Diction sets the tone so if the diction used is formal the whole tone of the writing is formal. Does it appeal to sight, smell, touch, taste, or hearing. Authors use diction to effectively support their narrative and characters. The concrete example brings the reader into the story by providing them with relatable, tangible, and genuine imagery that engages them. The definition of diction is the style of speech, or the choice of words in speaking or writing. Abstract and concrete terms abstract terms refer to ideas or concepts. Abstract is anything you cant hear, feel, touch, smell, or hold. Formal diction formal words are used in formal situations, such as press conferences and presentations. The crisscrossing histories of abstract and extract. For example, calling something pleasant or pleasing is abstract, while calling something yellow or sour is concre. Abstract and concrete are classifications that denote whether the object that a term describes has physical referents. The red retrieverhaired satyr can whine and tease her and flatter, but lily ogrady. Diction is word choice, or the style of speaking that a writer, speaker, or character uses.
Informal diction uses informal words and conversation. Concrete his use of concrete terms isnt quite as broad as his use of abstract terms, and even when he does use them, he uses them in a less literal way than purely concrete. Most ideas have a number of alternate words that the writer can select to suit his purposes. Learn 8 different types of diction in writing with examples. In rhetoric, logic, and philosophy, a belief or proposition is said to be a posteriori if it can only be determined through observation palmer 381. This refers to the use of words to describe feelings, thoughts, emotions, ideas, and concepts. Types of diction in act 3, scene 1 of romeo and juliet. This includes personal emails to people you know well, and certain creative projects. The words in italics are but few examples of abstract diction in the above sentences. In mark twains classic tale, huck finn, the narrator, is a yearold boy growing up near the mississippi river in the 1800s. When analyzing diction, look for specific words or short phrases that seem. The word syntax comes from the ancient greek word syntaxis, which means to arrange or put in order difference between syntax and diction. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Slang diction is the use of words that are newly coined, or even impolite.
Skillful writers mix general and particular, abstract and concrete, long and short, learned and commonplace, connotative and. In formal writingessays, speeches diction should be formal. Abstract objects have no physical referents, whereas concrete objects do. Heres more about the various types of diction, and their examples found in literature as well as other media. Informal diction uses informal words and conversation, such as writing or talking to friends. The poem shakespeare, by the 18th century english poet matthew arnold, is a particular good case study for investigating and understanding the key elements of diction. Examples of abstract terms include love, success, freedom, good, moral, democracy, and any ism chauvinism, communism, feminism, racism, sexism. If you know it exists, but you cant see it, smell it, taste it, touch it, or hear it, thats an abstraction. If a word is concrete, you will know which of the five senses it appeals to. A short bit of text conventionally appearing before the start of a novel or poem in which the author or poet addresses some individual, invoking his or her gratitude or thanks to that. Learn 8 different types of diction in writing with. This can give a sense of seriousness, power or even artistic effect, as in these examples. Be careful using this device in a nonfiction, academic essay.
The abstract of hope draws a parallel with the selfless, persistent life of a bird. Some examples of some examples of abstract diction from joseph conrads heart of darkness are such words as impenetrable, incredible, inscrutable. Concrete love frigid faith applescented patriotism tart integrity muscular fear mindnumbing beauty vibrant. If your diction is formal, then the piece as a whole will come across as formal. Abstract imagery synonyms, abstract imagery pronunciation, abstract imagery translation, english dictionary definition of abstract imagery. Abstract diction is subjective, as compared to concrete diction, because its meaning depends on peoples perceptions and their life experiences. However, diction refers to the meanings of the words used while syntax refers to the arrangement of words. Analyzing diction diction is simply the words the writer chooses to. Below are links to some sample abstracts that ive written for past conference presentations. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. Diction, choice of words, especially with regard to correctness, clearness, or effectiveness. Kipling uses both concrete and abstract diction in this poem. Unlike concrete diction, abstract diction describes things that are intangible and without physical presence. An example from popular song in sitwells facade 1923.
The following lists contain different types of abstract nouns. Abstract objects are sometimes called abstracta sing. Concepts like love, faith, trust, hate those are abstract. Abstract diction refers to language that denotes ideas, emotions, conditions or concepts that are intangible. Even if you find it interesting, it may be hard to pin down the meaning. The following examples illustrate the effect that carefullyemployed diction can have on a text. Words used should be used correctly, so that the writer or speaker sounds intelligent. In other words, the exact definition of the item or emotion being talked about varies from one individual to another, so describing an object as attractive or pleasing may mean very different things. These terms are fairly common and familiar, and because we recognize them we may imagine that we understand thembut we really cant, because the meanings wont stay still. Although diction is also important in nonfiction, your choice of words can have a huge impact on how your story or poem is read by audiences. Apr 17, 2017 romeo and juliet, a play by william shakespeare, features a great deal of action and emotion in the first scene of its third act. The purpose of an abstract is to provide prospective readers the opportunity to judge the relevance of the longer work to their projects. Many times, this is a common word or phrase that is being used in a nontraditional, informal way.
An article about knife crime by gary younge, for instance, starts with a specific story of a specific student. Literary terms and definitions a carsonnewman college. Romeo, newly married to juliet, alongside friends mercutio and benvolio, encounter a livid tybalt. In literature and fiction writing, writers often use informal diction and figures of. Syntax and diction are both equally integral parts of the formation of meaning into sentences.
