 📚

When discussing examples of diction in literature, one could argue that every piece of literature is an example of diction. However, we’ve tried to curate a brief but diverse selection.

In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens leads with abstract diction when he writes,

The line is intended to express the concepts of experience and emotion, both of which the narrator had a great deal of during the time period the story takes place.

In contrast to the abstract, Mark Twain favors colloquial in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Let’s examine Huck’s speech for a moment. Twain writes,

By choosing to write Huck’s speech in this style, Twain is able to establish his character’s youth and background.

For an example of pedantic diction (elevated, academic diction), Jules Verne uses this style in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. As Pierre Arronax describes his surroundings, he establishes himself as an expert marine biologist by saying,

“At last, after walking two hours, we had attained a depth of about 300 yards, that is to say, the extreme limit on which coral begins to form.”

Diction in Children’s Literature 🧸

Children’s literature is a treasure trove when it comes to examples of diction, word choice, and tone. Children’s literature, overall, is meant to teach, but also be fun. Although, some of it is just plain fun.

In The Cat in the Hat, Dr. Seuss uses informal creative diction to make his work fun and memorable for his young readers. He is well-known for his creative and playful language along with his use of other literary devices such as rhyme, alliteration, and made-up words. In this example, Dr. Seuss uses playful language to point out that while it’s rainy outside, a lot of fun can still be had indoors.

In  The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien uses both complex and beautiful language, but with his very careful and deliberate use of word choice, he also creates a vivid, detailed world with descriptive language and poetic imagery.

Diction in Songs 🎧

While poetic diction is prominent in rap music, it also plays a role in pop music and other genres. Below, we examine a few examples of pop and rock.

1. Billie Eilish, “Bad Guy” – In this song, Eilish uses abstract diction through rhyme to say that people are not always what they seem.

Through her word choice and rhyme, Eilish uses these lines to point out that people, particularly guys, who act like this are doing just that: acting.

2. In her song, “Red,” Taylor Swift uses concrete diction to create easily relatable, real-world images by using colors to identify specific emotions – blue = loss, longing = gray, and love = red. Her use of color allows the listener to recall an abstract emotion or feeling while the event is concrete and something for the listener to reimagine.

3. And third, The Killers use abstract diction to evoke the feeling of tension in their song, “Mr. Brightside.” By using rhyming words such as “bed” and “head” to illustrate the fact that the fantasy of a relationship with his friend’s girlfriend is in his head, the singer brings to fore that their group interactions are full of emotional and physical tension because he’s not sure if it is all in his head or if his feelings are mutual.

Diction in Film and Pop Culture 🎥

There are an abundance of great film and movie scenes to choose from illustrating the relevance of diction in dialogue. However, one of the all-time greats will always be Forrest Gump (1994). For this example, the scene chosen illustrates Forrest’s childlike nature, naivete, and his southern roots. Try closing your eyes as you listen to fully understand how diction and tone work to build a character.

As you listen to the scene, the tone of Forrest’s narration first off identifies him as being from the South and secondly, the lyrical intonation of his voice helps the viewer realize Forrest is slightly impaired, a trait that adds to his charm, child-like nature, and naivete.

Diction in Poetry ✍🏽

Arguably, it might be said that diction is especially important in poetry where lines are shorter and traditional dialogue is lacking. More often than not, poets pack a lot of detail into a single line, sometimes just a few words, so their word choice is careful and deliberate to convey what they want to say. Since so much detail resides in so little, the reader must slow down and oftentimes, reread the line to fully understand what is being said. Poets count on it.

Some examples of poetic include:

John Doone’s “Batter My Heart” (Sonnett 14)

Like Shakespeare, Donne is a particularly complex poet to decipher. His choice of poetic diction makes the poem feel out of order and the rhyme scheme off. But his word choice elevates the language. A great example of this is the phrase “three-personed God.” By choosing a hyphenate in conjunction with an allusion, he forces the readers to think about what he has said. To maintain the rhyme, he uses words like “o’erthrow.” However, he did this purposely and deliberately so that his readers would slow down a mull over his words to extract their meaning,

Another great example is Emily Dickinson’s “Because I Could Not Stop for Death.” 

In this poem, Dickinson’s use of words such as “kindly,” “immortality,” and “eternity” creates a sense of mortality and acceptance. While the narrator did not want to die, Death was kind enough to allow her time to say her goodbyes.

And last but not least, William Wordsworth’s poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” uses diction to create a sense of loneliness and isolation. To arouse these feelings. Wordsworth uses words such as “lonely,” “vacant,” and “wild.”

Diction in Advertising 📺

Advertising is all about diction. It must be to draw the consumer in. Some of the top brands repurpose old slogans and ads because they get into the consumer head through forceful, visual, or abstract word choices.

Some prominent examples include:

Nike, “Just Do It” – The language is simple, straightforward and forceful. After watching the spectacular visual accompaniment with the slogan, why wouldn’t the consumer want to buy the product? This phrase has become synonymous with the Nike brand and encourages people to take action.
From Apple, the world was gifted with “Think Different.” Once again, the language is simple and forceful, but at the same time abstract. What does “think different” mean, really? The only way to find out is to buy an Apple product and experience the feeling.

And for our third example, a campaign intentionally targeting children, is Skittles’ slogan “Taste the Rainbow.” The word choice begins tangible with “taste” but then becomes abstract in the same breath. How can you taste the rainbow? We all know what a rainbow is, but you can’t touch, so how can you taste it? I mean, you can’t even find where it physically begins or ends.

But, the deliberate combination of words in an authoritative tone makes you think you might actually be able to taste the unattainable. As such , “Taste the Rainbow” encourages people to try different flavors of Skittles.

Diction is not to be Confused with … 👥

People, and writers, are often confused by the difference between diction and syntax. It’s understandable as they are so closely related. To clarify, Syntax is sentence structure. More precisely, it is the careful arrangement of words and phrases in a specific order. While Diction primarily focuses on tone and enunciation, syntax focuses on the arrangement of the words being spoken or read.

FAQ 🤔