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Jargon, slang, colloquialisms are all interesting parts of diction (To sum up the previous section: interesting writers choose interesting words over boring ones in order to infuse their writing with more information). Jargon is a word for any set of words devoted to a particular task usually used by a particular group or organization. For example, there can be sailing jargon (“aft,” “starboard,” “boom,” etc.), as well as sailing slang and colloquialisms (“avast matey,” “shiver me timbers”). I assume you are all familiar with the slang of previous generations: “cool,” “gnarly,” “far out,” etc. (For this, [i.e. your] generation, I use UrbanDictionary.com.) So, slang is used in everyday conversation, but never in academic or professional writing.
Colloquialisms are similar. Droppin’ the “g” after words ending in “-ing” is a Southern colloquialism. These words are usually defined by a geographical location (a good dictionary will tell you the location in which these words are used), but as you can see, slang and colloquialisms are very similar. The second word is just longer. Jargon, however, is quite different from the other two. Jargon is used amongst people that are familiar with the topic being discussed. For English students, “gerund,” “apostrophe,” “synecdoche,” and “metonymy” are jargon words. Those who have never studied the language would not understand the technical terms. I am sure you can come up with a few for computer programming, gaming, sports, auto repair, astrophysics, or any other hobby or study.
When an author uses jargon (without defining it), he or she is speaking to a specific audience. So, if you find your author using several words that you are unfamiliar with, grab a dictionary and look them up. If, for example, you look up “humor” in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, you will find “hu·mor noun . . . 2 a in medieval physiology” below the standard definitions. “In medieval physiology” applies to the word when it is used as jargon.
[This post was WinsomeWiki’d on 5 Jul. 2009.]
[Note: This is a re-post from last year. I’ve made some minor alterations to the text, but the content is mostly the same.]
Voice is the second most important aspect of rhetorical (or persuasive) communication. When the communication is written, we call this aspect the author’s “style.” I assume that many of you have been introduced to the style analysis paper in other courses, probably Freshman or Sophomore English. If not, have no fear. Here is a quick review.
When we describe voice in a rhetorical argument, we are actually describing six things. I will refer to them using the acronym T-DIDLS (“tee-diddles”) because it sounds funny and we can all remember it. The first letter stands for TONE, which will be described throughout this series. The second is DICTION, which we will be covering today.
Diction is how we describe an author’s choice of words. You will rarely find a character in a novel “saying” anything; often, they “shout,” “mutter,” “respond,” or “sneer.” This allows the author to pack as much meaning into one word as possible. The same goes with descriptive words. So, instead of describing a scene like this:
The old cat was bad for the man’s asthma.
An author could describe it this way, with more interesting diction:
The dandered and decrepit cat irritated her owner’s asthma.
Okay, so I may not be the next Faulkner, but I hope you get the idea. The words “dandered” and “decrepit” in the second sentence replace “old” in the previous sentence. Not only is the second sentence more interesting, but it more specifically describes the situation. By adding the word “irritated,” a TONE of frustration or annoyance is added to an otherwise frank explanation of events.
Another aspect of diction depends on the author’s purpose. If the author intends to entertain, there will be much laughter and gaiety all around. His or her word choice will reflect a relaxed diction; informal and colloquial words like “um,” “okay,” “well,” and “K,” “LOL,” “whatcha up to?,” and “nuthin'” are all relaxed words that put the reader in a mind to be entertained. On the other hand, if the author’s purpose is to inform, then the words will be much more formal. Academic writing, presentations, most speeches, and any proposals or resumes are written in precise and proper words:
Both Vladimir Nabokov and Marcel Proust state that the worldview they held as children was slanted and inaccurate, yet each devotes much of his story to the recollection of his formative years. Each has devoted numerous pages to narrating or explaining scenes of his early youth that have affected him later in some manner, profound or otherwise. One should certainly wonder, then, what it is about childhood memories that endow them, for these men, with such weight in later life?
Enough of that. It informs, but only if you are really interested in Speak, Memory or Remembrances of Things Past. Which we aren’t; not at this point.
Quick Self-Quiz: Can anyone label the diction I am using throughout this explanation? Take into consideration my purpose and goals.
[This post was WinsomeWiki’d on 5 Jul. 2009.]
Your assignment for this weekend is to write your own modest proposal in the style of Swift’s . . . erm, “Modest Proposal.” I want sarcasm; I want irony; I want scathing, acerbic wit. It can be about whatever you like; I know you all hate it when I say this, but this should be a personal reflection.
Requirements (essays will be returned to you if not in this format):
As always, post your questions for the good of the community.
based on your questions from class, in an easy-to-print design. If you have questions about a question [awk] not listed here, please post a comment and one of your classmates or I will address it.
I have defined the vocabulary used in each question or possible answer. Use this as a study guide by itself, or work through the multiple choice section again, referring to this page when necessary. For your learning pleasure:
paradox—sometimes used synonymously with contradiction, is a set of premises that appear to contradict the conclusion. In this question, it seems that the author is attempting to lure you into thinking that because Hester’s daughter is dressed in the same colors as the symbol of her sin, that this is contradictory. The two symbols are tied in order to make a direct contrast—Pearl’s appearance is described as “the scarlet letter endowed with life,” between “the object of her affection and the emblem of her guilt and torture.”
extended metaphor—the prolonged use of a metaphor in a work. (See this article from Slate.com for a good example.)
subjective narrator—a voice that reports (or narrates) action while commenting, interpreting, or analyzing
colloquial and idiomatic diction—word choice from a specific geographic location. Often used to establish common ground with an audience.
inverted sentence—a sentence with the verb before the subject
To cast abortion as a solely private moral question, . . . is to lose touch with common sense: How human beings treat one another is practically the definition of a public moral matter. Of course, there are many private aspects of human relations, but the question whether one human being should be allowed fatally to harm another is not one of them. Abortion is an inescapably public matter. (Taken from http://www.fallacyfiles.org/begquest.html)
ad hoc argument—an argument created specifically for an incident. For example, Aristotle’s theory of spontaneous life from “pneuma” and various natural elements explains how insects seemingly grow from decaying matter.
Hope this helps. I will be editing some older posts on PELIDS and T-DIDLS tomorrow. They should be posted before Monday.
Please continue researching your candidate—we will be holding a class discussion on issues next week, so begin preparing as soon as possible.
[This post was WinsomeWiki’d on 5 Jul. 2009.]
We have decided to read H.G. Wells‘s The War of the Worlds [online text] for our first novel this session. This will be an exciting unit, as we will be covering not only the novel, but the radio presentation of 1938 [download audio file from The Mercury Theatre on the Air] and its subsequent impact on American listeners. We will be discussing the novel on Monday, so you should either buy a copy this weekend or bring your laptop to class to access the online text. I will post a reading schedule in a day or so.