If the color of the dress or the texture of the fabric was described, then the reader would have a better sensory experience. Renaissance examples of acrostic poetry include the preface to ben jonsons the. Diction is one of the most important characteristics of an author or his work. Abstract imagery definition of abstract imagery by the. Abstract diction is the language words and phrases we use to describe qualities that cannot be perceived with our five senses. The more concrete and specific your language is, the more clear and vivid it will be. The diction that you use when you speak or write should be matched to purpose or audience. I didnt fully understand it before but your examples helped me see the big picture of how each type of language works. They are most commonly used in philosophy and semantics. Formal diction involves choosing words that are polite and proper. The more abstract or general your language is, the more unclear and boring it will be.
The study of green grass is popular among agrostologists. What are some examples of abstract language in literature. While you may be asked to write on a series of potential topics, there are similarities in all of the possible subjects. While your language should be appropriate to the situation, that generally still leaves plenty of room for variety. A colloquial word or phrase is one that is better suited for a familiar, facetoface conversation than for scholarly documents. Abstract definition is disassociated from any specific instance. While some of them are a little more technical than others, they all follow the basic rules of what it takes to write a good abstract. Didls packet for prose analysis ap literature west. Imperfect blending for intended readerss mental spaces.
Good journalists educate readers by mixing specific stories with abstract data and trends. Abstract definition, thought of apart from concrete realities, specific objects, or actual instances. Ancient and modern greek literature in estonian kaarina rein 64. An art form that represents ideas instead of natural forms. Concrete language abstract language refers to qualities and ideas. The line separating abstract nouns from concrete nouns is often quite blurry.
In general, these are inductive arguments in which the thinker puts forth a belief or proposition as a universal rule she or he puts forth in response to an example seen in naturethe specific observed example comes first, and. Abstract poem, a term coined by edith sitwell to describe a poem in which the words are chosen for their aural quality rather than specifically for their sense or meaning. For example, many abstract noun lists include the word laughter, but others leave it out, as its something that can be heard, seen, and physically felt. Abstracts present the essential elements of a longer work in a short and powerful statement. Themes in literature tend to differ depending on author, time period, genre, style, purpose, etc. Your diction, the exact words you choose and the settings in which you use them, means a great deal to the success of your writing. Abstract diction and personification emily dickinson uses concrete diction to talk about an abstract concept using the symbol of the bird. These examples are about 500 words in length and fit on one page, singlespaced. Choosing more elevated words will establish a formality to the piece of.
According to baldick, a theme may be defined as a salient abstract idea that emerges from a literary works treatment of its subjectmatter. Depending on the topics at hand, writers tend to vary their diction. The best writing integrates concrete and abstract diction, the language of showing and the language of telling explaining. The word syntax comes from the ancient greek word syntaxis, which means to arrange or put in order. The diction that you use when you speak or write should be matched to purpose or audience in formal writingessays, speechesdiction should be formal. Abstracts also include the key terms found in the longer work and the purpose and methods of the research. One of the primary things that diction does is establish whether a work is formal or informal.
What are some diction choices shakespeare made in romeo and. An abstract in the social sciences may contain the. In narrative writing, in poetry, journalism you name it concrete and specific details will make your reader want to read. Definition, types, and examples of diction in speaking and. Ode on a grecian urn by john keats john keats, in his ode on a grecian urn, uses formal diction to achieve a certain effect. Any of the four generally accepted levels of dictionformal, informal, colloquial, or slangmay be correct in a particular context but incorrect in another or when mixed unintentionally. Literary terms and definitions a cn carsonnewman university. Abstract imagery definition of abstract imagery by the free.
Epic literature, on the other hand, called for characters of high estate, engaging in great actions, and speaking using elevated, poetic diction. When you use examples like that, abstract vs concrete language does seem clearer. Diction can seem like a very broad term that includes all of a writers style, but its possible to break down the concept by looking at some specific examples. Diction doesnt have any specific rhetorical purpose it just creates the overall sense of your work. Abstract diction refers to language that denotes ideas, emotions, conditions, or concepts that are intangible. What are some diction choices shakespeare made in romeo.
A theme is the subject matter that a piece of literature. An abstraction is something that you cant directly experience using your five senses. As a bird is heard singing in the chillest land singing a tune without words, so hope provides a feeling that similarly cannot be put into words. Most modern novels are written with a fairly informal diction, as opposed to. Quamari barnes, a 15yearold student, had been stabbed several times. A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, usually in a phrase introduced by like or as. The following guidelines clarify what types of words to avoid in academic writing, including in discussion board posts. Colloquial diction uses words common in everyday speech, which may be different in different regions or communities. Jan 16, 2017 abstract is anything you cant hear, feel, touch, smell, or hold. What is diction and understanding its types with examples. Diction is the main thing that sets the tone of a piece. A cognitive approach to reception elena dominguezromero 65.
Jul 31, 2018 concrete and abstract diction need each other. The abstract example provides less information, and is slightly vague. Diction refers to the specific word choices an author makes, and a writers choices of words can help portray theme, style, and even tone. Diction examples and definition of diction literary devices. Concrete diction consists of specific words that describe physical qualities or conditions. Nov 17, 2018 abstract diction is the language words and phrases we use to describe qualities that cannot be perceived with our five senses. He describes things such as tools, but not in the literal sense such as hand tools to build things.
Concrete words can be found as any part of speech, excluding those that solely demonstrate relationships between other words prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. To make the meaning of this abstract language clearer, we need some examples. Examples of diction diction examples in speaking formal diction examples. Literary terms and definitions d carsonnewman college. Personification what are the basic categories of figurative language. Start studying rhetorical devies abstract generalization. Yes, the dress is pretty, but what did it actually look like. Abstract diction is the use of nonconcrete words in descriptions in other words, abstract diction includes words that cant be touched, tasted. Formal diction is reserved for scholarly writing and serious.
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